The mission of Up2Us Sports is to “engage, train and support sports coaches to transform youth, programs and communities.” We have made tremendous strides in the field of Sports-Based Youth Development, but sometimes the people that are in the field can go unnoticed and unnamed. In order to show our appreciation, we have created Coaches' Corner, a place where people can get the shine and appreciation that they have worked so hard for. In our first post, we were able to introduce and learn more about two wonderful coaches from Grassroots Tennis, Jayanne and Laura. Today we are pleased to introduce you to Coach Julieth of South Bronx United!

Give a brief introduction of yourself.  Include where you're from, how old you are, if you are in school or not, and other similar characteristics about yourself.

My name is Julieth Noguez and I am 24 years old. I graduated in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree. I am a person who is very determined and hardworking with many dreams.

What are you extremely passionate about, and how does your work with Up2Us Sports connect with that?

I am extremely passionate about working with kids. Working and learning how to connect with them has been one of the many privileges of mine. I do not have any kids yet, but ever since a young age, I was attached to kids and always tried to teach them about anything; from how to ride a bike to how to climb a tree. Being a Coach-Mentor at South Bronx United has given me the opportunity to guide the students in the right direction and be that person that they could count on in the classroom and outside the classroom. Their future success is what I will always cherish for the rest of my life.

What/who motivated you to start coaching and working with youth? Is this something that you knew you wanted to do from a young age, or is it a newfound passion?

The reason for getting involved with coaching was South Bronx United. I am an alumni who played for a couple of years with the club. My soccer coach, Carlos, suggested that I could start working but due to my status I was unable to. Later on, South Bronx United provided me with the help of getting a legal status in this country. South Bronx United also helped me with my coaching license without paying out of pocket. I was able to work and started working with the recreational program as a coach. Teaching was something I always loved to do ever since I was young, but I never knew that I would end up being a coach-mentor later on in my life.

 Are there any lessons that you learned from coaching that you plan to use in your future work?

One of the lessons that I learned from the coaching that I plan to use in the future to work is that no matter how many wins or losses you have, there is always time to fix them.

What are two random facts about you?

One random fact is that I am the first to graduate college in my family. Second random fact is that I participate in an Aztec/Mayan dance to represent my culture.

In honor of mental health awareness month, what kind of self care routines do you practice to make sure your mental and emotional health are being catered to?

Self care routines that I practice include going out to jog in the morning before I start my day. Going out for a jog or even just a walk helps me physically but also lowers my level of stress. Another practice I do is wake up very early and have a conversation with my mother with a cup of coffee. Talking to my mother also helps me let go of certain worries I may have, and she makes me feel like I can keep on. 

Julieth has been serving as Up2Us Sports coach since August 2020 at South Bronx United in New York City thanks to support from AmeriCorps.