The Goalmouth - America SCORES Bay Area's Blog

Back to MY Future

2012-02-28T09:38:00.000-08:00

It was Spring of 2005. Tick-tock…RRRRIIINNNGGG!!! Now it’s 2:55pm…the El Dorado Elementary School bell blares sharply into the empty hallways and resonates onto the sloping blacktop school yard. I’m not in the glitzy Marina; I’m not in the breezy Sunset. Cross the city with me and relish in the moment when thin shadows and sun rays dance into the rolling Visitacion Valley where just a few blocks are all housing projects. I close my eyes to prepare…ahhhh there it is…the sound of little feet tapping down the stairs quickly thickens into THUMP THUMP THUMP like galloping horses to the finish line. And me…counting down to greet my team of students in the cafeteria. (Deep breaths Emily, smile Emily I say) Alas! My vibrant and sassy 4th and 5th graders have arrived…”Coach Em & Em!” the girls cheer…it’s time for America SCORES literacy class.

I used to work in downtown San Francisco, immersed in the dot com frenzy of this company and that company. I was a Media Buyer for a big ad agency and oh, how I loved Tuesday bagel days where I got to mingle with other 20 somethings like me, imagining myself living the life like a Melrose episode. I would often glance at my watch, waiting for the next happy hour with the friends in my department. This would go on, year after year. My professional life working for a big company. Don’t get me wrong, I loved it, succeeded, met great people, and even relished in the occasional concert and basketball game. But there was always something missing. I wanted more. Funny how life takes you on a journey. It was my time and moment for the right doors to open. I said goodbye to my mechanical corporate life and became a literacy coach for America SCORES Bay Area in Spring 2005.

Oh boy was I challenged. And my my my how inspired and humbled I became. Working with 14 public elementary school girls was not easy!! Name-calling, she said this and she said that, drama, cussing, tears, loneliness, joy, multiplication tables…oh, God. What did I get myself into? I won’t lie, the first two weeks were tough. I wasn’t crunching numbers from a 12 page Excel report anymore….oh, no! I was Coach Em & Em and I was the role model and leader for a group of charming, lovable, loud, talkative, and creative young ladies. I was their literacy after-school teacher and someway, somehow, I was their inspiration for a few days a week. I did it. I realized I was going through a major transition in my life and I loved every minute of it.

Now fast forward, it’s 2012. I never left America SCORES. As Associate Director I look back and see the colorful memories I have from my days as a coach.

I wonder how my students from El Dorado are doing. Whatever happened to Marissa, my star soccer player and hard-working poet who had four other siblings and a troubling home life? What about Vaneeka, who was a leader in her own way but was always getting reprimanded by me or the principal? What about adorable Brianna and the studious Lucy? They are in high school somewhere. Would they remember me if they ran into me at the park or at the store?

There is something to be said about how America SCORES not only changes the lives of the students in our program, but also folks like me. Ask Coach Angela, Coach Rudy, Coach Marco and…well the list goes on…

Emily Queliza
Associate Director

The America SCORES Approach

2012-02-23T13:02:00.000-08:00

I spent President's Day weekend visiting my fiancé's family in the Inland Empire of the Los Angeles area. They live in an area where fast food chains run rampant and apathy towards healthy habits is too common. My fiancé has two younger siblings, twelve and eight years old. While they are bright and kind-hearted, their food options, limited by their parents' income and their surroundings, are starting to take a toll.

Both of them are in an after-school program. A typical day in their after-school program goes something like this: one hour of homework, one hour of free time or outside play, and the rest of their time spent on computers. Upon hearing this, I was quite taken aback. Perhaps it's that I've been working with America SCORES for too long and have forgotten the other side of after-school: the limited options, the uncoordinated activities, the apathetic teens who feign interest in their jobs. I had to ask myself, are these children really benefiting from free play and computer time?

This was a reminder to me about how dramatically different the America SCORES approach to youth development is. Six days a week, coordinated soccer leagues, literacy activities, nurtured voices and healthy bodies. This is the program my fiancé's siblings and thousands of other children need to help them avoid serious health issues in the future. It breaks my heart that they will not have these opportunities and that they are worse off because of it.

However, America SCORES Bay Area is reaching 1,000 children in the Bay Area and I am grateful for that. Those children will have these opportunities and will be healthier and happier because of it. Their futures are looking brighter.

Dan Schwer
Communications Director

Stories from the Field: Coaching Through Conflict

2012-02-15T14:32:00.000-08:00

Olivia is one of those tough girls. I used to consider myself lucky if she just rolled her eyes at my directions, yet leisurely followed them. It took me the better part of the past five months to get her to move from leisurely following my directions to leading others to follow them. I want to say that her ease in attitude came about from my perseverance to relate; but honestly, it happened because I discovered that underneath it all, she’s a softy. And she loves her friends.

This past fall, America SCORES Bay Area decided to take on its first middle school program. Although I have worked with elementary kids for the past six years, I was surprised at the difference between ages. It was a challenging start, but we eventually found our rhythm. As coaches, we learned to balance the slew of drama that defined many of our kids' lives with a structured and safe space for our group to come to every Monday and Wednesday afternoon. Within our team, we had kids who recently came to the U.S. as refugees, some who move between foster care and home, and many who have older siblings involved in gangs. With a difficult home life and the rocky emotional terrain that comes with being a 12 year old girl, it’s no wonder Olivia barely gave me the time of day. She had nights to contend with.

As the weeks went by, our group began making connections, through the soccer practices and in the classroom when we worked on challenge games and writing curricula. We were becoming a team, and Olivia was clearly one of the unofficial “captains”. With her fearless stance and engaging features, she is a natural leader. Along with her best friend Maya, they often acted as spokespersons for the group.

Two weeks ago, I noticed that Olivia and Maya came to practice separately. They didn’t seek one another out, and Maya's demeanor was stiff and agitated. Olivia followed the starting ritual of laps without a word or trace of an eye roll. I put down my clipboard and started running along beside her to find out what was wrong. What unraveled was a familiar tale of love and exes, amplified by the eighth grade mind. Maya and Olivia were fighting over an unexpected kiss given to Olivia by Maya's ex-boyfriend. When Maya found out, the feud erupted.

The argument was an exploration into the realm of adulthood, representing love, respect and in this case, sisterhood. Olivia had broken her bond with her sister-friend Maya; and Maya was hurt. By bringing the two girls together to resolve their conflict, I was able to mediate what became more than just an understanding. They found common ground in annoyance for the people that had egged on their fighting, and they remembered how it felt to be in one another’s company. They realized that their friendship was more important than Olivia's mistake. Gradually, Maya eased away from the fence she leaned on and she looked Olivia in the eye and accepted her apology. I moved away to let them make up in private and joined the larger practice.

After that day Olivia became part of the team. She put forth real effort in the drills and used her innate leadership to motivate the other players when needed. I like to think that it was because she understood that being part of the team can offer her support in a way that will help keep her emotionally safe and strong. That she will learn skills which she can apply to getting through her world with success. But really, it’s because she loves her friends. And as long as I get the chance to teach her some new skills and she follows directions without rolling her eyes, I am happy.

“Love is the beauty of the soul” — St. Augustine

Angela Bailey
Program Manager

Stories from the Field: America SCORES Recess Soccer Support

2012-02-07T10:03:00.000-08:00

On every Wednesday of each week, America SCORES runs Recess Soccer Support at Longfellow Elementary School for a full hour, which gives students the opportunity to release energy and be active before returning to class. America SCORES coach Ashley Rodriguez runs the program at Alice Chalmers Playground Park, which is connected to Longfellow, from 12-1pm. Ashley works with the third, fourth, and fifth graders for the first half of lunch, and first and second graders for the second half. Participation has been incredible from the students at Longfellow Elementary School. Last week, Coach Ashley had over seventy students who participated.

America SCORES Recess Soccer Support is a new program that brings the values of America SCORES to more students through pick-up soccer games. Students are divided into two teams with up to ten players per team. Each team receives their own color jerseys to differentiate the teams and then the ball is thrown into the field to begin the game. During the games, students are instructed to resolve any issues that arise by playing a quick game of rock-paper-scissors before getting an America SCORES Coach to step in to resolve the issue at hand. This method of conflict resolution helps students deal with issues they face in the absence of an adult.

America SCORES Bay Area is able to bring Recess Soccer Support to Longfellow thanks to a $1,500 grant from professional soccer team, the San Jose Earthquakes, and Wells Fargo. We would like to thank the San Jose Earthquakes and Wells Fargo for helping America SCORES Bay Area stay engaged with more youth and at more critical times of the day.

If you or someone you know would like to volunteer with America SCORES as a part of Recess Soccer Support, contact Shannon Burns, sburns@americascores.org.

Genaro Arana
Program Manager

Stories From the Field: America SCORES on the MOVE at After School Conference

2012-01-31T09:44:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday, America SCORES Bay Area participated in the 3^rd Annual Bridging the Bay Conference, a unique venue for after-school programs and professionals to collaborate on best practices and identify the needs and challenges that we face within these important hours of our children’s education, safety and growth.

The entire America SCORES Bay Area staff came out to proudly represent our unique combination of poetry, performance, soccer, and teamwork. America SCORES invested in this opportunity for professional development as a sponsoring exhibitor and as a featured workshop provider. We also provided lunchtime entertainment with standout performances from our NYC SLAM! poet-athletes Nisrine and Sergio! Staff met friends new and old at our booth and facilitated a soccer-oriented training that focused on ways to teach athletic, poetic, and life skills in a fun, inclusive way. Program Director Yuri Morales and Education Director Marty Mannion led this workshop on physical and mental muscle with a detailed soccer practice and follow-up discussion on how to utilize the team sport to create meaningful lessons involving conflict resolution. By the end of the workshop, over twenty after-school site coordinators and staff members were breathing hard, showing off new skills, smiling, and even cheering on teammates they just met.

Nisrine and Sergio performed at the Bridging the Bay Conference.

This soccer session was one of almost fifty workshops to choose from. Throughout the day, the greatest challenge was choosing between a range of high-quality workshops that spanned from nutrition education, to “Getting Things Done,” to inspiring future engineers. With all the connections made between school sites and creative programs, it was clear that every attendee walked away inspired with new ideas, new partnerships, and the encouragement that comes from seeing so many invested in providing opportunities outside the school hours to our future generations. We look forward to building these partnerships for greater impact.

A big thank you to the conference organizers and sponsors including Amy Adkins from the San Francisco Unified School District for this worthwhile day of learning. It is a beautiful thing to see so many educators striving to improve their own practices and provide more opportunities for their students.

Shannon Burns
Volunteer and Program Manager

The Legend of the Golden Boot Transforms After-School Learning for Juniors

2012-01-25T10:06:00.000-08:00

Meet Zoomba, an eight year-old monkey who, from behind cage bars, envied the lives of children laughing, talking and playing freely at the zoo. That all changed one day when he stumbled upon a magic, Golden Boot empowering him to learn human words and games, like soccer. Zoomba tried to share these gifts with his zoo-animal friends, but they only fought over the shiny cleat and its powers. When Zoomba noticed an America SCORES coach at the zoo this fall he enlisted the Junior SCORES poet-athletes to help the animals live, learn and play like kids on a real soccer team.

