We experienced a 45% increase in soccer participation | |
Yes, 84% of our youth & teens participated in multiple programs! That aligns with our focus on providing year-round, long-term sports-based youth development solutions, support, play, and mentorship. The significant increase in participation between fall '23 and spring '24 (45%) meant that more committed #CoachMentors became part of our #team! See below about our #leadershipthroughsports strategies that help us meet those needs by engaging and training former players! | |  |
We also love that the spring soccer season included fully rostered high school boys' and girls' teams. Below is more about one of those squads clinching a #ECYSA playoff bid! | |
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A spring focus was to ensure teens benefited from positive sports pathways in high school & beyond. From April, those teams were full. It was a significant accomplishment for our females, who nationwide have experienced a decline in sports participation. For us, their weekly engagement was high and consistent, with weekly practices under the lights at Pavilion being a big draw! #facilitiesmatter. The girl's last game was there, with the boys enthusiastically cheering them on (pic captured by #LHS Sr Andy Guzman). They won that last regular season game, while the boys clinched a playoff spot with their winning record. They fell short in the semi-finals but made us proud, and as Coach Mentor Kristian shared, "It was an amazing season. We didn't get the desired result, but it's part of the game. I couldn't be prouder of this team and the work put in to get this far. Let's keep our heads up and keep doing the work!"
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Yes, FUSE (Families United through Sports Experiences) did it again! They organized another special get-together recognizing players following their spring season of play. More than 200 families attended the beautiful top-floor Riverwalk Innovation location. Every player received a certificate, Academic Overtime tutoring participants were recognized for their consistent off-the-field classroom efforts, and team R.E.A.L. Awards were presented! Remember, it's an award for players who go #beyond with Respect, Effort, Attendance, and Leadership! This celebratory #teameffort was possible because our wonderful families contributed food and time! | | |
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Outings are a must for our travel squads, and #CoachMentor Roo, leading the Grade 8 Wolverines took it next level, literally. The girls traveled to the Urban Air Adventure Park where they were met with different off-the-field challenges and teambuilding opportunities like trampolines, zip lines, mazes, and rope courses. The girls also found some hidden cupcakes to celebrate a few teammates' birthdays!
Overall, it was a special #offthefield bonding event. Coach Roo said “that she was so glad they got to get out, enjoy their holiday weekend, and take their minds off whatever is happening in their lives & school.”
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As highlighted above, our program experienced incredible growth. By early April, 467 youth, ages 4-18, were already registered for Lawrence Youth Soccer. By the end of the season, 628 youth were participating weekly. To support that growth, we are prioritizing the following major components. The first is to engage a cohort of Jr. Coaches more consistently as part of our early leadership-through-sports strategy. Most notably, they are 7th & 8th graders, who, before their practice time, volunteer with field set up and assist during practices and games for younger, elementary-age youth. | | |
Second, a broken record alert that prioritizes former players' involvement in critical Coach Mentor roles. See the below graphic highlighting that 74% of our Coach Mentors were former players over the last 12 months! Thirdly, we are committed to raising funds so those teenagers and young adults benefit from wages as Beyond Soccer leaders. Lastly, and most significantly, they must have more tools to be effective in those roles through regular sports-based youth development coach training with the Center for Healing & Justice through Sports (#CHJS). #LeadershipthroughSports | | |
The program's overwhelmingly positive response was because 327 hours of tutoring were sponsored over the last 7 months with 19 contributing Merrimack College student volunteers. Also, 5 consistent Beyond Soccer scholar student-athletes stepped in during college breaks. Former player and long-time Coach Mentor Will Inirio, who oversaw Academic Overtime, credits his mentoring by a group of retired teachers during its early startup in 2017 as the key ingredient. | | |
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14 seniors graduated this spring, and 100% will attend college, including Northeastern, Merrimack, UMass Lowell, Brandeis, Wheaton, BC, Hartford, and Wentworth Institute of Technology. Three student-athletes, including 10-yr player Noe, will play college soccer. Their high GPAs and years involved (6.5) are a testament to our long-term commitment to their well-being on & off the field. Many received impressive awards, like Paris' 4-year Fidelity Scholarship, and their career interests range from neuroscience and criminal justice to computer science, nursing, mechanical engineering & biochemistry.
