7 minute read
2021 Spotlight
SHINING A LIGHT ON THE POET-ATHLETES, COACHES, AND TEAMS WHO MAKE AMERICA SCORES GREAT
This is Kayla!
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From Captain to Coach
Kayla’s SCORES journey begins when she joined Boston SCORES as a participant in 2019 with the high school program. She even became her team’s captain within two years of being with SCORES! Because of her great experiences with her team, Kayla stayed after graduating from the high school program to be a coach in 2021, while also going to school at Northeastern University. “I came back as a coach for Boston SCORES because soccer has played a major impact on my life that I aspire to lead and coach others with my own experience.” As a participant in Boston SCORES’ high school team, Kayla made some great memories with her team. She always pushed to be her best self on the pitch, regardless of the score, and played well in her position as a midfielder. Because of her dedication, she was able to play in midfield for all of her matches. Her last spring season as a player was her favorite because of the connections she made with her fellow teammates. During her time as a coach, she has built connections with the young women she mentors and helps nurture their confidence and skills on the pitch. Kayla’s team won the first game of that season because of their great teamwork skills and support from their amazing coach! A piece of advice Kayla has kept from her time as a player was that she always challenges herself to be the best version of herself. She gives the same advice to the players she coaches now: “One piece of advice I’d give to the players will have to be that if you want to grow as a player, then you have to be willing to always challenge yourself and your limits.” Looking back on her time as a Boston SCORES alum, Kayla really enjoyed being a part of the high school program. She says that Boston SCORES allowed her to grow as an athlete and a leader, in addition to opening avenues for new opportunities.
PS 382 Learn In-Person Once Again
Coach Natalie and Coach Madonna from America SCORES NY share with us how their team adjusted to inperson learning after a year of virtual programming.
The year 2021 brought new challenges and excitement to teams across our affiliate network, and America SCORES New York is no different. PS 382 continued programming online at the start of last year, where Coach Natalie and Coach Madonna were inspired by their poet-athletes’ dedication to being a part of the team.
“We had students join meetings from car rides and doctor visits- that’s serious dedication!” - Coach Natalie
When Coach Natalie and Coach Madonna planned for an in-person return to programming last year, they knew
their poet-athletes were looking forward to being face-to-face just as much as they were. Much of their team had not experienced in-person learning before, and they were learning how to play soccer and write poetry with their teammates for the first time. Coach Madonna says it was important to give poetathletes a chance to be themselves again, “It’s refreshing to be in a space where poetathletes are accepted and celebrated for exactly who they are. We all have something to contribute and we are all in this together as a team.” Returning to in-person learning also reminded Coach Natalie and Coach Madonna about the importance of creating a space for community and how amazing these spaces can be when adding soccer and poetry to the recipe. Because poetry and soccer activities allowed for lots of team-building opportunities, transitioning to in-person instruction was much easier. The last year was filled with great moments - Coach Natalie shares how she loved finally putting on her “Coach” jersey and hoodie for practices, watching poet-athletes Justin, Arizeyda, and Cristian perform at ASNY’s first-ever Block Party Poetry event, and seeing poet-athlete Gael win his first award! “The energy our poet-athletes brought into the inperson space was palpable; they were just so excited to see and interact with each other face-to-face.” Coach Madonna says she loved reuniting with her poet-athletes in person, watching Gael perform at the virtual poetry slam, and seeing Yarell show off his America SCORES shirt under his school uniform.
“We still have a ways to go, but much like the ‘Believe’ sign in Ted Lasso, I have faith that our fledgling team will one day spread its wings and learn to
fly .”- Coach Madonna
Coach Sarah Shares About Their Time With Canada SCORES
Say hi to Coach Sarah!
Coach Sarah McCarthy has been playing soccer since they were 6 years old and has been involved in coaching since the age of 12. They joined Canada SCORES Vancouver as a coach because they were immediately drawn to the unique combination of soccer, poetry, and community service. They have coached Canada SCORES poetathletes for the past 2 years and are now a Program Coordinator.
During their first year coaching with SCORES, Sarah loved making meaningful connections with poetathletes and seeing them grow over that season. From community projects which improved their teamwork abilities to soccer training that developed their fitness and skills as players, Sarah always felt proud of the milestones their poet-athletes reached. And when it comes to poetry, Sarah says the poems they create are so thoughtful and expressive, and seeing their creativity blossom throughout the year is a
great experience. Some of Sarah’s favorite moments with SCORES happened during this first year—they fondly remember the heartfelt cards they received from their poet-athletes at the end of summer camp. When the pandemic began and all Canada SCORES programming was moved online, Sarah faced new challenges as a coach to keep instruction accessible and poet-athletes engaged. They worked closely with other coaches to ensure that poet-athletes were getting the support they needed, especially due to a lack of inperson interaction. When asked about how that changed the way they approached coaching, they say, “The most important thing to keep at the forefront of your coaching toolbox is that different students require different approaches to learning and developing in different situations.” Sarah is looking forward to continuing in their new role as a Program Coordinator and a coach for poet-athletes, especially as programming moves back in-person this year. Some of the great events they are looking forward to: Canada SCORES’ annual poetry slam in February, where poet-athletes perform the poetry they created over the fall season, as well as the Shout event showcasing poet-athletes’ community service projects. And of course, all the great soccer events coming up! The most important thing that Sarah takes away from their time coaching is guiding their poet-athletes to develop not just as soccer players, but as teammates and friends.
“Seeing poet-athletes become strong leaders, communicators and motivators to their peers; seeing confidence flourish as they hone their skills—it is so
special to be a part of this . ”
AMERICA SCORES MILWAUKEE AND BIRTHDAYS IN A BOX
After a year of virtual writing and soccer activities, the summer was a time to get back together in person! SCORES poet-athletes came back to the classroom ready to address inequalities they saw in their neighborhoods during the pandemic. At Browning Elementary School, poet-athletes decided to address homelessness in their community by partnering with the Sojourner Family Peace Center to begin a Birthday in a Box program! Students then held a community-wide party supply drive to collect party favors, tablecloths, and paper products for both boys and girls. They collected enough supplies to create a year’s worth of monthly party packages that the shelter could use for families that had a birthday during their stay. Students celebrated their success with a day of assembly and birthday treats!
AMERICA SCORES CLEVELAND FOOD BAGS
America SCORES Cleveland poet-athletes took initiative with a way to give back to their communities last spring and summer! Poetathletes at Michale Zone and Collinwood rec center worked together to prepare packaged food bags for those who came to the recreation centers. The bags contained some snacks, such as granola bars and fish crackers, and a juice box. Students decorated the bags with positive sayings and fun drawings to bring a smile to those who used the rec center.