The zoo animals fight over the Boot.

This October coaches showed up to the first day of the Junior SCORES season at eight San Francisco public schools with an authentic Golden Boot, Zoomba’s plea for help, and original, color illustrations of the animals. After immediately connecting with the Boot and Zoomba’s dilemma, students were bursting with stories and advice for their new friend. “Does Zoomba know Spanish?” asked one boy, as he got to work with his classmates creating a sign with “fair-play rules” that animals could post by the make-shift pitch in their cage. Other children created a team flag as a model for the animals or wrote notes introducing themselves and their schools. Over 120 1st and 2nd graders spent the next few weeks writing letters and poetry, creating artwork, completing team challenges, solving word puzzles and sharing the stories of their childhood to help the zoo animals become a soccer team.

Cleveland Junior SCORES team gathering around the Golden Boot!

The Juniors soon discovered that the Golden Boot’s true magic was not just for soccer-playing animals. In setting out to help Zoomba, students also connected to America SCORES teammates by sharing their own stories, writing creatively, playing cooperative games, and finding their voices together. They internalized the same “fair play” lessons they taught the animals. During one activity where teams passed the Boot in a circle while sharing poetry, students commented that the Golden Boot gave them the power to speak with confidence. The kids never asked why they had to spend their after-school time writing poetry or stories. They were too busy trying to help Zoomba and protect the Golden Boot!

The Legend of the Golden Boot employs an exciting, new pedagogy called story-based learning, which uses a narrative to engage students in educational activities. To develop the program, America SCORES Bay Area worked closely with Suzanne Popkin, a literature professor at Stanford University and U.C. Berkeley, and founder of Bookboing, a company that develops educational, interactive story-based software. She defines story-based learning as a five-step process:

Students develop a connection with characters and become engaged in a plot.
The characters face a challenge.
The narrator asks the students to help the character in order to move the story forward.
The narrator gives hints and instruction when needed.
Students learn and demonstrate a new skill to help the character and resolve tension in the story.

The approach is helping us think about the way students learn in and out of school. School is largely a game students play, often competing for points out of 100 or a grade. Because of the rules of the game, some children do better than others. When students are engaged in a narrative and create connections with characters and classmates, the rules for learning are re-written in a more fun, relevant and captivating way for many children. As a first grader, would you rather work for a magic, golden boot, or a B+?

The Legend of the Golden Boot helped students use their imaginations to leave the stresses of the classroom behind when the bell rang each day, and learn through playing. It is one thing to teach students how to summarize a story in order to score well on a test. It is another to make a student a character in a season-long story and ask her to share her own experience interacting with the other characters and the plot. Einstein once said, “Imagination is greater than knowledge,” and story-based learning is the ultimate exercise in sustained imagination.

Just when the Juniors truly appreciated the power of the Golden Boot in Week 5 of their fall season, they discovered it had been stolen! It was up to them to go on a scavenger hunt, use their reading skills to piece together clues and put a team project together to meet the ransom demands of the Boot’s thief. They succeeded, and had one last task — to crack to code of the cage lock and help Zoomba go free. Zoomba learned so much from the Juniors this season, that he shared his own poem to show his appreciation:

I’m free! Thanks to you I’m free of the zoo
Now there are so many things that I want to do

I want to flip and slide, to hop and swing
to dance and twirl, to rap and to sing

To catch, and throw, and run the bases
Wear socks and shoes and tie my laces

I want to taste new foods, like pizza and pears
to smell the outdoors, the park and ocean air

How does your playground and classroom look?
I’ll read that in my new Important Book!

You taught me I don’t need some magic shoe,
I just need some kind words and help from you.

Now there are so many things I’d like to try
So much to do before the day goes by

But wait. What should I do first?
And why?

Stay tuned for more news on the Juniors’ next big adventure, starting in early March!

Acknowledgements: The Legend of the Golden Boot was created by Marty Mannion and Cyrus Philbrick of America SCORES Bay Area, in collaboration with Suzanne Popkin of Bookboing. All illustrations and artwork were created by Maybelline Chow with additional design work by Dan Schwer of America SCORES Bay Area.

And Josseline Makes Four; Congrats to our West Contra Costa Winner!

2012-01-19T13:04:00.000-08:00

Last night, January 18th, the finalists from the West Contra Costa America SCORES program competed for the last spot to New York City. With much excitement, Stewart Elementary 5th grader Josseline Sanchez was announced as the winner!

"This is Josseline's second year to audition for the National SLAM!" said WCC Program Director Roberto Gil. "She has worked hard for this."
Stay tuned for bios on all four of our fabulous poets. Congratulations Josseline!

Watch a video of Josseline's performance below....

New York Poets Announced!

2012-01-18T15:55:00.000-08:00

On December 10th, more than 20 talented athlete-poets had the courage to step up to the mic and perform an original poem for a packed house of teammates, coaches, family and friends.
Now, more than a month later, three students have been chosen to represent San Francisco at the America SCORES National Poetry SLAM! in New York City!

The first student to find out was Nisrine Rahmaoui, a 4th grader from Redding Elementary. Nisrine was disbelieving and excited when she read her invitation letter. She talked about how great all the other finalists were, and how she never expected to win. Then the questions came: could she tell her friends? What about her mom? Could she and other athlete-poets do make-overs in the hotel? Would they get to fly first-class? (Yes, yes, sure, and probably not.)

That afternoon, Nisrine shared the news with her coaches, site supervisor, a few favorite teachers and close friends... but no one was more excited than her mom, who had already considered buying a suitcase, "just in case."

Nisrine's mom celebrates the news!

The Rahmaoui family and site supervisor Chris pose with Nisrine's invitation letter.

Next, a few members of the SCORES crew headed over to Marshall Elementary, to give the happy news to 5th grader José Camara. There they found José playing-what else-soccer with his SCORES teammates. Marshall coaches Aaron, Alberto and Beverly called José over to read his letter, and everyone burst into cheers as José read that he would be going to New York. Those cheers were whispers compared to the screams when Jose's classmates found out- they surrounded him in a giant pile of hugs and then chased him around the playground as he ran to tell his friends!

José reads his letter.

Coach Alberto, Coach Beverly and Coach Aaron cheer ¡GO SCORES, GO JOSÉ!

José tries to escape a crowd of excited fans!

Finally, Sergio Lopez of Bret Harte got the great news that he was going to New York. Sergio was really excited and gave big coaches to Coaches Afu, Marco, Yuri and Marty!

Sergio poses with a ref at a SCORES game day!

Stay tuned for more about each poet and the New York Slam. In the meantime, if you see Nisrine, José or Sergio, give them a big high five. And remember, every America SCORES athlete-poet is a winner!

SportSmarts: Conflict Resolution Through Soccer

2012-01-17T14:21:00.000-08:00

Bullying Bidane shows a "V" for victory... at any cost.

Meet Bullying Bidane: he is a great soccer player, but he gets himself in trouble when he forgets to use his head, and starts fights that could have been solved just as easily with words.

Bullying Bidane (B.B. to his friends) is just one of the many characters that students will get to know as they venture through SportSmarts, a conflict resolution curriculum developed through a partnership with America SCORES Bay Area and UCSF. SportSmarts is being piloted this year at six America SCORES schools: Marshall, Bryant, John Muir, Cleveland, J. Serra and E.R. Taylor.

By journaling, acting out scenarios and practicing relaxation techniques, SportSmarts students will draw on their own experiences of aggression and anger on the soccer field to learn how to better manage conflict in their schools and larger communities.

The program will culminate in a "Ref-Free Jamboree," where students will demonstrate the skills they've learned by resolving conflicts on the field without the help of a ref. The "Ref-Free Jamboree" will also feature performances of original scenarios from each school!

The Book Zone Addresses the Call for "Better Parents"

2011-11-21T14:04:00.000-08:00

by Marty Mannion, Education Director

This weekend a New York Times op-ed titled “How About Better Parents?” blamed America’s falling behind in international standardized tests on bad parents. “Let’s stop putting the whole burden on teachers. We also need better parents. Better parents can make teachers more effective,” said Friedman. In defense of the hard-working parents in our program, we remind readers that the opposite of this statement is also true. Great educators and great educational organizations don’t just throw up their arms and wish for better parents. They give parents the tools they need to be more effective. Our new Book Zone, a field-side book swap and reading area, is part of our effort to help parents maximize student learning outside of school.

In 2009 American students ranked 14^th in the world in an international, standardized reading test administered by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The United States was conspicuously absent from the list of top performers which included Canada, Korea, Singapore, Shanghai, Japan and New Zealand. (Source). More disturbing is that the gap between the top ten percent and the bottom ten percent of American students mirrors the gap between the highest and lowest performing countries. The OECD cited a lack of parent engagement in their students’ education as part of the reason for the United States’ poor performance on the reading test. They interviewed parents of over 5,000 students and asked them about how they raised their kids and then compared that with the test results. They concluded:

“Fifteen-year-old students whose parents often read books with them during their first year of primary school show markedly higher scores in PISA 2009 (the international reading test) than students whose parents read with them infrequently or not at all. The performance advantage among students whose parents read to them in their early school years is evident regardless of the family’s socioeconomic background. Parents’ engagement with their 15-year-olds is strongly associated with better performance in PISA.”

Instead of blaming parents for our nation’s low academic achievement, America SCORES is actively working to figure out how we can help parents help their children. We spoke with teachers from some of our schools about this issue and one teacher said that her students simply don’t have access to books at home. As I met with her she was in the process of photo-copying books so her students would have something to read at home. When I told her about our plan to offer free books to students at Saturday Game Days she donated $100 worth of books on the spot. This was an example of a great teacher helping parents solve a problem instead of blaming them for it.

We know that parents in the America SCORES community want the best for their kids, but sometimes it can be hard to provide children with everything they need to compete with students from wealthier neighborhoods. Spending fifteen dollars every time a child gets tired of one book and wants a new one is a luxury that every child deserves but only a minority have. For most of our parents new books are too expensive and regular trips to the library conflict with hectic work and school schedules. One study suggests that in middle-income neighborhoods there are 13 books per child. In low-income neighborhoods there are 300 children per book.

To this end we launched the America SCORES Bay Area Book Zone this season. The Book Zone provides families with access to free books every time they come to the soccer field to play on Saturday. Students can keep the books for as long as they want or bring them back and exchange them for another one. At any given time, students can have up to ten books at home. The more books we get, the more books students can add to their home library.

