NORFOLK, Va. - Every semester ODU women's soccer players give up their time to organize, and run a weekly Monarch sisters program.
These 75-minute sessions aren't just about coaching soccer and having fun, every participant has their dedicated "Big sister" who is there each week to meet and greet them, coach them throughout the session, and also hang out with them and get to know them. Each session also includes a themed "value" that the ODU players try to teach and encourage through well thought out games. Values that represent their program like trust, being a good teammate, respect, fair play and positivity.
"This is probably one of the things that, off the field, we as a team are most proud of," said ODU Head Coach Angie Hind. "We started this program with approximately 30 kids and families involved, and we now regularly have over 70 young girls between 5-12 years old that participate each week and with parents lined around the field we have over 200 members of the community together with us for these sessions. It's fantastic!"
For the kids they get a big sister, someone to look up to and learn some soccer in a fun environment. The focus is not on talent development as it is more on engaging with the local kids, introducing them to soccer, and making them feel part of the ODU women's soccer program.
The entire team run these nights from the planning, content, and coaching of the sessions, they do it all. ODU coaching staff members simply support them and administer it. The staff loves to see the growth in their athletes too as they learn they have a responsibility as a role model and the positive impact they can make in the lives of so many. It is also used as a fundraiser for the program, so it also instills in the team to help do things to support your own program. A stellar finish to the Monarch Sisters program shows in the fall when you see the many sisters in the bleachers with their parents cheering on their "big sister" during the ODU fall games.
The Monarch sisters program takes place Tuesdays 6:00 – 7:15 p.m. for girls aged 5-12. For more info you can contact Sam Kirschenbaum at skirsche@odu.edu or at soccerfutures.org.
Monarchs Embrace Their Role As Big Sisters
