The NCAA Champion UCLA women’s soccer team participated in the journey of The Ball, which is traveling around the world to Brazil for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

The Bruins did a beach workout in Marina del Rey on Wednesday morning, which included playing footvolley, a hybrid game of soccer and beach volleyball, with the Ball. UCLA coaches were joined by former World Cup players Lorrie Fair and UCLA and U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame player Cobi Jones to play footvolley matches against the Bruin players.

After the workout, the team members were able to add their signatures to the Ball, but not before heading it, a ritual that is required before signing it.

The Ball is visiting 25 countries through the non-profit organization Spirit of Football, which celebrates the positive spirit of football around the globe and spreads the message of One Ball, One World. The Ball is a fair-trade ball that was made by prisoners in a Brazilian rehab program called Pintando a Liberdade.

This is the fourth journey of The Ball to the World Cup. It will visit 35 major cities along its route through 27 countries and will cover approximately 11,000 miles. By the time the Ball reaches Brazil, it will have been signed by over 20,000 people, including the Bruin team.

Spirit of Football is a non-profit based in the U.K. that supports K-12 education and inter-cultural communication.

Photos: http://ucla.in/MwqgiD

Liza David  UCLA Athletics         

Sports Information Director

UCLA Athletics Website: http://www.uclabruins.com

UCLA Athletics Twitter: @uclaathletics