This weekend, one mom explained that her child’s teacher asked her to get more “level S” books for her child, which was stressful for this mother to hear because she did not know what exactly a level S book was or where she could find some at an affordable price. Her daughter happily checked out ten books she was interested in from the Book Zone so her teacher could help her choose some at her level. Later, another girl ran off the soccer field and yelled, “This is the best soccer field ever!” When I asked her why she answered, “Because we get free books, obviously!” Some students spend more time relaxing in the bean bag chairs with a new book than they do playing soccer. The Book Zone is a hit for younger siblings who are more interested in Dr. Seuss than they are in watching yet another 3^rd grade soccer match from the sidelines. When the Junior SCORES fall season ended this past Saturday, parents were asking if the Book Zone would be back in the winter season, as they have come to rely on it.

The Book Zone effectively addresses three big barriers to successful home literacy programs. First, kids must have access to books they love and be excited about reading. Second, choosing and reading a book should be part of a routine. Most importantly, parents must be actively involved in their children’s growth as a reader. Saturday Soccer Game Days already feature a lot of excitement on the part of kids and parents. Families set aside time each week for soccer, and the Book Zone helps them build a similar routine for reading. By adding books to the mix families leave the field as excited about going home to read together as they are about playing soccer, and having access to great books is never an issue.

The Book Zone is living proof that as we cry out for “better parents” to fix our failing education system, we remember that for the most part, parents want the best for their children. It is the job of teachers, schools and community organizations to engage parents in creative, new ways so they have the tools they need to raise a reader. Every Saturday at the Book Zone we see that when given the resources they need, parents are not the problem as Friedman suggested. Parents are the solution.

If you would like to donate books or money to the book zone, please email dschwer@americascores.org

Inspired Art December 2nd!

2011-11-21T11:53:00.000-08:00

Friday December 2nd, come celebrate the talented athlete-poets of America SCORES Bay Area at our Inspired Art Poetry Party!

· Bid on amazing art pieces created by local artists and inspired by America SCORES kids’ poetry

· Enjoy poetry readings from kids and adults

· Eat, drink and mingle for a good cause!

Where: Sports Basement Grotto Gallery, 1590 Bryant Street (at 15^th)

When: Friday, December 2^nd, from 5:30- 8:30

For more information, check out Inspiredartproject.wordpress.com

Edgar Chooses A Winner!

2011-10-31T10:44:00.000-07:00

Edgar Allan Poe resurfaced just in time for our Halloween game day!

After poring through more than 100 amazing Halloween poems, Edgar Allan Poe chose his favorite: "Halloween Night" by J. Serra 5th grader Stacey Perez. Stacey won a $50 Sports Basement gift certificate, a soccer ball, and the honor of having her poem read by a world famous, long-dead poet!
Other poets who scared and delighted us were Jose from Marshall Elementary, and Chris from Redding Elementary. Thanks to all our awesome coaches and poets for making our Halloween game day truly haunting!

Here's Stacy's winning poem:

Halloween Night

I like Halloween because it's nice
But some things are creepy like hairy mice
Like magicians doing weird tricks
Like zombies killing people with sharp picks
Like mummies wrapped up in bugs
Like old ladies with mugs
Like ghosts calling out people's name
Like kids in the dark playing hide and seek
Like dead bodies flowing in a river
Like kids starving to shiver
Like dogs becoming evil dragons
Like dead people from 100 years ago with wagons
Kids trick or treating
Dead hearts beating.
I like Halloween.

Stacy is unafraid as she poses for a pic with a scary ghost, Coach Marty, Edgar and the Poetry Fairy

Game Day Poetry Exchanges Are Getting Better and Better!

2011-10-24T14:12:00.000-07:00

E.R. Taylor presents an awesome poem before their game with Hillcrest!

This year, we launched a new tradition of each team reading a poem before their game. With these new poetry exchanges, not only do our athlete-poets get to show off their masterpieces, they also get to share a little bit of who they are with another team. Try to catch these performances next game day- you won't be disappointed!

Jerli from Hillcrest reads his spooky Halloween poem.

2011-10-19T11:41:00.000-07:00

America SCORES gets spooky and POE-tic for Halloween!

Recently, the ghost of Edgar Allen Poe left a very interesting letter for our poet-athletes. Seeing as he has been dead for the past 160 years, he is totally out of touch with his favorite holiday- Halloween! So, he asked the America SCORES kids to write poems capturing the creepy, crawly essence of this eerie day.
As the poems come rolling in, Mr. Poe is sifting through them all, trying to decide on his favorite. If he finds one he really likes, he might even make an appearance at our October 29th Halloween Game Day!

Wanna Get in On the Frightening Fun? Contact Marty at mmannion@americascores.org to be one of Poe's scary friends on game day. With your help, we can create a truly memorable Halloween for our America SCORES teams!

In the meantime, here's an early contest entry to get you in the Halloween spirit:

Spirit

by Zelking Silva, 5th grade, Mission Education Center

Shadow, you have a dark spirit

Like a ghost in the fog

Horrifying, Frightening

And a blurry shadow

Spirit, Ghost, Witch

Terrifying blurry fog

That guides me

Nightmarish fog

Your shadow terrifies me

But your Ghost is

Even darker

El Espíritu

Por Zelking Silva, 5^to Grado, Mission Education Center

Sombra tienes un espíritu oscuro

Como un fantasma de niebla

Espeluznante Espantoso

Y una sombra borrosa

Espíritu, Fantasma, Bruja

Espantosa niebla borrosa

Que guía sobre mí

Espeluznante niebla

Tu sombra me espanta

Pero tu Fantasma eres

Más oscuro

Another Brilliant Class!

2011-09-30T10:05:00.000-07:00

Coach Aaron's team at Marshall Elementary had a great time doing ABC poems this past Tuesday. Although most of the students had only started writing poetry the week before, they quickly got working creating some unique, hilarious and awesome poems. Best of all, they weren't afraid to share: more than half the class stepped into the Author's Chair to read their work! Here's a sample:

Abby is my coach of soccer

Brigitte is my cousin.

Carla - she is aunty.

Dara – that’s my name.

Eugeño trabaja en un restaurante.

Francisco es un buen portero.

Gadiel patea la pelota muy duro.

Hormigas son rojas y trabajan fueremente.

Este is mi poem.

-Dara Montejo Chel

Dummy bears are so good

Eat some more

Fat Dummy

Gummy Bears

Aww, I all out.

-Mampu Lona

“Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep!” says my mean clock

Cooking in the kitchen all I hear is, “Zzzzz”

Dumb clock won’t be quiet

Escaping the room was like a maze

Finally, I actually woke up. “Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep,” says my mean clock,

but at least it stops.

-Rubén Mejia

Volunteer Views!

2011-09-27T10:12:00.000-07:00

The season is officially underway, and we couldn't do it without our fabulous volunteers serving as assistant coaches, game day refs and so much more! To paraphrase Levar Burton on Reading Rainbow, but don't take our word for it: here's what volunteer ref Justin had to say about his first game day ref experience:

"I loved working with these kids and felt very comfortable. It was a nice change of pace to be reffing a game with such kind, respectful players, parents, and coaches. I was really taken aback by the waves of positivity that surrounded the entire organization. Plus, man, these kids are great for their age and experience level. I'm really excited to be a part of this program."

And we are so excited to have you, Justin!

Another super America SCORES volunteer bringing her enthusiasm and skills to the field and the classroom is Martha, at Marshall Elementary. Here's her report:

"Everything is going very well. The last couple times I have started getting into the scrimmages and taking some kids aside to work one on one or in small groups, so that has been really fun. It’s been really good and I’m very glad to be there. I started feeling like I was teaching them something, so that is definitely enough to keep me coming back!"

We hope you do! And for any potential volunteers out there, don't think twice- join the America SCORES team today!

For interested volunteers, contact Shannon Burns at sburns@americascores.org. See you on the field!

The Families of America SCORES

2011-09-23T09:11:00.000-07:00

Early this week, I visited an America SCORES parent meeting at Junipero Serra Elementary in San Francisco. There were about 35 parents there representing 2 boys teams, 1 girls team and 2 Jr. SCORES teams, with a total of over 50 poet-athletes at the school. Edgar, a long-time America SCORES coach at the school, gave a speech about how his goal is for those 50 students to be the students that every other kid and adult in the school looks up to, and recognizes as an exemplary student. He talked about how even he looks up to Selascie, one of the poet-athletes chosen to go to New York for our National Poetry Slam, for his performance in New York.

At the end he suggested that instead of having a snack schedule that it would be easier if, each week, parents chipped in a dollar or fifty cents so the America SCORES coaches could buy snacks themselves. Parents started getting up and handing Edgar money on the spot. He raised $236 by the end of the meeting for the snack fund, with lots of parents promising to bring more money later. It was great to see how excited the parents are to be able to help. I hope all of the schools are having parent meetings like this one!

Write On,

Marty Mannion

A New Season is Coming...

2011-09-12T11:54:00.000-07:00

Dribble your pen across these pages,
Transform fields to green grass stages
With rhyme and laughter that’s contagious.
Strive to do more than
Beat “them” and play strong defense.
Please meet them,
And make new friends.
Have fun whether you win or lose
‘Cause America SCORES is where Pelé
Meets Langston Hughes.

Write On,

Marty Mannion
Education Director

America SCORES Tackles Literacy One Home Library At A Time

2011-08-24T14:24:00.000-07:00

August 23, 2011 -- America SCORES Bay Area is announcing the kick off of a “My Home Library” Campaign to help improve childhood literacy in the Bay Area. Researchers have found that the number of books a child owns strongly predicts reading achievement — even after controlling for the parents’ education levels and income. America SCORES is in the unique position to leverage the excitement around the soccer field to help students access books and become life-long readers.

"One study found that in middle income neighborhoods the ratio is 13 books per child; in low-income neighborhoods, the ratio is one book for every 300 children."
(Neuman, Susan B. and David K. Dickinson, ed. Handbook of Early Literacy Research, Volume 2. New York, NY: 2006)

If the campaign goes as hoped, each poet-athlete in our program will receive ten books to take home and read as they please. When they get tired of any book, they can bring it to an America SCORES Community Saturday Soccer Game and exchange it for free for another one at the SCORES on-field Book Zone.

My Home Library will make books more accessible to children, helping them learn to love reading as much as they do soccer.

America SCORES is resolved to help children find their voice. Yet when students do not have the opportunity to read independently and own great writing, it is unlikely they will become authors themselves.

Poet-athletes reading and writing on the field!

In San Francisco, nearly two out of three economically disadvantaged students in third grade are below proficient in their reading and writing skills. If a child can’t read by third grade, there is a 75% chance they’ll fall behind in school and never catch up. This is unacceptable when we know something as simple as book-ownership can make a difference.

If these students fall behind, their motivation for school will evaporate.   When it comes to reading, childhood has no second chances.

The implications of illiteracy on individuals can be tragic and the costs to society are enormous. Among adults at the lowest level of literacy proficiency, 43% live in poverty, and 85% of juvenile offenders have reading problems. Nearly one-half of all adults in U.S. federal and state correctional institutions cannot read or write at all.   Suffice to say that illiteracy and low literacy can be linked to almost every socio-economic problem in the United States and abroad.

