Maple Lawn v Steven's Park: A Volunteer's Perspective

The most recent game day for America SCORES was between Maple Lawn and Stevens Park elementary schools. As a new volunteer for America SCORES I was excited to see the fruits of everyone’s labor (the students, the coaches, and the people behind the scenes who keep this organization humming) culminate into a fun and beautiful afternoon of soccer.

We showed up early to paint the lines for the field and assemble the goals. Before we could even get the equipment ready a group of the America SCORES students had already gathered around the field eager to start practice and kick the ball around. You could tell the students were genuinely excited about the game, and almost annoyed with the fact that they weren’t already playing. We recruited them to help assemble the goals, which ended up being a great exercise in teamwork, because I don’t think any of us were exactly positive on how to put them together. Once the initial setup was complete the boys and the girls were separated to start drills and get warmed up. It was obvious to me at this point that the competitive spirit wasn’t a necessary element of game day; it was mostly about running around and having fun. The kids really just wanted to hang out with their friends.

As it got closer to game time the field started to fill up with friends, parents, siblings, and teachers. It was great to see that this was actually a community event. Everyone wanted to come out and support the players, and in a way, support the organization. The game was 40 minutes of organized chaos, but that’s okay because everyone was yelling and shouting and cheering them on, and you could tell it really made them feel good.

The game was an overall success (as I am sure every game is) because, while score is not taken into consideration, everyone wins. The kids were able to have fun, get exercise, practice teamwork and gain confidence through the support of their friends and family. The parents were able to see their kids have healthy interactions with others and work towards a common goal. And the teachers, coaches and volunteers were visibly able to see that they were helping to build and strengthen communities. It is a great representation of how America SCORES is able to fulfill its mission, and I am very glad to be a part of it.



Katie Jackson
America SCORES Dallas Volunteer