A Holiday Reflection...Bay Area Breeze Making a Difference with America SCORES!

This fall season, members of the Bay Area Breeze Women's team made a very special visit to one of the America SCORES Bay Area soccer game days at Crocker Amazon.  We are so thankful for the inspiration they brought to many of our young girls in the league giving them the confidence to go for their dreams!  Here is a reflection about their experience with our poet-athletes...

 

       

America SCORES prepares cheer!

 

Working with youth has been a goal of the Bay Area Breeze since inception in 2011. We’ve partnered with small clubs and many of our players work as coaches for various clubs and high schools throughout the Bay Area. Since talking with America SCORES about creating a partnership a few months ago, we’d been very excited about the chance to get involved with the opportunities they offer to urban youth in the San Francisco, Bay Area.

 

America SCORES athletes pose with their new friends on the Bay Area Breeze.

With both an academic and healthy lifestyle approach, America SCORES is able to provide a unique learning opportunity for student athletes in their program. Breeze players were able to relate to SCORES athletes by using their experiences on the soccer field as a platform for learning. The Breeze’s General Manager, Maria Lashinger looks forward to inspiring the youth of the local community. “We at the Breeze are looking forward to helping SCORES advance their mission by being role models in the community for healthy, confident students,” Lashinger said.

We were happy to experience first hand the 'America SCORES Experience' at their Saturday Game Day. Breeze players had the opportunity to interact with SCORES athletes on a personal level through various activities throughout the day. The players started out with an introduction of themselves, telling the kids where they were from, their favorite things about soccer, how to stay healthy, as well as the importance of doing well in school. America SCORES students then read their poetry for Breeze players who sat in as guest judges for the session. “After watching and listening to the kids

 

Bay Area Breeze defenders, Danielle Johnson and

Gina Woodward with America SCORES athlete           

 

read their poems and seeing how much time they put into it, I found that the poetry reading is a brilliant idea,” Breeze defender, Gina Woodward, said. “At this age, I believe it is important to make academics fun and engaging and I think that combining soccer with poetry does exactly that.“ 

 

The last poem presented was from Breeze midfielder, Leah Morales. She wrote about confidence and being a team player. Leah’s poem can be seen and heard HERE.

Following the poetry session, Breeze players lead the America SCORES pre-game ceremony. All SCORES athletes gathered with their teams to remember why they play soccer together and how they can be the best player on the field and off. The cheer was LOUD and the perfect way to get game day started, or see for yourself!

Breeze players took the field as referees, as SCORES game day took off. The Breeze players shared their knowledge of the game with the kids as they played, reminding them how to properly throw the ball in and encouraging them to pass and shoot throughout the game. “Being on the same field as our future was an amazing experience,” Breeze midfielder, Kristina Hall, said. “Those players have so much love and passion for America SCORES.“ 

 

Everyone loves to kick back and read at the Book ZONE!

The day closed out with a meet and greet between Bay Area Breeze players and America SCORES student athletes. The kids were able to get autographs with their new friends and take photos together. SCORES kids were not afraid to ask the players more questions about playing soccer, doing well in school, and how to become a professional soccer player. “It was a very humbling experience to see young kids enjoy the game of soccer so much, and also brings back a lot of good memories from when I was a kid playing club soccer,” Breeze goalkeeper, Yiana Dimmitt, said. “It means so much to me that the SCORES kids got so excited to meet us and get autographs and pictures.”

 

***America SCORES Bay Area welcomes one and all to join our special game days and events.  This is a great way for teams and companies to give back to the community while inspiring and being mentors in the classroom and on the soccer field.  For more information on how to get involved, please contact Shannon Burns, Volunteer / Community Outreach Director at sburns@americascoresbayarea.org.  
 
 

Soccerloco teams up with America SCORES Bay Area!



America SCORES poet-athletes lookin good in soccerloco pink!!
 

Recognizing that after-school programs often struggle to find adequate funding and equipment, soccerloco has recently partnered with America SCORES Bay Area to provide team bibs for the kids to wear during practice. Donations such as these play an integral role in the success of our program, and we’re very grateful to have formed this partnership.

“We want to provide the best sports-based youth development programs possible,” says Yuri Morales, Program Director for America SCORES Bay Area. “Strategic partnerships with companies like soccerloco help our students access an engaging team experience at their school with high quality equipment and resources for practices and games.”

soccerloco is thrilled to be joining the America SCORES family as a sponsor, and looks forward to helping our program as we strive to provide kids with quality equipment and support. “soccerloco is always looking to partner our brand with organizations like America SCORES that use soccer to create positive change,” says soccerloco President John Lococo. “Knowing that we were able to help out and seeing the kids in our soccerloco training bibs is very rewarding.”

soccerloco takes a particular interest in joining forces with America SCORES because of the enthusiasm that we share for helping children find passion through soccer. “Soccer is more than just business to us,” says Lococo, “Soccer is a game we all love and a powerful tool that can be used to bring people together. Helping America SCORES means helping hundreds of kids stay out of trouble and learn the values of team sports.”

In addition to donating practice bibs, soccerloco has recently teamed up with Kleats4Kids to organize donations of gently used soccer gear to America SCORES teams around the country. We’ll be sure to keep you updated on our partnership with soccerloco and all the exciting things to come! And in the mean time, visit soccerloco.com to check out their selection of Nike cleats and shoes!