America SCORES brings play to language and to sport and now we bring books to children’s homes and soccer fields.   With the help of our partners and supporters, we can give each child a team, a soccer coach, a writing coach, a jersey, a soccer ball, and writing supplies. And now we plan to give them books to call their own.

We believe children succeed when given support, opportunity the inspiration.   We hope my Home Library becomes one of the important ways America SCORES helps children turn the page toward a better future. As students learn to read and to express themselves and to articulate their goals, they will become the authors of their future.

Our Goal:
To improve childhood literacy in the Bay Area by providing every America SCORES poet-athlete with ten books for their home library.

How You Can Help:
• Donate Online
• Purchase Books from our Amazon Wish List
• Bring or send books to our office - 400 Alabama St., SF, CA 94110
*Please make sure books are appropriate for grades 1-5.

Posted by: Colin Schmidt, Executive Director

References:
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/16/a-book-in-every-home-and-then-some/?ref=opinion&nl=opinion&emc=tya1
http://www.readingtree.org/about-us/54
http://www.firstbook.org/images/pdf/Statistics-on-Literacy.pdf

How Long Do We Have To Write?

2011-08-23T10:31:00.000-07:00

The minimum time for America SCORES 3^rd-5^th grade writing classes is 2 hours a week and many of the schools we work with are able to offer more than that. Researchers have proven that students need to write every day for varied purposes and audiences to become fluent, competent writers (Graves 2004; Fletcher 1993; Murray 1989). Given the demands and distractions of the modern school day, the America SCORES program could be a students’ best chance to write in a fun, safe and authentic environment, about whatever topic they choose. Consider the following quote from writing researcher Donald Graves:

"If students are not engaged in writing at least four days out of five, and for a period of thirty-five to forty minutes, beginning in first grade, they will have little opportunity to learn to think through the medium of writing. Three days a week are not sufficient. Only students of exceptional ability, who can fill the gaps with their own initiative and thinking, can survive such poor learning conditions. Students from another language or culture, or those who feel they have little to say, are particularly affected by this limited amount of time for writing." (A Fresh Look at Writing, 104)

Writing classes must happen at the same time and place every week. Students who know they will have a routinely scheduled after-school writing class are more likely to become authors. That is, they will begin to notice interesting things to write about while they are in the car, playing soccer, or eating dinner, because they expect to have room to share their stories with America SCORES friends every week. Students who do not know when their class will happen will never expect to write, and so we should not expect them to write either.

As Jane Yolen said; “Exercise the writing muscle every day… Writers are like dancers, like athletes. Without that exercise, the muscles seize up.”

Write On,

Marty Mannion

Education Director

Welcome to Our New Program Managers!

2011-08-19T10:56:00.000-07:00

Genaro Jr. Arana

Genaro Jr. Arana is originally from Mexico, Guadalajara but was raised in Modesto, California. He is an avid soccer player and is a huge supporter of Real Madrid CF. He graduated from Modesto Junior College with an Associate's Degree and is currently attending San Francisco State University working towards a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and Criminology. He has been working with youth development programs for the past seven years and looks forward to his next career challenge in education with America SCORES.

Kee Hughes

Kee is a native of Los Angeles, CA and she is the oldest of six children. Kee credits her younger siblings as the forceful drive behind her positive focus, and her mother for giving her the gift of athleticism and writing. She is a former Division-1 collegiate soccer player and spoken word poet. Sports and literature gave her the opportunity to travel all over America, parts of Mexico, and Europe. She moved to San Francisco in 2008 to discover the creative freedom the city has to offer. She is excited about being a Program Manager for America Scores Bay Area and shares: "I'm honored to work with America SCORES. Each day I am encouraged to improve my learning and harvest insight in the form of communication and cultural distinctiveness. While being involved I am having fun in the two areas I love: soccer and literature.

Abby Loomis

Abby is a native Texan who couldn't be happier to be deepening her connection to the Bay Area through America SCORES. She first left Austin to study English and Spanish at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York, where she explored her love of writing and performance while dedicating her free moments to tutoring, playing music and playing with her ultimate frisbee team, the Boxing Nuns. After college, she made enough sandwiches in her hometown of Austin to be able to move to Cordoba, Argentina. There she lived for two years teaching English, dancing and discovering the wonders of mate and red meat. Her subsequent move to gorgeous San Francisco led to an Americorps position at Mission Education Center, the city's only elementary school dedicated specifically to newly-arrived South and Central American immigrants. With her awesome students, Abby worked on theater and art projects, as well as a service-learning project through America SCORES. At America SCORES, she is excited to help students feel empowered and excited through creative expression, physical activity and teamwork.

A Letter From Our New Education Director, Marty Mannion

2011-08-19T10:35:00.000-07:00

Hi America SCORES Family,

After working for two years with Junior SCORES 1st and 2nd graders, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to help all America SCORES poet-athletes strengthen their voices this year as Education Director.

You may have wondered, "A soccer and writing program? Why and how?" I invite you to see it the other way around. Consider it a writing and soccer program! America SCORES believes writing is a social action and writing is for everybody. It is a dialogue between a speaker and the world, which must include a responsive, safe audience. What better audience and writing community is there than a team that is working together towards a common goal? When poet-athletes on America SCORES teams want to be heard by their teammates, opponents, coaches or communities, they have no choice but to become the author of their own story. I look forward to providing you with lots of resources to facilitate this powerful transformation. You are not alone!

Most of all, poetry and soccer make a great team because they both know how to have FUN! Consider the America SCORES Bay Area program a year-long festival and celebration of all that children have to say, and all the soccer they can play. I look forward to seeing all of you at the training on September 7th!

Write On,

Marty Mannion

SCORES Stretches to El Salvador

2011-08-10T13:43:00.000-07:00

This past week a handful of SCORES staff descended on El Salvador to run a week of programming at a school in Las Minas, a small village in the rural district of Chalatenango.

Roberto Gil, Director of Programs in West Contra Costa, organized the trip. Gil has returned to his native El Salvador to run soccer and writing classes for the last six years.

“This is not a trip of charity,” Gil announced on the first day in front of fifty eager Las Minas students, ages six through fifteen. “It is one of solidarity.”

Ernesto Efrain Menjivar Alas, the Vice-Principle of Escuela Canton Las Minas, shows a group of students what a "caballero" looks like.

Gil’s words echoed throughout the week as Las Minas students shared their stories, their food, their families, and their beautiful town with visiting SCORES staff. In turn, SCORES organized activities that involved sharing stories, identifying community problems, and creating solutions.

“Every morning we would start with a problem that kids needed to figure out creative ways to solve together,” Shannon Burns of SCORES said. “The first day the kids needed to figure out how to pass a balloon to teammates without using their hands.”

Shannon Burns swarmed by her new best friends in Las Minas

Each year, SCORES programs in Las Minas get a little more robust and professional. This year, Gil used a series of activities in Peace Education developed by Kathryn Crawford as part of her doctorate at the University of Toledo. Crawford and Gil collaborated in delivering the lessons to a classroom of about 35 students.

“You’re really making us work!” one student cried to Gil in the middle of a class.

Lessons challenged students, who are on Winter Break until next week, to express community problems through drawings, poems, and acting. Students then worked in groups to talk about and present solutions.

“They thought a lot about it,"Gil said. "And many of their solutions were to have activities for kids to be engaged.”

Every day after class, all of the students descended a muddy slope behind the school to the town's beloved field of dirt and rocks, where they spent the afternoon playing soccer drills, games, and scrimmages with SCORES staff. After the soccer finished, players and staff covered in a layer of sweat and dust, most of us took to the gentle river that runs along one sideline of the field. Players washed off the dirt and cooled down before a late lunch. As a Las Minas tradition, the winner of the late-afternoon scrimmages gets first dibs on bean and cheese papusas fried by the school's cook.

-Cyrus Philbrick

Program Manager

America SCORES Bay Area

PS. Teaching soccer and writing in Las Minas gave me a new perspective on the tiny country where hundreds of thousands of people in the Bay Area claim their roots. It also showed me what the simple game of soccer means to the people of El Salvador and Las Minas. Mostly, it represents a balance of the same values it does in San Francisco: individuality and solidarity. But in Las Minas, people seem to cherish these values, among many others, a little more than they do in America. They work for them. One afternoon I returned to the town soccer field with SCORES staff to find a crew of men digging out an embankment of rocks and earth that threatened one goalmouth. I'd cursed this embankment a few times when it stole the ball from me during joint player and staff scrimmages.

When the men stopped removing rocks the size of power wheels to start the village's bi-weekly "Men's Soccer Games", a group of first graders picked up the men's shovels and continued to remove wheelbarrows of earth and rocks. The children worked while dodging defenders and inswinging crosses. They did so until dusk. The next day we played on a flatter and less dangerous soccer field.

Women's World Cup Viewing Events

2011-07-25T13:26:00.000-07:00

In July, SCORES joined the Recreation and Parks Department to host Women’s World Cup viewing events at the Civic Center. While the games played on the big screen, we had face painting, a photo booth, soccer games and clinics, not to mention a great raffle and fun giveaways!

Together with members of the Bay Area community, we watched as the United States and Japan advanced toward the finals, cheering for Sweden, France, England, and others along the way. Although we were sad to see the US women fall to Japan, it was great to see the sportsmanship, positive attitudes, and teamwork displayed by all.

We can’t wait for the next World Cup-- 2014 in Brazil!

Soccer, Spelling and SCORES at Summer Learning Day

2011-07-06T11:01:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, June 21st, we gathered at the Civic Center for the Summer Learning Day!

Summer Learning Day was established by the city to celebrate programs that continue kids’ learning during the summer. It was hosted by The Summer Learning Network, and coordinated by Mo’ Magic.

SCORES was joined by many other organizations, including our friend the San Francisco Public Library Bookmobile, and about 800 kids enrolled in summer programs across the city.

Over at the SCORES booth, players of all ages joined us to play soccer and try their hand at word games. While some dribbled and passed with our coaches, other players found words in a soccer ball and learned about healthy foods. For successfully completing the games, players got to spin our poetry wheel to win some great prizes!

It was great to see some of our SCORES poet-athletes, and to meet some new faces!

-SCORES staff

SCORES Cup Raises Big Sun, Smiles, Sums

2011-06-22T14:41:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, June 18th, 16 Bay Area companies slugged it out for charity during the eighth annual SCORES Cup. Bright sunshine and calm breeze graced the 8v8 Co-ed tournament at normally temperamental Crocker Amazon Park.

"Soccer and sunshine, you can't beat that," noted Vince Harrington of Sports Basement, one of the sponsors of the event.

SCORES Cup players get a laugh over the tournament bracket match-up.

Players gushed about spending valuable social time outside of the office with co-workers.

