DC Stoddert Soccer introduces a new community service program called Stay & Play.
As part of a new DC Stoddert initiative in collaboration with Up2Us Sports, the Stay & Play Program has been created with the primary goal of developing a sustainable after-school program for schools in under-represented communities in Washington D.C. Although soccer is a critical component of the program’s curriculum, DC Stoddert Stay & Play Program aims to impact students beyond the field.
The program’s objective is to prioritize the character development and academic success of the students and pair it with physical activity, so they can enjoy progress on and off the field.
DC Stoddert has launched Stay & Play with our first school partner, Seaton Elementary, and has had an encouraging start by the successful launch the program. The students come to every session with a positive attitude and a desire to play soccer.
The two coaches running the program, David Drafton and Giordano Bordoli, are excited to work with such an enthusiastic group of players and have seen growth in some of the participants in just the first few weeks. The coaches hope to gain as much from Stay & Play as the students do and are fully committed to the success of the program and the students.
An average session for the program starts inside the classroom with the coaches and players discussing a wide range of subjects. For example, one day the discussion may center around teamwork, while the next session has the group looking at nutrition and health. These discussions allow the students to look at how these subjects are important in their life beyond the field. The team is then taken outside where the coaches lead a practice session focusing on a specific soccer skill. The session ends with a scrimmage where the players can apply the information they learned for the day into a game-like setting.
Stay & Play will be offered to host schools to use in ways that further their existing goals, and each program costs nothing to the schools.
About the Coaches:
David Drafton is from Alexandria, VA, and has played soccer at many levels, including playing in college Eastern Mennonite University. He is pursuing his US Soccer "D" license and presently coaches a Travel soccer team in Alexandria, and he will be working with DC Stoddert Soccer programs this year as well.
Giordano Bordoli is from Vero Beach, FL, and has played soccer since he was a child. Bordoli, who is new to the DC area, has been influential in getting Stay & Play started. The Duke alum graduated in 2018 with a degree in Biology.
If your school is interested in exploring the Stay & Play program, please contact us via email.