I started playing soccer at age eight, a time when this was still an unusual thing to do in America. But, I loved it and gave up many other sports to pursue competitive soccer, a choice that suited me well in my travels around soccer-crazy Europe. After graduating from college, I realized that becoming a coach was something that put my love for the sport and experience with children together in a wonderful way and I set out to make an impact of kids’ views of competitive sports. I spent a total of 9 seasons with various teams in Arkansas, both co-ed and girls, developing not only athleticism and knowledge of the sport, but focusing on teamwork, support, good sportsmanship, problem solving, critical thinking, and fun. My philosophy of coaching, always one of positive reinforcement, was well received and most of my players continued to return each season. One of the hardest things for me, after deciding to come to Israel, was to leave the group of kids I had been working with for 5 seasons. I knew I would miss coaching a great deal.

When making the decision to become a corps member, I spent a lot of time considering where I would fit into Ramla. A town of many immigrants, without the funding to offer organized soccer to children cost-free, Ramla seemed a great place for me to use my soccer experience. So I have now set out on a journey to impact as many youth as I can and share the joys of organized soccer, in a supportive and positive way. I have already begun programming through local community centers that serve mostly the Ethiopian immigrant community and am slowly introducing formal rules, as well as sportsmanship and leadership to the boys playing with me. Also, I am in the planning stage for a coexistence group of Arab and Jewish girls that I hope will show the girls not only the benefits of soccer, but also of becoming friends. In the future, I will also partner with the Municipality of Ramla in the creation of a small youth league, under a grant from the Cities Without Violence project. In time, other teams may form where I discover a need for this type of experience in the community.

I have big dreams for these teams that I hope will continue to impact them after I leave Ramla. In addition to at least weekly practices, I hope to organize official games on fields with grass and goals, things the kids are not used to. Also, I would like to host a small-sided tournament in May, so that all the players are able to participate in a fun day of soccer, capped off with awards and an end-of-the-season party. I have also begun to pursue partnerships for donations of money and equipment, hoping to provide each child with his/her own ball, shin guards, soccer socks, and league t-shirt or jersey. My greatest dream for the kids is to establish a partnership with a professional soccer team here in Israel that would lead to us all spending a day in the team’s stadium, giving the kids the chance to meet, play with, and learn from the professionals, finishing the day with watching our new friends in a game in their league. Knowing that some of my dreams are quite big, I also know that they might inspire my players to make dreams of their own, which will help drive them to strive for more for the rest of their lives, which is really my biggest dream.