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The Center for Healing & Justice through Sport completed its focus group review! Five groups were interviewed as part of our 3-year Resilient Girls Project with the Women's Fund of Essex County. We are motivated by the consistent positive feedback from parents and players, both former and current. Still, the need is evident for improved program strategies, including specific girls-in-sports training and coaching toolkits with weekly themes for female leaders to engage and support our girls more effectively. Our team is #All-In planning and prepping, including a first girl's pre-season kickoff. | | |
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This wonderful Eagle-Tribune article shares why Eliany is this year's Paul "Lefty" Wennik Oustanding Character Scholarship recipient. It includes staffer Will Inirio reminding us how Eliany "would go hard into tackles, very much unafraid, and then apologize sincerely to the player she just knocked to the ground." Paul, who has fundraised for Beyond Soccer for over a decade, is all smiles and deservingly so. It's the second $5,000 scholarship awarded to a graduating senior, and fittingly, we heard from Angel, the twin of last year's recipient Luiz, about how it's helped his brother at UMass Lowell. It's a must-read about Eliany, who started with Beyond Soccer at age 9 and is off to Northeastern to study biology!
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Thanks to Good Sports we are part of its exciting 5-year Program Portfolio | |
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It means Good Sports is supporting our identified high-priority equipment needs through 2029! Our first exchange resulted in a large delivery of World Cup balls, bow nets, fitness equipment, and 1,000 uniforms for our in-city league. It will represent the first time those players (almost 450/season and growing) will have full uniform kits. A FUSE parent is helping with the logo’ing that will include Good Sports and New Balance Foundation! We also love that Good Sports is super committed to leveling the playing field between girls and boys. Like them, we are fighting the stat that girls are twice as likely to drop out of sports by age 14! (More below). Here’s long-time former player & Sr. Coach Mentor, back from Westfield State, assisting with the delivery (social share HERE). His older sister, Celia, has also been a consistent Sr. Coach Mentor.
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Do you know what kicked off Spring soccer for our girls?
It was the Boston Dream Soccer & Leadership event with Merrimack College Women's Soccer. This opportunity was also motivated by partner Women's Sports Foundation's research report, released just before Mental Health Awareness Month in May.
"Thriving Through Sport: The Transformative Impact on Girls' Mental Health" shows that when girls play sports, they thrive, not just physically but mentally, too. Also, girls who play sports report stronger peer relationships, meaning, and purpose, in fact, 1.5 times higher scores than those who never played ("WSF" 24)--To get that, we need to ensure more events with like-minded partners, including #BostonDream that recognizes that part of the solution is keeping women engaged in soccer at all levels---including more all-female officiating and coaching crews! That's a goal this fall. Females will lead all our girl’s teams, and we will incorporate a new curriculum into practices. Stay tuned!
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Do you know who continues to step up--big time--for Lawrence Youth Soccer? Twin brothers and former players Luiz and Angel Lopez! | | |
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You probably remember Luiz, who received the first Paul “Lefty” Wennik Outstanding Character Scholarship and has been excelling at UMass Lowell. Luiz was also leading the competitive Grade 6 Rebels squad, while his brother, Angel, a Northern Essex freshman, stepped up to lead the girl's Bulldogs team with intern Blythe. Luiz and Angel have mentoring skills that are beyond description. They both care and communicate with incredible charisma and personality. They are outgoing and vocal and gravitate to the mission, having been long-time players themselves. “Organized, hard workers” are commonly used adjectives to describe their approach. They know how to frame their sideline instructions in ways that players respond to best. As shown here, Angel is all “circles up” with the Bulldogs. We also see Luiz with his squad post-game and the two brothers together, with their obvious love and respect for each other, front and center. | | | | |
