Youth Coach/Mentor - Adaptive Soccer

Youth Coach/Mentor - Adaptive Soccer with Coach Across America & Soccer for the Future

About Coach Across America

Founded in 2010, Coach Across America is a national service organization focused on the power of coaches to transform the lives of our nation’s most vulnerable youth, and the communities they live in, through sports. Coach Across America is based on the simple premise that highly trained coaches can be among the most transformative adults in young people’s lives and inspire their success on the field, in the classroom, and in life. Coach Across America partners with local non-profits, schools, and sports organizations to train and support AmeriCorps coaches for a one-year service term in their communities. 

What You’ll Do

As a Coach Across America AmeriCorps member, you will serve at Soccer for the Future to help run soccer and physical activity programs for children with cancer and other serious illnesses. These programs will be held at healthcare hospitality houses throughout the DC area. You will receive sports-based youth development training to positively impact youth mental and physical well-being from Coach Across America, as well as specific training on how to best support children with serious illnesses from Soccer for the Future. 

AmeriCorps Service Term: 450 hours to complete between March 2026-2027

Living Allowance: $5,850.00 (paid biweekly)

Education Award: $1,956.35 (upon successful completion of service hours)

Expected Hours Per Week: 10 hours per week on average 

Primary Location(s): Ronald McDonald House DC 3727 14th St NE, Washington, DC 20017

Ronald McDonald House VA 3312 Gallows Rd, Falls Church, VA 22042

Children’s Inn at NIH 7 West Dr, Bethesda, MD 20814

Additional responsibilities will be performed remotely.

Primary Responsibilities

• Encourage participants to gain and develop life skills, knowledge, and techniques through sport, using lessons learned at Coach Across America’s best-in-class training.


• Act as a role model, gaining the respect and trust of the community and youth served.


• Coordinate program logistics, including equipment organization, transportation, setup, breakdown, and inventory tracking to ensure safe and effective sessions.


• Collect attendance and basic program data to support evaluation, reporting, and continuous improvement efforts.


• Collaborate with Soccer for the Future staff and volunteers to maintain high-quality programming aligned with organizational values and community needs.


• Assist with special events.


• Support storytelling efforts by contributing photos, participant highlights, and program updates for outreach materials (with appropriate permissions).


• Participate in weekly supervision and planning meetings to review goals, address challenges, and support professional development.


• Support the development and refinement of Soccer for the Future’s adaptive soccer and physical activity curriculum. 


• Provide general program support, including assisting with scheduling, data entry, email communications, and preparation of program materials.


• Interact with young children (5 – 12 years old) and connect with them on their level, making the soccer session the best 40-60 minutes of their week.

Schedule

• Tuesdays from 2:00-6:40 p.m.
  
  
  
  • Site 1: 3:00-4:00 p.m. - Children’s Inn at NIH
    
    
    
    • Arrive at NIH by 2:15 p.m. to clear security, and set-up field
    
    
    • Equipment clean up and break down 4:00 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Site 2: 5:30-6:30 p.m. - Ronald McDonald House DC
    
    
    
    • Arrive at RMH DC at 4:45 p.m. for set up 
    
    
    • Equipment clean up and break down 6:30-6:40 p.m.
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• Wednesdays from 5:30-6:30 p.m. - Ronald McDonald House VA
  
  
  
  • Arrive at RMH VA at 5:15 p.m. for set up 
  
  
  • Equipment clean up and break down 6:30-6:40 p.m.
  
  
  
  


• Additional remote hours to be scheduled in coordination with coach.
  
  

AmeriCorps Requirements

Coach Across America AmeriCorps coaches must complete the following requirements to ensure successful completion of the AmeriCorps program:  

• Completion of the minimum required hours of service and training Attendance at the Coach Orientation 


• Completion of bi-weekly timesheets 


• Attendance at days of community service 


• Attend Coach Across America trainings, meetings, and special initiatives 


• Perform data collection activities as directed by Coach Across America 

Uniform Policy

Coaches must wear Coach Across America branded t-shirts provided by Coach Across America with AmeriCorps logo when coaching and at program sessions and events.

Eligibility & Qualifications

• AmeriCorps is open to U.S. citizens, nationals, or lawful permanent residents. 


• Members must be 18 years old, or 17 with written parental/guardian consent. 


• Members must have or be working toward a High School diploma, GED, or the equivalent.


• This coach will be engaging/animated and willing to be silly with the children.


• Must be able to wear a mask while coaching even if outdoors, if needed by a participant.

Coach Across America AmeriCorps members are as diverse a group as the communities we serve. We’re looking for you if you want to build yourself, give back, and are ready to change the world through the power of sports.