My

Story

Daniela

Karolina

My name is Daniela Karolina and originally come from Salcedo. Currently, I live in Santo Domingo with my mother and my little sister and am studying psychology. At the beginning of my studies, psychology was not my first choice; I had another career in mind. But because of financial constraints, it was the only possible path to follow. As time went by, doubts about my decision grew, raising questions like: “Why did I choose this? Do I even like being here?” Working in an office felt unfulfilling, unlike spending time with people, especially children.

After moving to Santo Domingo, I started doing voluntary work with children in my community, many of whom face criminality, neglect and unsafe environments on a daily basis. While volunteering, the Young Coach Education was brought to my attention. At first, I was not sure whether it was the right place for me, having never taught football before. But soon I realised that what mattered most was not being a professional football player, but using sport to connect with children and transmit values. Football became a way to enjoy psychology in practice, to work with children, to understand them, and to help them develop socially and emotionally. For example, before the programme, we volunteers sometimes struggled to provide the children with activities. But now the older children start teaching the younger ones what games to play, following the example set by the Peer Young Coaches I trained. As a coach, it is very rewarding to see them so proactive and imaginative.

The programme taught me how to create educational games that combine technical skills with teaching values, how to mentor children and how to train other young leaders in my community as my Peer Young Coaches. I also have a background in sports: As a child, I played chess at a national level. It would have meant the world to me if a teacher had encouraged me by saying, “Hey, you can do it!” But it wasn’t until the start of the programme that I began to truly believe in myself and to gain confidence. My motivation now is to be the support for these children that I once wished I had, encouraging them to believe in themselves and pursue their ambitions.

In the future, I want to specialise in sports psychology, because it offers me an opportunity to merge my studies with my passion for helping children. If you asked me what football means to me, I would say opportunity, inspiration, and empowerment. It has the power to bring out the best in young people, in my opinion. Every moment spent seeing children grow and learn makes everything worthwhile.