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This Week We Celebrate Youth Sports Volunteerism!
For the week of November 13, the Patriots Charitable Foundation will work in cooperation with organizations that support and encourage children to participate in youth sports. Organizations include the New England Revolution, Special Olympics Massachusetts, Metro Lacrosse and Squash Busters.
How do youth sports volunteers make an impact?Special Olympics
- As a volunteer-based organization, SOMA relies heavily on volunteers to plan, run and organize our sporting competitions and fundraisers. With over 120 events on our yearly calendar, volunteers are crucial to the success of our events.
- Introducing volunteers to the world of people with intellectual disabilities is very important. Inclusion, respect and acceptance are key themes for SOMA. The more people familiar with our athletes, the more advocates we attempting to change the world and breaking down the barriers surrounded by this population.
- Volunteering teaches responsibility. Many people sign up to volunteer because they 'have to.' All we ask is for one day. Once they come, their lives change forever and they usually come back.
Metro Lacrosse
- A team sports environment provides an opportunity to bridge social gaps and address cultural differences
- Youth sports foster a sense of community, which players and volunteers can share in creating together
- Youth sports help to provide players with a healthy, active lifestyle, which helps to combat the obesity epidemic in America
- Youth sports provide players with a positive outlet for out-of-school time and engages them in not only athletics, but life lessons and character development as well.
Congratulations to this week's "Patriots Difference Maker" - Sam Baglioni
Sam Baglioni,Volunteer, Special Olympics MassachusettsSamantha (Sam) Baglioni has been a long-time volunteer for Special Olympics MA (SOMA). First as an intern, four years ago and most recently as a volunteer coach for the Bridgewater-Raynham/Bridgewater State University program. For so many more reasons than listed here, Sam is extremely deserving of this award. As an intern, Sam’s jobs have included: assisting in conducting regional and local competitions, developing and supporting fundraising activities from grassroots events to corporate sponsorship and assisting in the creation of new local programs including her own. Leading by example, in December of 2010, Sam petitioned for, and was awarded status to create the Bridgewater State University (BSU) Special Olympics Club. Eleven months later, approximately 30 students from both B-R High and BSU have benefited from the program Sam co-created. Sam's organization, leadership, energy and enthusiasm make her program extremely successful. Sam’s commitment to serving the SOMA community has been significant. She consistently volunteers five to ten hours per week. As an 18 year old when she started with SOMA, she had very little experience in the foundational management of a business or organization. She now is an extremely valuable asset to our organization and has become an extended member of our staff. Sam has become an effective leader, mentor and organizational planner - it is an honor and a pleasure to work with such an amazing young woman.
What youth sports volunteer opportunities can I pursue?
America SCORES - in cooperation with the New England Revolution
- America SCORES Boston strives to empower students in Boston communities using soccer, writing, creative expression and service-learning. With an emphasis on teamwork, America SCORES encourages 1,500 Boston youth to lead health lifestyles, be engaged students and have the confidence and character to make a difference in the world. While participating in the program, SCORES poet-athletes play over 200 minutes of soccer per week, design and implement a service-learning project and perform or publish their creative writing.
- www.americascoresboston.org
- Dwayne Simmons - America SCORES Boston Program Director
- dsimmons@americascores.org
- (617) 553-4699
Project GOAL - in cooperation with the New England Revolution
- Project GOAL (Greater Opportunity for Athletes to Learn) helps facilitate the development of Rhode Island’s disadvantaged youth through after-school tutoring and soccer-related programs. Aiming to foster opportunity, Project GOAL combines the benefits of academic achievement with the motivation and self-discipline of sports, and combats the growing problems of illiteracy, school delinquency, adolescent crime and obesity. During each of two weekly three-hour sessions, middle school students spend one-and-a-half hours improving their study skills with professional educators, before taking to the soccer fields with accredited coaches and former professional players.
- www.projectgoal.org
- Vicktoria Barokha - Project GOAL staff member
- vbarokha@projectgoal.org
- (401) 258-2300
Special Olympics
- Jolly Jaunt 5K road race Series December 3 & 4 in 5 different locations (Boston, Danvers, Taunton, Hyannis & Springfield). Visit www.jollyjaunt.org for more details and volunteer registration.
- SOMA Winter Games March 10-11, 2012 in the Greater Worcester area. Details and volunteer information will be posted on www.specialolympicsma.org in January 2012.
- SOMA South Section Bowling Assessment Rounds Date: January 28 OR 29 (not yet finalized) at Taunton AMF Lanes and Ryan Family Amusements, South Yarmouth Cape Cod. Contact: www.specialolympicsma.org/south or 508-821-3635.
Metro Lacrosse
- MetroLacrosse offers a variety of positions for volunteers. While playing and coaching experience is valuable, it is not required for all volunteer positions. Volunteer options include:
- Coaching a MetroLacrosse team. Volunteer coaches serve as the frontline of MetroLacrosse programming. Coaching a MetroLacrosse team is not only a time commitment, but also a commitment to your players who look to you as a mentor. Coaches have a great deal of responsibility and truly have a huge impact on each and every participant’s development.
- Helping at a MetroLacrosse event. MetroLacrosse hosts a number of different events throughout the year. These events range from tournaments to fundraisers and we always need the extra help of reliable volunteers to make them happen.
- Supporting job shadowing. MetroLacrosse supports participants’ aspiration for college and career by offering job shadowing opportunities during school vacation weeks. We welcome volunteers who are able to mentor and help participants with the development of these goals by hosting 1-5 student-athletes for a one-day job shadowing experience.
- Working in our office. MetroLacrosse always has a variety of office projects and administrative tasks that are perfect for people who are looking for flexible volunteer hours. These projects include: large mailings, database cleanup, equipment inventory and distribution, data entry, and other tasks as they arise.
- Please contact our Volunteer Manager, Ashley Goliti, at agoliti@metrolacrosse.com
The Patriots Charitable Foundation is proud to work in conjunction with New England Revolution, Special Olympics Massachusetts, Metro Lacrosse and Squash Busters for "Youth Sports Volunteerism Week"
