WE ARE POET-ATHLETES

⚽ Soccer
✏️ Poetry
❤️ Community

 
 
 
 

Welcome to SCORES U Coach!

SCORES U has the curriculum and resources you need to lead engaging, fun, and impactful programs for your Poet-Athletes this year!

SCORES U makes it easy to get coach orientation and training with our interactive Mini-Trainings.

SCORES is Positive Youth Development

SCORES mission is to inspire youth to lead healthy lives, be engaged students, and have the confidence and character to be agents of positive change in their communities.

We use soccer, poetry, and service learning as a platform to deliver high quality youth development programs.

SCORES builds teams of Poet-Athletes who use their voice to express themselves, serve as leaders in their communities, and speak up against injustice.

 
 
 

  • SCORES Core Values

    • Teamwork — Poet-Athletes work collaboratively with others, striving together for the benefit of the whole.

    • Leadership — Poet-Athletes have opportunities to practice leadership skills.

    • Commitment — We show up for our teammates and our community.

    An incomplete list of more youth development values that we strive to incorporate into our program culture:

    • Belonging — SCORES provides opportunities for Poet-Athletes to develop a sense of belonging.

    • Encouragement — SCORES coaches encourage Poet-Athletes to do their best.

    • Engagement — Our activities promote active engagement.

    • Fair Play — We believe in positive and healthy and competition.

    • Joy — We want everyone to experience joy through playing soccer, writing poetry, and helping the community.

    • Safety — We promote physical, social, and emotional health and safety.

    • Skill Building — SCORES Coaches support Poet-Athletes in building skills.

    • Welcoming — SCORES Coaches give warm welcomes and create an inclusive atmosphere.

    • Youth Choice — Poet-Athletes have opportunities to make choices based on their interests.

    • Youth Voice — Poet-Athletes can express themselves and their unique identities.

  • SCORES Coaches coach with FIRE.

    F. Foster independence: Let them choose and solve problems. For instance, allow them to choose between different exercises or ask how they would overcome specific challenges.

    I. Inspire with encouragement: Provide positive feedback and encourage frequently. Be sincere and focus on what they do right. Highlighting the good work can motivate them to keep improving.

    R. Respect and Reward: Value their thoughts, reward effort and proper technique, not just outcomes—praise not only the results but also the process and dedication.

    E. Engage Enthusiastically: Your enthusiasm fuels their passion. Smile, interact, and listen. Your energy and genuine interest in their development will create a positive connection.

    A coach’s role is more than teaching skills. It is about lighting the fire of passion, self-belief, and joy. So, stay ignited, and keep our Poet-Athletes FIRE-d up!

    *Thanks to Total Uplift for this great coaching framework.

 

QUICK LINKS

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

SCORES OVERVIEW

We believe that a caring coach is a crucial ingredient when it comes to positive youth development.

SCORES Coaches create a brave space for creativity, expression, and growth.

These 3 Mini-Trainings will provide an overview of SCORES programs and culture.

 

 
 
 

CHILD SAFETY

If your primary employer is America SCORES Bay Area, go to the Child Safety Requirements page to complete the steps needed to work with youth.

If your primary employer is a partner organization (afterschool program or school district), please check with your SCORES point of contact regarding child safety policies and requirements.

 
 
 
 
 
 

GIRLS IN THE GAME

YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES to help all the girls* on your team thrive. These 4 Mini-Trainings offer tips, inclusive coaching strategies, and ideas to help coaches and program coordinators meet the needs of girl-identified athletes.

* “Girls” refers to gender-expansive youth (cis girls, trans girls, non-binary youth, gender non-conforming youth, gender queer youth and any girl-identified youth).

 
 
 
 

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

Let’s build on what you already know about positive youth development and social-emotional learning. These mini-trainings will help you to be a supportive coach-mentor and bring out the best in youth.

These 3 Mini-Trainings dive deeper into positive youth development.

 

 
 
 

BEST PRACTICES

This is where you can find more tips and ideas for creating a positive learning environment.

These 4 Mini-Trainings explore proven strategies for building a safe and supportive team culture.

 

 

PROGRAMS & CURRICULUM

These Mini-Trainings provide specific information and training in the SCORES core curriculum areas: Soccer, Poetry, and Service Learning.

 
 
 
 

On the Soccer Curriculum & Resources page you can get coaching resources including an outstanding practice planning app with fun games and skill-building activities to help you run great practices.

The Soccer Overview Mini-Training covers the basic rules and language of soccer.

 

 
 
 

On the Poetry Curriculum & Resources page you’ll find poetry workbooks for students, an online curriculum companion, and teacher tips to help you lead inspirational poetry workshops.

The Poetry Overview Mini-Training is an introduction to SCORES poetry and the SCORES Poetry Coach Training dives into the curriculum in more detail.

 

 
 
 

On the Service Learning Curriculum & Resources page you’ll find the Service Learning Coach Guide, Community Action student workbooks, project examples, and more!

The SCORES Service Learning Coach Trainings explore the curriculum and provide tips to help you engage youth in community action.