We talked to SCORES’ Amber Calderon-Bugarin about her role as a program director overseeing both the Civic Center region and the Girls in the Game initiative. Amber first joined SCORES as a program coordinator in 2018 and has steadily developed as a leader within the organization.

The Girls in the Game initiative is a major focus for America SCORES, developed to bring more gender equity into SCORES and to the playing field. You’ve had a significant role in the growth of the program. How did you step up into your new role overseeing the initiative?

Right before the start of the pandemic, I tried to start Girls’ Game Days at Crocker Amazon. I was a project coordinator at that point. But then the pandemic hit, and everything went back to ground zero. Later in 2021, as the restrictions of the pandemic began to ease and we had more freedom to interact with the kids, I proposed starting an all-girls SCORES summer camp—that’s how the annual Selecta Girls Camp started. The camp went really well, and I began to focus on creating more school-year Girls' Game Days. We started with quarterly game days, increased to once a month, and this year will be doing twice a month. The parents love it. We’re also seeing more and more interest in all-girls soccer teams. Last year we had six, this year we’ll have eight.

What have you observed in working with SCORES girls? And what did you see that made you think SCORES could serve girls better?

I saw that for every ten boys on game day, there were only one or two girls on the soccer field. I would go to schools and see the girls playing, and they would seem kind of interested, but very intimidated. When boys play, they often dominate. Also, especially in the black and brown communities we work with, the boys typically know the game and start playing the game earlier than the girls do.

So when the girls would try, their confidence would break down as the boys seemed to be more advanced or have more knowledge of the game. That’s why we created spaces just for girls. All it takes is three girls to start. Young girls interact in a very social way. If three girls have fun, they go and bring in their other friends, and the group gets bigger and bigger.

The girls clearly benefit from the all-girls space because they can build up more confidence competing with one another—there’s more of a level playing field. They become more confident, more competitive, and push themselves personally. Girls also love working as a team and being surrounded by their friends, and they’re happy to see each other succeed.

What kind of feedback are you getting from the parents?

They love watching their kids being active and learning a new sport. They’re also seeing what we’re doing on the sidelines at Game Days. We’re not yelling at them to win. Often, we’re teaching them to pause the game so they can learn. It’s an environment where girls build confidence and knowledge, and where they’re supported by female coaches who believe in them. We want them to keep playing, and the parents love that.

In your path from program coordinator to program director, where have you found leadership opportunities?

As a coordinator, I worked at multiple sites. I was a solid leader with my kids and a good representative of SCORES. But my role as a director deals more with the bigger picture. I’m talking to site coordinators and principals. Now I can delegate roles and jobs to subordinate staff to make that bigger picture a reality. I’ve learned a lot.

I’m very secure in my understanding of the SCORES culture and what it means, so when people join the team, I’m able to train them and talk to them. I teach them about the main components of soccer and poetry but also give them creative space to have ownership themselves. I’m interested in what their goals are for themselves and their school sites. By collaborating, we can both have success. It’s an example of reciprocal leadership.

In addition to working with SCORES, you’re pursuing a master’s degree in dietetics and nutrition. What made you decide to do that?

I love being athletic - playing soccer especially - and I love food. And it’s always felt important to me personally to be physically active and to eat the right things. My undergraduate background is in kinesiology, which is related to sports medicine. I’m passionate about teaching women how to fuel their bodies with food so they can continue as competitive athletes. When I was in high school, I always felt like I needed to be on a diet or I needed to look a certain way. And that affected my performance negatively. In the long run, I hope I can work with professional athletes to teach them how to have a healthy relationship with food.

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