Welcome to the team: Jose Devarez named Director of Development & Communications

Accomplished journalist and soccer communications specialist Jose Devarez joins Soccer in the Streets as the new Director of Development and Communications.

ATLANTA (Sept. 20, 2016) - Accomplished multimedia journalist and communications specialist Jose Ernesto Devarez has joined the Soccer in the Streets team as the organization’s new Director of Development and Communications. Devarez will oversee Soccer in the Streets' marketing and communication initiatives to maintain a sustainable, scalable future for the Atlanta-area youth development programs.

“It's truly special to be part of a team that strives to change the dynamics within inner cities through soccer,” Devarez said. “The goals are monumental, but this team’s is not shy about changing paradigms of underserved communities.”

"Jose's deep soccer background reaches all aspects of the game—at grassroots, collegiate, and professional levels," said Executive Director Phil Hill. "He's helped large-scale leagues and other programs get started from the ground up, which requires an enterprising mindset that we can put to immediate use. His hustle and ability will be essential to our growth as we promote our mission, build safe places to play throughout the city, and develop various revenue sources to fuel our community initiatives."

Devarez, 35, brings his multicultural communication expertise to Soccer in the Streets from the Liga Dominicana de Futbol, where he spent two full seasons facilitating the initial growth of the Dominican Republic’s first professional soccer league. Two different charter members of the league, Cibao FC and Club Atletico Pantoja, employed Devarez’s services to establish a solid communicational foundation over the first two years.

Devarez’s professional success during Cibao’s debut 2015 campaign drew the attention of CONCACAF, which hand-picked him to develop the Caribbean Football Union’s communication strategy during the first round of Champions League competition. When international soccer mainstay Real Madrid expanded to open its first youth technical school in the Caribbean, the renowned club tabbed Devarez as a communications consultant.

In his role at Soccer in the Streets, Devarez will bring that extensive experience to a metropolitan area undergoing a considerable soccer boom while Atlanta United prepares to take the field for its inaugural Major League Soccer season in 2017.

“It is a rush to know that I will be part of it all,” Devarez said. “The Atlanta soccer scene is under a ‘revolution.’ This tide has caught many by surprise and we certainly must take advantage of this momentum. Right now, the possibilities are impressive in Atlanta with the new team, the stadium and the general response to finally having MLS.”

A youth coach and former scholarship soccer player at Long Island University-Brooklyn, Devarez already understands the immense benefits of youth from all backgrounds playing the game at “critical junctures of their development.”

“Soccer provides a structured environment, allowing youth to experience what can be accomplished when they listen, follow directions, work hard and concentrate on a goal,” Devarez said. “The camaraderie, work ethic, passion, structure, sacrifice and the ‘all-in’ mind set influences the majority of our kids.”

Journalistic and analysis work with the New York Post, Fox News Latino and El Nuevo Diario, among others, also bolster Devarez’s lengthy résumé in the communications field. Prior to breaking into the newsroom, Devarez served for seven years as an Intelligence Operations Officer in the United States Coast Guard and two years as a Police Cadet in the New York Police Department.

Let the Positive Choice games begin for APS elementary schools

ATLANTA - Six teams of elementary students had the chance to experience the thrill of representing their schools on the field when Atlanta Public Schools' inaugural Positive Choice Soccer game days kicked off in September. A Soccer in the Streets initiative designed to pair on-field skills and life lessons, Positive Choice programs opened up the APS fall season with two sets of matches to test what the girls and boys learned in a friendly, encouraging environment.

"This is our first week of APS games and I have been floored with the excitement shown by players, coaches, and even parents," said Lauren Desmond, the school-based program manager for Soccer in the Streets. "For a lot of the players, this is the first time they're playing on a real team with official games."

Soccer in the Streets has previously performed APS outreach during physical education classes and field days and supported middle school programs with coaching education and other logistical help, but Positive Choice's opening week marked the first official competitive soccer outlet for the APS elementary schools.

Girls teams officially kicked off the fall elementary school season Thursday afternoon with a few games apiece at Dunbar Elementary and Harper-Archer Middle School. Boys followed up by taking their turn for competitive action on Friday. During the fall season, schools will match up every other week while continuing to hone their skills in training between games.

Schools like Towns, Scott and more proudly showed off their inaugural soccer teams on social media, and community support showed up in a major way at both fields to cheer on the young players. A photo gallery from the opening week of matches is live now on Facebook.

PHOTOS: APS GAMEDAY week 1

"This is a fun-filled day where players have the opportunities to showcase the soccer and life lessons they have been learning at practice," Desmond said. "It also allows for a way for elementary schools to connect with one another in the school district."

During the fall season in APS, elementary schools were split up into two geographic clusters to make game day run more smoothly and establish connections between players, coaches and parents. Students from Atlanta-area middle schools also had a chance to try out some on-the-job training as referees.

APS Positive Choice Soccer - Fall 2016

Group 2

Dunbar

M. Agnes Jones

F. L. Stanton

Group 1

Scott

Westside Atlanta Charter

Towns

Practices began on individual campuses in late August, giving the Positive Choice teams plenty of time to mesh and get ready . Positive Choice players generally take the field twice per week, including regular practice sessions and games every other Thursday or Friday.

"The players have been working really hard to improve their soccer skills, leading up to playing games," Desmond said. "It's also obvious that the coaches have become more confident and organized coaching their respective soccer teams."

Desmond joined the Soccer in the Streets team full-time this summer to coordinate all aspects of the organization's school-based expansion. A combination of full-time teachers and certified community coaches have stepped up to help Desmond lead the way for kids within the APS Positive Choice Soccer programs.

"I have learned that the teachers and community members have been very supportive of the program," Desmond said. "They are so happy to be able to offer this to their students. The Positive Choice program would not be possible with out the support of the the individuals who have stepped up to coach and help organize the school teams.

"A lot of the players were excited to start a sport they may not have necessarily played before because it was not something that has been offered in the past. I am looking forward to many more seasons to come."

Kick it with Soccer in the Streets during Atlanta's PARK(ing) Day

ATLANTA - Have you been missing the free Downtown soccer from our Soccer Lunch and Woodruff Park Summer Pickup series? Come out and kick it with us at the Atlanta celebration of PARK(ing) Day, held on Friday, Sept. 16 at the intersection of Broad St. and Peachtree St.

From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, we're transforming part of Broad St. (next to FlatIronCity) for some Soccer in the Streets, literally. With the street closed off to traffic, there will be mini-goals set up to play free pickup games, and staff will be on hand to discuss our programs, volunteer opportunities, events and much more.

Learn more about the yearly global initiative to re-imagine urban parking spaces and streets:

PARK(ing) Day is an annual worldwide event where artists, designers and citizens transform metered parking spots into temporary public parks. In conjunction with their weekly Food Truck Fridays event at Five Points Station, Central Atlanta Progress and other Downtown partners will be activating a few on-street parking spaces on Marietta Street on September 16. Be Downtown to see the many ways you can fill in a parking space, from small dance parties and pocket parks to outdoor cafes, bike rental and soccer in the streets. Hopefully, you’ll be inspired by these creative approaches to using space that isn’t filled with cars!

[Via Downtown Atlanta]

Other PARK(ing) Day attractions will include a street cafe, community garden, Relay Bike Share stations, outdoor games like cornhole, and even dancing performances.

For more information or to spread the word, please visit Central Atlanta Progress or check out - and share - the Facebook event.