"Playing soccer is such a good way to meet people from my company," Jiger Kotak said. "I got to come meet people outside of work that I didn't know because Sales Force is such a big company. It was a good way to meet people from different areas of Sales Force, for different departments to come together and have fun."
Kotak also enjoyed spending time with competitors.

"It was also a good way to network," Kotak said. "I met people from Google, from Bain, from Nextag. It was such a friendly atmosphere. You could walk up to anyone and start a conversation. And because everyone knew it was for a good cause, everyone wanted to talk to each other."

Jiger Kotak enjoying the team-building atmosphere

The Cup raised over 80,000 dollars for SCORES programs. Participating (sponsoring) teams included:

Besides playing lots of soccer, teams got a chance to wax poetic by writing and performing team poems over the course of the day. Participants also helped SCORES students with a scavenger hunt, ate a barbecue lunch, and laid down for massages during their down time.

Bain and Co. took home the trophy in a thrilling final against Hanson Bridgett.

To see more photos, check out our Facebook or Picassa albums of the event. More photos to come!

- Cyrus Philbrick
Program Manager

SCORES Teams Raise Over $1500 for Japan Relief

2011-06-06T15:54:00.000-07:00

Every Spring, SCORES teams tackle a community problem as part of their Service Learning Projects. This Spring, many teams looked outside their local communities to take on global issues and concerns.

Deeply affected by the disaster in Japan, four Bay Area teams worked to raise money as part of a relief effort for Japan's affected citizens.

Combined, SCORES schools raised over $1500 dollars for Japan relief. They did so in many different ways. Cleveland Elementary held a successful car wash. Bret Harte Elementary sold healthy foods, like organic lemonade and fruit, to the school community. Junipero Serra set up "Relief Boxes", along with informative letters about how and why to donate, around their local community and school.

Together, these schools showed how individual efforts can begin to make a big difference in our community and our world.

- SCORES Staff

West Contra Costa May 21st Jammin' Jamboree

2011-05-24T12:17:00.000-07:00

Saturday, May 21, 2011 marked West Contra Costa's second Jr. SCORES Jamboree. The day started with a morning of soccer games from local Jr. SCORES teams Ford, Dover, Bayview, Lake, and Grant Elementary Schools and later was followed by an afternoon of activities, music, and fun. While the younger teams were hard at work in their games, WCC's Select Teams participated in a "Shout" -- a scavenger hunt and showcase of their year long community service projects and outreach efforts in their local neighborhoods and schools. A season of dedication to poetry, reading, and soccer was celebrated with entertainment--including a jump house, face painting, raffles, recreational games, and family potlucks. The afternoon was complemented by a fun and educational health workshop led by Health Worker Blanca Sanchez who provided fun games and activities as well as critical health tips. Family members of all ages, as well as soccer players, enjoyed physical activities like hoola hooping while simultaneously learning about nutritious and wholesome diets. The event was brought to a close as coaches and players were recognized for their endless spirit and commitment during the 2011 season.

One Season in the Books

2011-05-19T14:53:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday 11 teams of San Francisco Junior SCORES players and their families celebrated the end of their first soccer season at the Junior Jamboree. The event featured a round-robin style tournament, face painting, games and prizes, team picnics, awards presentations and more.

The San Francisco Library Bookmobile was on hand to check out books to the 197 student-athletes who came on board. At the end of the event 2^nd graders pledged to move on to the 3^rd-5^th grade program. 1^st graders were thrilled to learn they had at least 4 years of SCORES ahead of them.

Congratulations Juniors on earning your first trophies!

-Marty Mannion
Jr. SCORES Program Manager

It's Not Soccer, It's "Pelada"

2011-05-09T14:13:00.000-07:00

We're piloting a new recess program at SCORES during the last few weeks of the school year. And by "program" we really mean pick-up soccer, possibly the most universal and simple game on earth.

We're calling these pick-up sessions "Pelada", a Portuguese word that Brazilians use to refer to pick-up soccer. In Portuguese, Pelada means naked.

The game is easy to set up, easy to run, and the rules are simple. We've added a few unique twists of the rules to minimize disagreements, keep the game flowing, and keep the fun levels at a maximum. For example, we don't keep score. Teams are encouraged to restart the game immediately after a goal.
So far, these pilot sessions have been a big hit with students, recess staff, and even school principles. Students are engaged, moving, and having fun for the majority of their recess periods.

During one of these sessions, one student inexplicably yelled out, "I'm using my math skills!" I'm not sure what this student meant, but such outbursts suggest that this new program offering could revolutionize recess sessions at school.

- Cyrus Philbrick
SCORES Program Staff

U.S. Soccer Produces New Curriculum

2011-04-29T13:25:00.000-07:00

The U.S. Soccer Federation unveiled an updated version of their "U.S. Soccer Curriculum" and a new "Best Practices for Coaching Soccer in the U.S." These documents offer guidelines on coaching age-appropriate training sessions and are great tools for a soccer coach at any level.

"Best Practices" emphasizes the importance of letting the game be the teacher, of letting players play. The introduction reads:

"At the youth and junior levels ... young soccer players require a certain amount of uninterrupted play. This allows them to experience soccer first hand. They should be allowed the opportunity to experiment, and with that, succeed and fail.

The coach’s long term goal is to prepare the player to successfully recognize and solve the challenges of the game on his or her own. It is vital that the coach approaches soccer with this in mind."

Claudio Reyna, the USSF Youth Technical Director, presented the new curriculum. Reyna emphasizes development over winning, creativity and fun over tactics.

Watch Claudio Reyna's introduction above. Skip the long intros. It gets good around the 19:00 mark, when Reyna talks about de-emphasizing winning and gives some anecdotes from the Barcelona training camp.

You can also download the new curricula here, on U.S. Soccer's website.

Also, check out a pointed article on the new curriculum by Mike Woitalla in Soccer America's Youth Soccer Insider.

- SCORES Staff

Field Day with Stub Hub at Marshall Elementary

2011-04-28T12:00:00.000-07:00

Sixteen volunteers from Stub Hub, the ticket-selling juggernaut, helped run a mini-Field Day at Marshall Elementary in the Mission last Friday.

Some Marshall Elementary kids take cuts as part of an Obstacle Course run by Stub Hub volunteers.

"Stub Hubbers", as Stub Hub employees are known, ran such games as a Relay Race Obstacle Course, a Kids vs. Adults soccer game, and Blob Tag.

Stub Hubbers gushed at the chance to work with kids on a Friday afternoon, when they would normally be holed up in their offices.

"Normally we'd be taking phone calls," one volunteer said. "This is a little more fun."

Check out all the Photos Here!

Publish Post

SCORES Soccer Director Morales Nets One for the Earthquakes

2011-04-25T14:27:00.000-07:00

Our own Yuri Morales scored a goal for the San Jose Earthquakes Reserve team in Saturday's 3-1 win over Chivas USA. Morales, who came on as a substitute, scored the third goal in the 84th minute.

The Earthquakes, struggling offensively early in the season, are looking for more offensive firepower. Morales could be a versatile signing for the team as Morales could play in the midfield or up front.

Check out the full game write-up.

Jr. SCORES Helping Heroes to the Rescue!

2011-04-14T12:19:00.000-07:00

Spring is Service-Learning season at Bay Area SCORES. This Spring a magic gopher-wizard who lives under the soccer field posed a special challenge to 1st and 2nd graders.

The Wizard told the coaches and players the legend of why gophers now live underground. Gophers migrated underground a long time ago, when life above ground became too selfish, polluted, and no longer fun. Now the Wizard is looking for a team of Helping Heroes who can help make the outside world a happy, safe, and fun place for the animals to live again. The Wizard will give superpowers to any student who proves that he or she is up to the challenge of improving the community.

A drawing from the SCORES Helping Heroes Curriculum

In this story-based curriculum, Jr. SCORES players will read, think, and write about how they can use their superpowers to be heroes in their community. Teams will read the following books: I Can Help, Dex: the Heart of a Hero, The Great Kapok Tree, The Sneetches, and Michael Recycle. Students will complete workbook activities that help them apply the lessons in the stories to real issues in their communities.

At the first Saturday Game Day, players reported the first gopher-wizard sightings. Now the newly empowered Jr players are eager to get to work as SCORES Helping Heroes.

- Marty Mannion
SCORES Gopher Correspondent

Meet Our National Poetry Slammers! Part 2

2011-04-11T12:34:00.000-07:00

Meet our two poet-athletes representing San Francisco at the National Poetry Slam in New York City: Xitlaly and Selascie! The National Poetry slam is today at the historic Apollo theatre.

Selascie Smith and Xitlaly Martinez, Bay Area representatives at the America SCORES National Poetry Slam, pose for a future album cover at a Game Day this Spring.

Xitlaly Martinez
5th Grade, ER Taylor Elementary School

Xitlaly finds inspiration for her poetry from the music she listens to and from her parents ... her heroes. When she grows up, Xitlaly plans to work as a scientist to develop medical cures.

This year Xitlaly is focusing on doing well in school and enjoying her time on the soccer field. She thanks her SCORES coach, Manny Anaya, for being a great coach and mentor to her and her team. Xitlaly is very proud to represent San Francisco and her teammates from ER Taylor in her first trip to New York City!

Selascie Smith
4th Grade, Junipero Serra Elementary School

Even when Selascie isn't playing his favorite sport of soccer, he still loves to be outside. He draws inspiration for his poetry from everyday life, from what he learns at school, and what he reads in the newspaper. Selascie is also inspired by his hero Martin Luther King Jr.

Selascie has many talents and interests, one of which is being a sports announcer. Watch out...he could be the next announcer for his San Francisco Giants!

Meet Our National Poetry Slammers! Part I

2011-04-04T13:33:00.000-07:00

Four students have been chosen to represent the Bay Area at the National SCORES Poetry Slam in New York City. A week from today these students will perform their original poems on stage at the historic Apollo Theatre.

Meet our two representatives from West Contra Costa in the East Bay:

Nayeli Cuiriz Galvan, Grant Elementary

Ask anyone on the Grant SCORES Girls team, “Who is someone on their team who is always positive and full of energy?”… Hands down they will all cheer … NAYELI!!

Nayeli is a bright and exuberant student who loves to play soccer with her SCORES team. She especially enjoys performing in front of an audience and is so excited to perform her poetry on the big stage at the Apollo Theatre.

When Nayeli grows up she aspires to be a veterinarian. She is so thankful for the strong support and love of her family.

Christian Gomez, Grant Elementary

Christian is a motivated young man who loves challenges and always pursues opportunities to succeed and to grow. When he heard about the audition to represent SCORES at this National Slam, Christian jumped at the opportunity.

At his school, Grant Elementary, and on his team, Christian exhibits strong leadership everyday and is known by his peers as “the peacemaker". During this trip, Christian looks forward to meeting other SCORES kids from across the country and to explore New York City!