A Flicker of Fall...My Reflection by Mia Tsui, America SCORES Bay Area Program Manager

A Flicker of Fall...My Reflection

BY MIA TSUI, America SCORES Bay Area Program Manager

 

My years always contain eight digits.

2006-2007. Senior year of high school.

2009-2010. The year I learned to speak Italian.

2012-2013. My first year as a San Franciscan :o)

Maybe it's unfair to make it seem like I thought of this, since I've been conditioned for at least 17 years of my not-much-longer life to see the units as carrying over across January, with little islands of summer in between. Even now though, whether it’s the early morning frost on the ground in Boston, or driving the Bay Bridge at a very special moment in twilight, there’s something about fall that is charged with excitement and possibility, making me feel ready for anything.

I was lucky growing up; back-to-school to me meant the excitement of seeing my friends and doing science experiments, group projects and going outside, playing on teams. There are lots of ways to learn, and even though I loved school it’s hard for me to say I remember much of what I was told in a classroom. I don’t think that matters though, because at the end of the day the most important lessons are ones that can only be taught in ways that force you to learn them for yourself.

School, I imagine, will always be a place for facts and lectures and homework. I’m proud that at America SCORES, we make richer what ‘school’ can mean to our students. Our program complements a traditional classroom setting using sports and arts to teach those lessons that if at the end of the day our students only learn, we want to be the ones.

Yesterday, on a little farm celebrating the harvest moon festival, I found myself kneeling with my palms on the dirt, feeling the familiar surge of excitement that comes of seeing pumpkins on the ground and feeling September air against arms not yet clad in sleeves. When we get school right, it doesn’t have to feel like ‘school;’ school is what comes with us everywhere we go with wide eyes open ready to take in beauty and never stop learning how to learn.

Mia is a musician, amazing chef and also an avid gymnast! 

A Coach's Legacy

by Erin Stevenson, Program Coordinator and America SCORES Coach

Dear Coach, 

When I thought there was no one else to lean on, there you were. Through hours and hours of practice, at Ashley’s dad’s funeral, when my parents got divorced; you were there. I didn’t always appreciate your dedication at the time, especially when it meant we weren’t leaving the gym until I stuck that bar dismount. I would be sore, exhausted, hungry, and downright rude, and you would keep at it until I got it right. 

Time has passed, I’ve grown up, and the tables have turned because 21 young girls now get to call me coach. It took a change in perspective to realize that on those late nights you must have been just as tired and equally as frustrated, but you’re being there said, “I believe in you,” and “You can do it.”

I want nothing more than for all of my girls to be tough and resilient, to be disciplined, patient, humble, and fearless. Those are just a few of the many things you taught me. You made me the person I am today, and now I get to share in the responsibility that all coaches have; to shape the identity of the youth they work with. It’s not about what kind of athletes they will become, it’s about what kind of people they will grow to be. 

Thank you for sticking with me. Thank you for being tough and for making me work hard. Thank you for ensuring that your important life lessons were not lost on me. Thank you for everything.

Sincerely,

Coach Erin

A coach’s legacy is powerful because it has such a lasting impact. 

THINK about it. I bet you will agree.

Do you remember any of your coaches from childhood? What did you learn from them? Was it anything worth thanking them for?

Leave a comment and share your gratitude. 

I Remember

by Genaro Jr. Arana, Program Manager

At America SCORES Bay Area we serve schools with youth of all ethnicities, but there is one school which I share a very special story with.  At Mission Education Center, all of the students are migrants from Central America countries — it is a school which captures an experience myself and many other citizens in this country have gone through. These students all share common stories of their great journey of how they came to arrive in the United States of America.  What many people do not know is that these kids have experienced days, weeks, and even months of agonizing stress on a journey to make their dreams come true.  Millions like them can only imagine having the "American Dream".

In October I attended a Mission Education Center poetry class led by site supervisor Maria Picazo.  The lesson of the day was to write a poem with the title “Yo recuerdo (I remember)” about things they remember most. After listening to all the memories these students had of their foreign countries, I was inspired to write a poem about my migration story — the same migration story these special students have all experienced. I wrote my “Yo recuerdo” poem and shared it with the class.

Yo Recuerdo

Noche negra, yo recuerdo

Corimos asi al tunel, el sabor de mi sudor sabia a agua sal del mar

“Todos guarden silencio” dijo el cojote.

WUWUWUWUWU paso el alicoptero

Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah volvimos acorer

Llegamos a la fenza grande como la gran pader de China

Asi parecia, yo consolo seis anos de adad

Llegamos! ala altura de la Montana yo vi luces brillantes

Paracian estrellas.

LLegamos, estoy aqui

Comiensa mi sueno Americano

I Remember

Black night, I remember

We ran toward a tunnel, the sweat in my mouth tasted like the oceans salty water

“Everyone remain quiet” the smuggler said.

WUWUWUWUWUWU the helicopter passed by

Ah ah ah ah  ah ah we began to run

We arrived to the big fence that looked like the Great Wall of China

It seemed like that, me with only six years of age

We arrived! At the top of the mountain I saw bright lights

They looked like stars

I’m here, we have arrived

My American Dream begins.

June of 1993, I was six years old living in poverty in Mexico when my father decided that my mother, older brother, and I should migrate to California so that we could live better lives and have the opportunity to pursue the American Dream.  My family and I went through the same hardships crossing the border as these Mission Ed students.  Ever since I shared my poem with these students, they see me as an example of what they can be if they work hard in this land of great opportunities.