On Monday, June 29, Up2Us Sports officially welcomed 180 Summer VISTAs to the 2020 Up2Us Sports Summer VISTA Program. 180 VISTAs started their nine-week service term at 100 nonprofit organizations nationwide. Their term will end on Friday, August 28th.
15 of the 180 VISTAs have been serving internally at Up2Us Sports in various capacities. We are excited to have this group of ambitious service members help our team across the nation, which will in turn help us better serve our 1,700+ member organizations, 470+ host sites and 250+ coaches in the days and months ahead.
We wanted you to get to know the 15 VISTAs who have spent their summer helping grow the capacity of Up2Us Sports from within.
Name: Rachel Wyman
Age: 32
What city are you located in?
Brooklyn, New York
What department within Up2Us Sports are you serving in?
Marketing
What led you to want to do a service term, particularly right now?
Learn more about informing coaches on physical activity promotionI had already gotten some "behind the scenes" experience, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to get more involved.
What does national service mean to you?
Working to improve the lives of ALL of a nation's people, and also to let those in positions of power know in no uncertain terms when something needs to be changed or corrected.
What is one thing you hope to take away from your 9 weeks of service?
Marketing experience! I've learned that just about everything in this world is about how you present it. Every nuance in the language and images chosen makes a difference, for better or worse.
Did you play sports and did It have an impact on why you decided to serve at a youth sports organization?
I did not play sports, but as a dancer I have been mentored by wonderful teachers and my life has been deeply enriched by movement. Without a doubt, I believe that physical activity allows for greater embodiment and mind-body integration, both of which are empowering. A caring mentor can be a powerful healing presence, for kids and adults alike!