-
- Nb3FIt Program Coordinator, Autumn Quiver leading a warm-up exercise at Bernalillo Elementary School.
-
- In April, Quiver completed a two-month training and received a U.S. National D Coaching License from the US Soccer Federation.
-
- Autumn Quiver and fellow coaches training for the National D Coaching License.
“Our soccer program relied heavily on us being in communities with youth. With shutdowns and the extended shutdowns of local communities it has made it hard for us to bring it back before now,” Clint Begay, director of NB3FIT said.
Autumn Quiver, NB3FIT program coordinator and lead soccer coach, has been connected with the foundation since her adolescence when she was first a youth participant of the program. Now, as a longtime NB3FIT coach, she is leading the revival of the soccer program through professional development and partnering with local schools.
“We’ve been trying to bring back soccer in the communities and decided to start by visiting the schools,” Quiver said. “In the past our participation numbers were always higher when we went to schools and brought soccer to students.”
Through a partnership with the US Soccer Foundation, Quiver visited three local schools, for two weeks, to lead soccer activities and to test curriculum feasibility in school settings. The partnership was a great way to get NB3FIT in front students, who are program age, and to help secure funding that could be used to strengthen the soccer program.
In addition to her work in schools, Quiver has been working on her skill set in the classroom. In April, Quiver completed a two-month training and received a U.S. National D Coaching License from the US Soccer Federation.
“With getting this license I am being mindful and growing as a coach, she said. “I’ve loved and played soccer and want to provide that experience to the youth in our communities.”
The D Coaching License prepares coaches to lead teams from U6-U13 in a participation environment. The training process also teaches coaches to not only plan out sessions and run practices, but the importance of putting the player first.
“[The training] is a player-centered curriculum and focuses on being mindful of the emotional well-being of the player. How they learn, how long they can learn and understanding that though youth seem like they should learn at similar rates 7-year-olds learn a lot differently than 9-year-olds,” Quiver pointed out.
The license, credentials and training back up everything NB3FIT is teaching, and has boosted Quiver’s confidence as the foundation gets closer to relaunching the soccer program. Looking ahead, she has her eyes set on refreshing the foundation’s decade-old soccer curriculum and making sure it is up to date with her training.
“We are excited to get back out there and plan to offer some local camps to help reintroduce ourselves into communities,” she said. “We are eager to lend our support to communities as they share the game to their youth.”
Since 2020, NB3FIT has offered more sports and activities including track and field, tennis camps, a youth golf team, and most recently a girls basketball team. NB3FIT hopes that through visits with schools and hosting camps soccer will slowly get back in the rotation of sports they provide to Native youth.
Follow the NB3 Foundation on social media to get all updates on NB3FIT programs.
