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This year’s DC SCORES Summer Camp at Brightwood would not be possible without the brilliant soccer and STEAM coaches. The hard work they put in day in and day out to ensure that the campers have a fun and relaxing summer camp experience hasn’t gone unnoticed - this blog will spotlight a handful of coaches and explore what makes them great.

Emily Lobo-Castillo

A DC SCORES alumni, Emily is giving back to the organization in a great way. She is the Soccer Coordinator for this summer, running the campers through key skills such as passing, shooting and dribbling. “It’s great being able to plan out the soccer portion of camp and see the kids engaging with the games and drills I have come up with”, she says. The results are clear to see on the field, even in their limited time at camp the kids have looked a lot more comfortable with a ball at their feet. “This is one of the many great parts about DC SCORES - investing and giving kids - who otherwise may not be able to - a chance to play soccer. Seeing their friendships form as their skills improve is amazing to see.”

Ronald Hernandez

Ronald’s passion is evident every day at camp, whether he is volunteering to be the goalie during drills, or taking a hands-on approach to sharing his love for soccer. “It’s all about keeping the kids mentally and physically active and preventing any summer boredom that could keep them inside. Maintaining this rhythm while also building a love for a new sport is a great thing to see.” Coach Ronald is also a writing coach at Bancroft Elementary, and is excited to continue there: “Coaching at Bancroft is an exciting opportunity. I graduated from here and being able to gain the trust and respect of the kids there is a very fulfilling thing.”

Charlene Barnett

When she is not coaching Junior SCORES at Lasalle-Backus Elementary, Charlene is helping the 5th graders at summer camp with their STEAM projects. Whether they are making a song, painting by numbers or doing origami, Charlene is always on hand to give the campers advice and keep them on track. She echoes the sentiments of the other coaches about the importance of summer camp: “I think that summer is a perfect environment for growth to continue and for learning to enrich. The whole package that this camp provides, with STEAM, soccer, arts and field trips is a wonderful experience for the kids. I’m very excited for the future of DC SCORES and the places the organization will go as it expands.”

Paige Scott

Paige has been brilliant with kids and other coaches alike throughout the summer, always with a smile on her face and making time to chat with every camper. She has been a DC SCORES coach at Truesdell and loves the soccer part of the organization. “Seeing kids become competitive for the first time and recognizing the enjoyment of it is great to see. Helping sports become an important part of someone’s life is amazing to be involved with.” Paige is moving to coach at Aiton for the fall season - something she is looking forward to. “Going to a new school is an exciting opportunity. I hope I can take what I’ve learned at Truesdell and use it to help kids grow on and off the field.”