Beach Soccer

2011-03-31T11:36:00.000-07:00

By Soccer Director Yuri Morales

Participating in the first ever Beach Soccer Club World Cup was a great experience. I was proud to represent the Seattle Sounders and the organization was very professional. The coach was excellent and the team really got along well (both on and off the field). It was nice to build relationships with the players on my team and with other members of the international beach soccer community. I thought Beach Soccer WorldWide and everyone else involved produced a world class event. THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES!

Yuri Morales Bicycle Kick Goal Video

- Yuri Morales
San Francisco Soccer Director

Foosball for Phonics Raises Funds for Children's Books

2011-03-23T13:39:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, our First annual Foosball for Phonics Tournament rocked a back room of the vast Kennedy's Irish Pub / Curry House in North Beach. Fifteen teams participated in the fundraiser for our new Jr. SCORES writing program.

SCORES' own Roberto Gil took home the championship prize along with his partner Laura Walpert. "She did everything," a modest Gil said after the victory. Walpert's deft and dynamic striker play helped team "Gold Jerry, Gold" cruise through the field without losing a game.

Second place went to another SCORES team, Shannon Burns and Othmane, a late entry and tournament dark horse. Prizes went to the top four teams and included gift certificates from SCORES sponsors Adidas, Sunset Soccer, and Sports Basement.

Proceeds from the tournament will go towards purchasing the books for our Jr. SCORES Spring writing curriculum. Some of the books include "The Sneetches" by Dr. Seuss, "The Great Kapok Tree" by Lynne Cherry, and "Michael Recycle Meets Litterbug Doug" by Ellie Bethel.

- Cyrus Philbrick
Program Manager

First Game Day of the Spring

2011-03-15T12:49:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, SCORES had its first Game Day of the Spring season at Boxer Stadium, a new venue for SCORES parents and players. The 6,000 seat stadium, in Balboa Park, is normally reserved for the premier soccer clubs in the area.

Many SCORES players couldn't stop smiling while playing on grass at Boxer Stadium.

For many SCORES participants, playing on Boxer's pristine field marked the first time they had ever played on nice grass fields. The event also represented the return of two San Francisco schools to the SCORES family. Marshall Elementary and SF Community Elementary both brought new Select teams to the event. Before Saturday, many of their players had never played in a competitive soccer game.

San Francisco's Elks Club added to the festivities by setting up a "Shoot Out" station for players and parents to try their feet at different passing accuracy challenges.

-SCORES Staff

Help Us Save Service!

2011-02-24T13:56:00.000-08:00

For those who didn't know, the United States Congress is considering legislation to cut funding for the Corporation for National and Community Service budget.

The budget cuts threaten service providers like Americorps, Playworks, Teach for America, Habitat for Humanity, Senior Companions, YouthBuild and many others that support youth development, education, elderly services, healthcare and nutrition. For organizations like SCORES, which depend on the staff that Americorps helps provide, cutting the above jobs would undercut the reach and quality of programs.

Service jobs exist to help those who need it most. They support America's most in-need public schools. They help combat costly problems by providing at-risk youth a safe and engaging place to play. They help build homes and infrastructure. They help serve the elderly when no other programs do.

If you want to help, please tell Congress that we cannot afford to lose the critical services that these programs provide in our communities. You can sign up today at www.saveservice.org to visit your local congressional district office on Friday, February 25th, to tell your Member of Congress how you feel.

Do you care? Do you want to help us save Service? If so, act! If not, why not?

-SCORES Staff

Winter Brings Games Inside Western Addition

2011-02-15T15:34:00.000-08:00

This winter, Jr. SCORES Game Days were split between two sites: Brett Harte Elementary in Bayview and the Buchanan YMCA in the Western Addition. Using two host sites created a local flavor to Game Days that appealed to both parents and kids.

Jr. players shake hands before playing at the Buchanan YMCA

Western Addition parents especially appreciated the quick travel time to the Buchanan YMCA.

"It’s easier here to walk because we live right down the road," Savannah Thompson, parent of two Cobb Elementary students, said. "It’s fun for the kids because they can ride their scooters here."

For some parents, the long commute to Crocker Amazon in Daly City prevents them from attending Saturday games.

"This is better for us," Sirgut Abate, mother of a Rosa Parks second grader, said of commuting to the Buchanan YMCA. "Going all the way to [Crocker Amazon] is very far. I don't have a car and I have a two year old boy, so I don't go there. But this is very convenient for us. I can just walk here."

The players enjoyed the new challenges of playing indoors, such as the fast-paced wood floor and the big goals. They also got a chance to try their skills against a goalkeeper.

"I like playing here because we get to kick it at a goalie," Jonathan Abate said. "I like it because I like playing goalie, and I like scoring goals."

Jonathan also suggested another important advantage of playing indoors. "At the park our games got rained out," he said, "but here the games cannot get canceled."

The Jrs. return to the elements in the Spring, when games will again be held at Crocker Amazon Park. But the success of local Jr. Game Days suggests that SCORES will host more in the future.

John Muir players with their assistant coach, Mckenna

- Cyrus Philbrick
Program Manager

SCORES Featured on YouthNoise

2011-02-09T13:10:00.000-08:00

In December, YouthNoise published an extensive interview with our former Education Director, Robert Joseph. This interview escaped our grasp for a few months. But we thought we'd share it now, better late than never, as it stands as a succinct summary of SCORES' purpose, programs, and impact.

Find the interview by clicking HERE!

YouthNoise is an organization that encourages youth voice. As their website states, YouthNoise "empowers young leaders to act for the causes they care about locally, nationally and globally." If you haven't heard of them, check them out.

SCORES Coaches Send In Their Favorite Practice Drills

2011-02-07T16:07:00.000-08:00

We asked SCORES coaches to send in their favorite soccer practice drills. Here are some of the best:

Fong Ngo, Redding Elementary Girls :

"My favorite game/drill is 'Follow the Leader.' The reason why I love this game so much is because it gives each girl to a chance to be the leader. We personalized this game a bit. Each leader has to do one soccer move, one dance move, a fake charlie brown kick, and end with a goal kick. There are sides of the field (or for us our yard) that we can be super loud so we chant, and there are sides where we have to be super quiet. This is a great way to get the girls to pay attention to each other and have fun as a team.

Rudy Osorio, Hillcrest:

"My favorite drill is a rock/paper/scissors game. Two group of players in each corner, they run and meet and they play one round of rocks/paper/scissors. The winner keeps going, loser goes back to their group. The goal is not to let the other group cross your end line. The first player to cross the other end line wins. This drill is good for speed and resistance."

Coach Rudy with his Hillcrest Jrs.

Alberto Gallindo, Marshall Jrs:

"My favorite game hands down is 'Snake Blob Tag'. It's an awesome game that gets the children dribbling while the 'Snake' works together to move from one direction to another. The 'Snake' grows as it knocks players' balls out of the grid. Players without balls join the snake. Keep playing until there are a few players left dribbling. This game is a nice medley of technical skills, teamwork and communication."

Manny Anaya, ER Taylor:

"We call it 'Triangle Overlap'. I set up 3 players in a triangle formation and have them move the ball around with just 1 touch. They are to be moving around and not stay in the same position after they pass the ball. After a player passes the ball, they have to move to a new position, and so does the other player who doesn't receive the ball. It's a really fast drill and very effective once the kids get the hang of moving the ball with just one touch and not stopping it. It's a little different than the regular overlap drills done by other teams."

Mikka Kelley, Rosa Parks Jrs:

My favorite drill is the protect your castle game. Divide the field into two halves and two teams. Create a few castles for each team by placing soccer balls on top of cones. Each team tries to protect their own castles while knocking down the other team's castles. You can play by making the teams stay on their half of the field, or by letting players go anywhere. This game works on aim, teamwork, defense, control, timing, and perseverance. The kids love it and do not realize how it helps while playing.

Coach Profile of the Month: Marco Bonilla, Soccer Coach with Brett Harte Elementary

2011-02-07T12:45:00.000-08:00

Marco Bonilla has been a coach with America SCORES Bay Area for all ten years of the organization's existence. He also works as a Para-Professional at Brett Harte Elementary.

Marco outside of Brett Harte Elementary

Q: How did you get involved in SCORES?
A: I was working for the school district as a teacher at Brett Harte. I like working with kids. And when the program started, ten years ago, I thought it was a great opportunity for the kids to do both poetry and soccer ... And through the years, the kids have loved it.

Q: What is the best part of SCORES?
A: I think SCORES is one of the best things to ever happen to this school and a lot of the community. It's a nice experience being with the kids, being with their families every Saturday for Game Days, being part of their life, and really enjoying what I do.

Q: You do a lot of extra projects at Brett Harte to give back to the community. What are some of the things you've done?
A: I like to try to do something extra. Last year I did a project in El Salvador where I built two roofs for classrooms over there. It was one of the best experiences of my life ... I've also done some extra activities with the kids at school. We've sold food, sold pictures, we've had dances. And we put this money toward different activities during the year. Like, for Christmas, we have a party for the kids and their families. And then we have an end of the year party for the kids.*

Q: Favorite soccer team?
A: Barcelona.

Q: How long have you lived in the Bay Area?
A: I grew up in El Salvador, in a town called San Vicente. I moved to the Bay Area 24 years ago.

Q: What is a fact about you that not many people know?
A: I've been to war.

Q: How long did you serve in the Army?
A: 22 years. My service ends in November this year.

Q: Favorite food?
A: Linguine with clams.

*Over Winter Break, I had the pleasure of building some soccer goals with Marco at his beloved Brett Harte Elementary. For Marco, building goals is a typical example of the generosity he shows to his school, to SCORES, and to local youth. He coaches and builds with an unquestioning sense of purpose.

- Cyrus Philbrick
Program Manager

National Girls and Women in Sports Day

2011-02-03T16:47:00.000-08:00

Twenty-four years ago in Washington, D.C. the premier of National Girls and Women in Sports Day celebrated the participation, success and accomplishments of girls and women athletes. What started as as a single event to honor Olympic volleyball star Flo Hyman has grown into a nationwide celebration across all 50 states.

On February 2, 2011, thousands gathered to celebrate NGWSD 2011 and "Play, Believe, Achieve," including our own SCORES female athletes from Redding Elementary. Soccer Director Yuri Morales and Coach Fong escorted the Redding girls through the Tenderloin District to attend a match-up with two other local after-school female sports teams. Team-Up For Youth organized this event at Salvation Army Kroc Center as part of their initiative "Team-Up for Girls."

Team-Up and SCORES are dedicated to bringing all the benefits of sports to young people as researchers have found that organized athletic participation is positively related to:

Improved physical and mental health
Decreased likelihood of dropping out of school
Greater self-concept and sense of control
Significantly lower rates of sexual activity
Improved school grades
Higher standardized achievement scores
Higher college attendance and degree sought
Greater advancement in college

Sports are more than a fun and healthy activity. They contribute to the overall well-being of our youth for years to come. We know that opportunity, access, encouragement, and exposure are critical for children to grow and develop in the classroom as well as on the playing field. Allow girls to reach their potential. Reach out! Get girls in the game!

