Meet the All-Stars Behind Kansas City’s Women-Owned, Soccer-Themed Coffee Truck

Kansas City, Missouri, has long been a soccer powerhouse (its nickname is the "Soccer Capital of America!”), but ahead of hosting six 2026 World Cup games, that energy has reached new heights.

At the center of it all is Pitchside Coffee, owned by six active and former Kansas City Current players: Elizabeth Ball, Vanessa DiBernardo, Kristen Hamilton, Hailie Mace, Desiree Scott, and Mallory Weber. What started as a typical preseason coffee run quickly grew into both a wildly popular mobile trailer and a brick-and-mortar cafe blending sport, community, and caffeine into one uniquely KC experience.

Two years ago, the teammates were warming up in a California coffee shop during preseason and noticed its branded trailer outside. The group already shared a love of coffee, and the concept clicked instantly. “The trailer was enticing because we knew it was probably more affordable [than a brick and mortar],” defender Elizabeth Ball says. Within hours, they were Googling possibilities at their hotel. A few weeks later, they had ordered a custom trailer. 

The turnaround was fast — that initial conversation happened in late January, the kitted-out trailer arrived in May, and by July Pitchside was serving its first customers. The soft opening, which Ball describes as “hilarious,” was small, just family, friends, and teammates. “We were the baristas,” she shares. “It was a good test run.” But their first public event the following weekend made the impact clear. “We had a line down the street for over 2.5 hours.” 

Just over a year later, Pitchside opened a physical location in August 2025, an opportunity that came far sooner than expected. After a successful pop-up at Roof Check Contracting, owner Cisco, a longtime supporter of the team, invited them to take over part of his 7,000 square-foot space. Ball shares that although it wasn’t yet on their radar, “We realized we have something special.”

For six months, the athletes ran the trailer themselves, squeezing in shifts between practices and games. Even today, with the trailer and cafe fully staffed, they jump in often. “We’re always in the mix and we keep a close eye on everything. Being professional athletes, we're very particular individuals and we have high standards,” Ball says with a laugh. 

Pitchside roasts its coffee in-house and partners with Post Coffee Co. for large wholesale orders (Midwesterners, find Pitchside at Hy-Vee), but Ball says their understanding of the craft came from community support — especially TJ from Kinship Cafe, the only Black-owned roasters in Kansas City. “There are so many nuances and things we didn't know. It's a full science pulling a shot of espresso.”

Despite the rapidfire growth, Ball says community connection is the highlight. “This space gives us the opportunity to genuinely connect with our fans. We’re able to see them up close, not squinting into the stands.” Sometimes, opposing players stop by on game day. “Even though we’re competing on the weekend, they support us.”

Running a business with six owners who also happen to be teammates has its challenges, Ball admits, but their on-field chemistry carries over. “We know each other's quirks, and our connection transfers from the field to our business.”

As for what’s next? Ball laughs. “We have a lot coming up so we're taking everything as slow as we can, but things seem to be a dead sprint, always.”

Visit Pitchside’s cafe in the Crossroads neighborhood, or find the trailer at CPKC Stadium on game days. Customers can order beans online, but Ball recommends stopping by in person. “The shop is the best way to get the freshest beans — and you might run into us.”