Up2Us Sports coaches are leaders in the field of sports-based youth development (SBYD), but they often don't receive the recognition they deserve. Coaches' Corner is our way to show our appreciation for our incredible coaches who make positive change in their communities every day!
This month, we spoke with River, a coach at Kensingston Soccer Club in Philadelphia, PA.
(c) River Mason via LinkedIn
In honor of LGBTQ+ Pride Month we spoke with Coach River (they/them), an Up2Us Sports Coach at Kensington Soccer Club in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A native of Nazareth, PA, River has been living in Pennsylvania for the last seven years. They have been serving with Up2Us Sports since August of 2022. River is enthusiastic outdoors, loves pickup soccer and has played the sport for thirteen years.
Coach River attended Temple University in Pennsylvania, PA, for film and media arts. They first learned about Up2Us Sports and Kensington Soccer Club at the very beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. They explained that amid COVID, and while looking for a new job, people were starting to do outdoor sports again. They missed playing pickup soccer and being around other people, so Kensington Soccer Club was a good choice for them. Coach River currently works as a soccer coach for both indoor and outdoor soccer.
“I was looking to reclaim my joy with soccer, and I thought coaching would be a new avenue and kind of challenging for me.”
When asked about what brought them to their current host site as a coach they answered: “When COVID was happening, I was looking for a new job when people were starting to come back to life a little, I was looking for a community to play soccer with. I was looking to reclaim my joy with soccer, and I thought coaching would be a new avenue and kind of challenging for me.”
As a resilient coach who goes above and beyond to help their athletes, River has adapted the sport to help a variety of different athletes, including those who are part of the LGBTQ+ community and those with disabilities. Coach River is an inspiration to fellow coaches and athletes alike. When asked about what their biggest accomplishment has been they said:
“I think my biggest accomplishment is the really small victories that happen throughout your coaching when you connect with a kid. When kids get frustrated and want to quit, I go over and talk to them, and I'm like, ‘hey let’s try to get back in there!’ I want to get them back in, and when I do, that is a win for me. When kids don’t want to talk to you, you should not take that personally, because you have to understand that they are listening to you. They might not say much, but then they eventually go back to playing. Getting close to two years of coaching has also been my biggest accomplishment so far.”
“I think my biggest accomplishment is the really small victories that happen throughout your coaching when you connect with a kid. ”
Coach River has proven through their calm and inclusive nature that they get along with everyone they work with. By providing a nurturing and open environment, Coach River is showing their skills as a capable leader that their athletes can trust. When asked what they liked most about working with their athletes, River said:
“I honestly like the challenges that happen when they do get frustrated, or sit out because the victory of getting them to figure out how to overcome their frustrations is so rewarding. For example, I had a kid who was upset one day, and I sat down and did breathing exercises with him, and helped calm him down. This was probably the first time he has ever experienced that in his life.”
As a role model for their athletes, River has taught them that everyone deserves to be treated equally. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, they have made it their mission to disable the label and to stop any negative stereotypes from reaching their athletes, and - in their words - “squashing negativity before it starts.” Through an inclusive attitude and way of thinking, River has created a haven for all of their athletes, including those who identify as LGBTQ+. When asked about working with athletes who identified as being part of the LGBTQ+ community, they said:
“I’m sure I have but I don’t know because they are children, and they probably don’t know either yet. Sometimes when you get to the teenage years you might know. There is a kid that I have been around that is a very big advocate and is very aware of the LGBTQ+ community. But other than that I would say yes, because I’m sure there is someone!”
“I had a kid who was upset one day, and I sat down and did breathing exercises with him, and helped calm him down. This was probably the first time he has ever experienced that in his life.””
As for if Coach River identified as being part of the LGBTQ+ community, they explained: “I do, I would say it's interesting, as to what that means to me. I don’t know, it is what it is. It's a fact.”
When asked if there were any cool facts about themself that they would like to share, they said: “I am adopted, and I am Guatemalan.”
As for what’s next for Coach River? They will continue to be a strong leader and role model for their athletes at KSC, representing Up2Us Sports and Philadelphia.
River has served as an Up2Us Sports coach at Kensington Soccer Club in Philadelphia, PA since August 2022 thanks to support from AmeriCorps.