Here are a couple great resources to help recruit and maintain a roster of female athletes:

http://www.teamupforyouth.org/ourwork/initiatives/
http://www.womenssportsfoundation.org

-Shannon Burns
Coach and Program Coordinator

Jrs. Are "Playmakers" in Training This Winter

2011-01-26T13:03:00.000-08:00

In SCORES, Playmakers are students who make play fun and safe for themselves and for everyone around them. They play for fun, play fair, and play as a team.

A Junipero Serra Jr. reads from the "Playmaker" Curriculum

In the Winter Storytime Curriculum, Junior SCORES participants meet Playmakers from the familiar playground, faraway countries and cultures, and even the animal planet. Stories in the Winter curriculum are helping Juniors think about how they can become Playmakers on the soccer field, playground, and beyond.

The reading list includes The Recess Queen by Alexis O’Neil, Anansi the Spider by Gerald McDermott, The Empty Pot by Demi, Queen of the Scene by Queen Latifah and Bat’s Big Game by Margaret Read MacDonald.

In addition to reading stories, students complete journal activities, art projects, team challenges, and dramatic performances on their quest to become SCORES Playmakers.

- Marty Mannion

Jr. SCORES Program Director

New SCORES Curriculum Teaches Anti-Violence Through Hip Hop

2011-01-20T14:56:00.000-08:00

Violence is a serious problem in our urban communities and schools. Our innovative Hip Hop for Health program seeks to reduce aggressive behavior in youth by teaching them a variety of conflict resolution strategies.

Through hip hop themed listening and writing activities, scenario analysis, and role playing games, students learn to recognize negative behavior and identify positive alternatives. The program also helps students improve their literacy skills, public speaking ability and overall self-esteem.

I'm most excited to see the team skit final project the students will create and perform for their after-school communities that will contain an example of conflict resolution, hip hop music and a few fun props.

-Robert Joseph
Former Education Director with America SCORES Bay Area.

*Sadly, Robert left the SCORES team to pursue an opportunity with the Bechtel Group. He left a legacy of innovative and interactive curricula, most of which have a hip hop flavor.

Volunteer Referee Program a Success

2011-01-10T13:20:00.000-08:00

During the Fall season, SCORES launched its first-ever Volunteer Referee program. On Saturdays, volunteers from around the Bay Area came out to Crocker Amazon park to referee games.

Americorps member Sean Cronin headed the program. A level 8 referee, Cronin helped recruit and train volunteers from area grade schools, universities, and businesses.

"I am proud of the dedication and commitment we achieved from our Volunteer Referee group," Cronin said. " I believe this year's Game Days were some of the best yet."

Cronin also helped establish a "Jr. Referee" program in which players from "Select" teams (third through fifth graders) worked as assistant referees for games involving first and second graders. Enthusiastic fourth and fifth graders shadowed Cronin and his crew, or worked as sideline referees, before Cronin handed them a whistle to work as an official referee on a Jr. field.

For all new referees, controlling the whistle was an educational and fun experience.

"It's much harder than I expected," said Eric Moessinger, a volunteer who works during the week with Nano Dimensions Inc.. "It's impossible to get everything right. But it's been a great experience."

Moessinger controlling the field

For the Spring SCORES season ahead, Cronin hopes to grow his volunteer reffing core.

"I would like to incorporate more high school volunteers who are seeking to complete their community service hours," Cronin said.

-SCORES staff

Morales to Play with World's Best on the Beach

2010-12-22T12:13:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to our Soccer Director, Yuri Morales!

Yuri has been selected to represent the Beach Soccer World Wide (BSWW) Team in an exhibition match in Brazil. BSWW is a branch of FIFA that promotes international beach soccer at the highest level.

"Quite an opportunity and honor," Morales said of the selection.

"In Portuguese the BSWW Team is being called 'Selecao do Mundo' which translates to 'All Stars of the World'. The players I will be playing alongside are without a doubt the most famous, most decorated, and best in the world."

The BSWW team will play against Brazil's national beach soccer team, generally considered the best team in the world.

- SCORES Staff

Here's to Another Great Year of SCORES Memories!

2010-12-22T09:59:00.000-08:00

Here are some sweet highlights from Game Days this Fall. Enjoy!

San Francisco Poet Auditions

2010-12-20T13:31:00.000-08:00

After the soccer game, students lined up to audition for our Poetry Slam!...

"Love is everything you need..."

"I dream that this world will become the most peaceful world there has ever been."

"Life is a dream - realize it."

"When life gives you lemons, make lemon pie."

"I want to have life - when I get my scholarship, I'm gonna polish it."

The above quotations are the words of SCORES youth, read at recent Poetry Slam! auditions. In March, we will send four talented and dedicated youth poets to represent the Bay Area in the SCORES National Poetry Slam! in New York City. Check out some of the highlights:

ASBA Screens "Louder Than A Bomb"

2010-12-09T12:25:00.000-08:00

On December 7th, we hosted a screening of the poetry slam documentary "Louder Than A Bomb".

We believe this film is a sort of "World Cup" of poetry. It is a showcase of the importance of poetry in the lives of children who have limited opportunities. America SCORES Bay Area is proud to be providing similar services to youth in grades one through five. Films like "Louder Than A Bomb" remind us of the significance of the existence of poetry as an outlet - a way for children to find their voices in a community that is rarely heard, for them to display their achievements in front of a supportive audience, and to build literacy skills so they may succeed in school.

Many of our audience members left the event feeling inspired. Not necessarily to write poetry (although some may have), but to be involved in organizations like SCORES so that these programs may continue to affect change.

Thank you to all of you who were able to come. Your support of SCORES is always appreciated and valued. We look forward to doing more events in the future and hope you can be a part of them.

-Dan Schwer, Development Associate

"Girls Day" Brightens Rainy Game Day

2010-12-08T13:22:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, San Francisco's Game Day had a new flare, a little pinker and higher pitched than normal. Over 40 girls participated in the first-ever "Girls Day". After their coed games, girls from a mix of schools gathered to play in some all girls games. No boys were allowed on the field.

Players from the University of San Francisco Women's Soccer Team volunteered their time as referees and "guest coaches" for the day. They got a chance to bond with SCORES players during the game, talking to them on the sidelines about soccer, school, and whatever else girls talk about.

A girls team from Redding Elementary played in their first ever SCORES Game Day. It was a rare chance for the girls to test their skills and teamwork against other organized teams.

"We got killed, but it was awesome" one Redding girl said of the day.

-SCORES Staff

Juniors Return Home From Outer Space

2010-12-02T11:03:00.000-08:00

This Fall nearly 150 1^st and 2^nd grade Jr. SCORES participants discovered soccer and creative writing through an imaginary trip to play in the Space Soccer Jamboree. The Juniors were the main characters in a children’s story written and illustrated all about them and their SCORES season, but with an extraterrestrial twist.

Characters from the Jr. SCORES curriculum blast off on the cover of a new book produced by our SCORES staff.

The story prompted students to work on a series of writing and drawing activities to complete their journey through space. Throughout their travels, students saved the Rhyme Rocket from running out of rhymes, created team flags, wrote letters home, and performed a poem to break a tie in the championship game.

After hearing the first story in the seven-week series, many Juniors believed they were really in for the trip of a lifetime. Others drew up elaborate theories proving the impossibility of an afterschool trip to the moon. Regardless, it didn’t take long for all the students to realize that their imagination would be their spaceship and a story can be their ticket to a faraway place. As Coach Dante from John Muir said, “The hard part wasn’t getting them to start writing, it was getting them to stop so we could get to soccer practice.”

At the end of the season students turned in books full of poems, writing and art. We didn’t plan on having a Jr. Poetry Slam, but many students have volunteered to share their work at the final Game Day. At an end of the season, a focus group of writing coaches agreed that this innovative curriculum engaged and challenged their students. It gave kids who may have had a rough day a chance to escape to another world during their afterschool time. The only question left now is, “Where are we off to next?”

- Marty Mannion

Jr. SCORES Program Manager

'Field Day' With SalesForce at Rosa Parks

2010-11-08T14:24:00.000-08:00

Last week, SCORES staff teamed up with Salesforce to run an action-packed "Field Day" at Rosa Parks Elementary in San Francisco's Western Addition district. Volunteers from Salesforce, leaders in Customer Relationship Management, learned how to relate to elementary school students by orchestrating games for 84 students, grades one to five.

Rosa Parks students play a game of 'Blob Tag' with a SalesForce volunteer.

Rosa Park students spent two hours running on the school's blacktop as SalesForce volunteers ran games like "Blob Tag," "Penalty Shootout," and relay races.

Salesforce volunteers got a chance to spend a rare afternoon out of the office.

"I had a great time," one SalesForce representative said at the end of the day. "It was really fun and really challenging. I'm exhausted."

For more pictures of the event, check out our Picasa Album below:

Field Day!

Character-Development Programs Called Into Question

2010-10-26T12:42:00.000-07:00

Should America SCORES worry that programs emphasizing character education don’t work? According to a recent federal survey, maybe.

The Institute of Educational Sciences recently studied the effects of seven school-wide programs focused on improving youth behavior and academic performance. The results suggested that these programs had little to no effect on improving youth character. [To see an article on the study in Education Week, or see a pdf of the full study, click here.]

The three-year study appears comprehensive, though many of the teachers and program representatives involved in the study admitted difficulties in accurately measuring youth character development. Allen Ruby, the co-author of the report and the associate commissioner for policy and systems at the IES’s National Center for Education Research, suggested that the findings of the report should motivate a reassessment of the programs and how they work.

Ruby said: “It seemed not finding strong impacts among some of the programs makes you want people to take that step back and say how are these programs supposed to work and what steps do we need to do to make them work?”

We at SCORES, however, can take solace in that our program functions in ways that the study didn’t analyze. Namely, the study didn’t analyze programs that use athletics to teach positive character traits. The programs studied all use in-school strategies to promote traits like honesty, responsibility, and self-control. None appear to rely on the sort of dynamic after-school environment that SCORES does, one that promotes explorative values like creativity, self-expression, and teamwork.

So SCORES is safe from some of the critical analysis that is sure to be levied on the in-school programs that participated in the IES study. But SCORES could definitely benefit from knowing which aspects of these programs worked the best.

Any thoughts?

-Cyrus Philbrick
SCORES Program Manager

'My First Jersey' Drive a Success

2010-10-18T12:43:00.000-07:00

On October 9th, Jr. SCORES players in West Contra Costa County and San Francisco took to the fields for the first time. Thanks to more than 80 generous supporters, these 1st and 2nd graders played their first games in brand new jerseys.

We started the "My First Jersey" drive with a goal of $3,000. Within a period of 3 weeks, we received more than $6,000! We are so grateful for the outpouring of support. Jr. SCORES players had an amazing day and will continue their journey throughout the school year.

Thank you to our donors!

