After decades of working with youth, we are convinced that offering them opportunities to be involved in sports and on a team is so beneficial for their formation and growth. We have several soccer teams for boys and girls of different age groups, but we wanted to branch out and offer other sports as well. So we started a girls’ volleyball team.
An added advantage is that colleges offer athletic scholarships that our young people could apply for if they have the experience and talent. One of the sports with good scholarship opportunities is volleyball.
We found a female student and volleyball player from the University of Juarez who was willing to come and coach. At first the girls were reluctant to join, since they preferred soccer. But we told them about the increased possiblities of getting a scholarship to university, and that appealed to them. Now they are happy and excited about playing volleyball.
The team meets every Saturday morning for practice. They chose the name “Supernovas” for their team and even have uniforms. With the drills and exercises the coach has them doing, they are getting stronger and learning the skills they need. They are disciplined in showing up and participating fully in the practice sessions. Once the coach thinks they’re ready, they will start competing with other club teams in our area.
Next on our list: forming a basketball team!