Misha Andaya : Greg Bakke : Megan Bartlett : Kara Bartolik : Bauer Family : Ellen and Patrick Becherer : Valarie Bell : A. Brown : Lauren Van Burkleo : Ronald Wayne Burks : Michael Blossom : Tom and Tracy Cahill : Carla Camarena : Doug Clark : Deborah Clifford : Geraldine Cohen : Kristina Cohen : Justin Conway : Scott Daley : Sorel and Jonathan Denholtz : Tony Eckert : Carin Fradin : Carol and Bruce Gabel : Colleen Gildea : Gittelman Family : Paul Glover : Nathan Gosse : Gale and Dusty Griffin : Andrew Hartman : Jono Hildner : Shannon Hottinger : Harriet Husbands : Rosie and David Issel : Amy Yamner Jenkins : Lisa Lacayo : Brandon Lee : Barbara and Wood Lockhart : John Lockhart : Richard and Natalie Loggins : Matthew Lord : Kris Madsen : Martin J. Mannion : Luke McGee : McKinley People : Andy Meyer : Molly Michelson : Erik Moe : Leah Morales : Brendan Moylan : Ryan and Candice Murray : Shannon Myatt : Daniel Myers : Helen Nunberg : Ruth Okubo : Kimberly Olsen : Julia Perriello : Kate and Barry Rose : Faye Karnavy Sahai : Sid Sahoo : Peter Sawyer : Mari Schmidt : Nicholas M. Schmidt : Patricia Schnaidt : Lori Schweitzer : Dan Schwer : Ken Schwer and Maralyn Tabatsky : Missy and Bob Shay : Eva Gabel Sippola : Bennie Smith Bridget Sumser : John Tallichet : Kathryn Cahill Thompson : Klaus Uebelacker : Gio Vela : Lauren White : Mr. and Mrs. Whitney J. White : Carey and Noah Wintroub : Mark Young

And all our generous supporters who wished to remain anonymous!

SCORES Nominated as Best SF Charity

2010-10-08T11:19:00.000-07:00

San Francisco's 7x7 magazine has nominated America SCORES Bay Area as one of the city's favorite charities. We're honored.

7x7 is running a week-long contest for readers to vote for their favorite city charity. The winner gets a cash award to help run programs. Cast your vote for America SCORES here and help us do what we do.

Thank you San Francisco!

- SCORES Staff

SCORES' First Game Day

2010-10-04T14:42:00.000-07:00

SCORES celebrated the first game day of the Fall season last Saturday at Crocker Amazon Park in San Francisco. Head on over to our Facebook or Picasa pages to check out photos from the event!

SCORES Teams at Redding Meet WPS Players

2010-09-30T13:01:00.000-07:00

Two lucky Bay Area SCORES teams at Redding Elementary in the Tenderloin got the chance to meet some stars from the Women's Professional Soccer league. 30 SCORES kids participated in a free clinic on the school's blacktop led by former Women’s World Cup Champion and FC Gold Pride forward Tiffeny Milbrett and Citi Sportswoman of the Year recipient Natalie Spilger.

Angela Bailey, Soccer Director in SCORES Oakland, helped organize the event, which was sponsored by Citi as part of the bank's community-outreach program. "I think the impact is broader than the momentary excitement of having a female 'star' player on the blacktop," Bailey said. "It's the idea in a young girls mind that starts to form, that females can not only do things, play as well as males do, but that they can be successful at it. And if those female stars succeeded, those little girls can too."

In addition to participating in a soccer clinic, SCORES players and families attended the WPS Championship Game between the Bay Area's own FC Gold Pride and the Philadelphia Independence. SCORES participants helped form the "fan tunnel" on the field for the player introductions. A few players also recited poems at half time.

Read more about the event on the WPS website.

- SCORES staff

Why Do Kids Love 'Happy Meals'?

2010-09-29T17:19:00.000-07:00

Why do kids love happy meals? I think most kids grab for those grease-stained bundles of joy for the plastic toy inside, and not because they're crazy about the food. I know I used to. As part of their disturbing marketing genius, fast food giants have long used toys to lure kids through their double-wide doors.

Should we as a society legislate against such marketing? According to a recent SF Examiner article, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom doesn't think so. He vetoed a proposed legislation that would outlaw placing "incentive items," defined as any toy, game, trading card, admission ticket, or other consumer product, in food packages that contain excessive calories, sugar, or fat.

“I don’t think you can regulate how people market products without going down a dangerous path,” Newsom says in the article. “This is a whole another role of government I am not supporting.”

Newsom, a known advocate of many positive health initiatives, isn't against healthy living and eating. He's against a big government controlling business interests that play a role in these fields.

Fair enough, I guess. Living healthy shouldn't rely on government regulation. It should rely on choice. But Newsom's veto raises some good questions about government's involvement in the decision to live healthy, or in promoting health. How far should its' reach extend into the marketing practices and pockets of private interests? We no longer allow cartoon characters to advertise for cigarettes. Why should we continue to allow cartoons and toys to advertise for fatty and unhealthy foods?

What do other parents, coaches, and athletes think? Is Newsom right on? Or should he take a harder stance against the crafting marketing techniques of fast food enterprises?

- Cyrus Philbrick
SCORES Program Manager

How I Spent My Summer

2010-09-17T13:49:00.000-07:00

By Soccer Director Yuri Morales

During the World Cup summer of 2010 I had the opportunity to play and watch soccer in the soccer-crazy land of Europe. It is always refreshing to be in place where soccer is so popular and important. The World Cup brings people together in a special way. For a moment in time we can forget our differences, quarrels, politics, our social and financial problem while entire communities, cities, and countries focus on just one thing... cheering on the team(s) they love.

I spent most of my summer lying on the beach!

The first stop on my journey was to Israel.

While in Tel Aviv I was able to engage in a cultural and informational exchange with a representative from the non-profit organization "Lasova". Lasova operates more than 12 youth centers all across Israel, providing supervision and enrichment activities for under-privileged youth. It was great to learn about the organization and the important work they do. We also discussed the unique America SCORES model that allows us to use soccer to teach life-skills and poetry and creative expression to improve literacy.

After leaving Israel, I spent most of the summer playing in a professional beach soccer league in Switzerland.

I also got a chance to represent the US Beach Soccer National Team in an international beach soccer tournament in Portugal. I was honored to be named the 2010 Swiss Beach Soccer League MVP after finishing the season as the league's top scorer (35 goals in 12 matches). With the US Beach Soccer Team in Portugal we played against the best team in the world, Brazil, and 2 other international soccer powers, Portugal and Argentina. Even though we lost the games, it was amazing to play in a stadium packed with screaming fans, in games that were broadcast on TV in Europe, South America and many other places.

I feel very lucky to have had these experiences, and continue to be involved with "the beautiful game"... soccer.

-Yuri Morales

Soccer Director for America Scores Bay Area, San Francisco

How I Spent My Summer

2010-09-17T12:35:00.000-07:00

By Program Manager Cyrus Philbrick

A big soccer tournament happened a few months ago in South Africa, although it already seems like a long time ago. I was lucky enough to be there. My kind boss gave me most of the summer off so that I could take the chance of a lifetime to travel South Africa and see the world’s biggest sporting event. It was an amazing experience, for a lot of reasons that I can’t cram into a blog post. I’ll just give a few.

I got a chance to attend seven games, and watched as many as I could around the country’s various Fan Parks, bars, hostels, and homes. For all the moaning about the referees and the quality of play, beneath the refined standards of European club soccer, I thought it was a great World Cup. From South Africa’s earth-shattering opening goal to the heart-wrenching ending of the Uruguay-Ghana game, to Germany’s stunning style, to the testy final (a better played game than most critics give it credit for), South Africa gave us more drama and color than we could have asked.

The final two USA games were the emotional pinnacle of my travels. In Pretoria, I watched from the front row (South African security in stadiums was surprisingly easy to charm) as Landon Donovan scored the last-minute goal to put the USA through to the second round. I hugged teary-eyed neighbors harder than I ever hug family members.
When the USA lost to Ghana in extra time, I left my red, white, and blue heart (along with my makarapa) in the cold Rustenburg night. I actually wanted to cry but didn’t have any energy left.

Going to the World Cup is a good test of our love for our country. It reminded me how much I care about America, and by extension American soccer. I’ve put a lot of time and energy into helping both, no matter how much the two disappoint and how much I need to reserve hope for the future. Although caring so much about what is ultimately a silly game can feel a little childish, as if I’m misplacing a lot of energy when there are so many more important issues than soccer going on in America and all over the world, I don’t get to scream and shout for my country very often. So it felt good to do that for a little while. Cheering for our soccer team is one of the best opportunities we have to pour national pride into something that we can see, in the form of a hardworking and coherent team, uncomplicated by all those fuzzy political and social issues. And even while watching the USA on the field, thinking that I’d rather be there than anywhere else on earth, I also thought about how everyone back home was doing the same thing: watching and hoping and shouting.

But my trip wasn’t all emotional instability, American chest-bumps and tears. Political and social issues never lurk too far beneath the escapism of sports, especially the World Cup. More than the soccer, these issues made traveling to South Africa worth the cost.

South Africa is a beautiful and politically freakin’ complicated country.

I barely cracked the surface of the reality of most people’s daily lives there. Without getting into it too much, the economic and racial divisions in South Africa make those in America look comical. Given that Apartheid crumbled only about 15 years ago, South Africa still lags a generation behind America in the struggle for equal rights and opportunity. But South Africa has a much more daunting and unformed road ahead. As opposed to the ballooned middle class that America preserves, in South Africa a majority of the population, which is almost entirely black, lives in devastating poverty.

The most valuable part of my trip, in skimming over so many cities and towns, was the chance to engage with so many different native people in such a diverse country. I stayed with blacks, whites, and coloureds, all of which had unique perspectives about the country’s history and how it needed to progress. Although my tourist status sheltered me from some of the ugliest facts of the country, all of the South Africans I met blew me away with their kindness, sensitivity and optimism. Even the people I met who had the least, or those I expected to be the most hopeless and disenchanted with their country, expressed an unwavering national pride and hope for the future. Many people in the townships, or sprawling districts outside of city centers, told me how happy they were that their kids now had the chance to go to school, to learn English and Math, to provide a chance to succeed that didn’t exist a generation before. But nobody that I met was satisfied with the current status quo. There is still an overwhelming amount of work to do.

Such a turbid atmosphere provided a strange backdrop for a soccer tournament driven by floods of rich foreigners. The divide between tourists and natives was often painfully obvious. Foreigners attended games while your average South African couldn’t afford a ticket. At the start of my trip, I had a lot of reservations about how the tournament might function in such a divided country. But South Africa's government and people put on a good show. I got a chance to see some great soccer and get a taste of a country who’s beauty, passion, and complexity kept unfolding as I spent more time there. I’d recommend traveling there to anybody. And it’ll be a little cheaper now that the tournament has blown out of town.

- Cyrus Philbrick

SCORES Program Manager