Giovanni began his involvement in the New Life Centers sports disciplines in 2015. After six years as a participant, he became a sports instructor for the La Semilla program in 2021, to later escalate in 2023, as a sports mentor in the different sports disciplines we promote, including Running Forward, soccer, and volleyball. He never imagined what came five years later, when one of his mentors offered him the chance to be a sports mentor in the Running Forward program.
Running Forward is a space where a group of young men and women strive to achieve their goals both inside and outside of running. With more than 60 youth participants and 30 returning runners, this group meets twice a week to run 2 to 7 miles each time. As they acquire endurance skills, they set individual goals to reach their full potential as athletes.
His Beginnings at Running Forward
Geovanni’s life began to change once he joined our Running Forward program. “This program from the beginning attracted many young people from nearby neighborhoods, some of them came with problems at home and found physical and mental comfort in sports due to the discipline it requires. These youth are now recognized as leaders in the community and have earned respect,” Giovanni tells us.
Giovanni remembers that one of the things that impacted him the most on his first day as a Running Forward participant was a gift that the director, Epifanio Díaz, gave to the group of runners. “He gave us sneakers, and it was something new to me that a coach would give you shoes and let you keep them. It was something very shocking to me,” Giovanni points out.
His Contribution to the Program as a Mentor
Giovanni addresses challenges and obstacles participants must overcome, the importance of maintaining their discipline as athletes, and reminding them not to lose the goals proposed to achieve greater success in the sport.
During the weekly sessions, participants have the opportunity to have conversations about their personal growth goals, receive support when making decisions and help them learn how to reduce stress when facing problems. “We have a team that understands the situations young people go through, which creates a safe space for youth to grow and accomplish goals,” adds Giovanni.
Giovanni adds that mentoring sessions involve life lessons, conflict resolution, and discipline as a mechanism to build personality. “Being the coach for this program has taught me to relate to young people and learn from their experiences. Every time we meet, my advice is to maintain discipline, if they really wish to stay active in sports and overcome obstacles,” Giovanni tells us.
Everyone is Welcome to the Program
Empowering the next generation is essential for a more just society with less violence. Through the sports program, we offer families a positive structure and growth opportunities that impact better education and development of young people. “We are open to receiving any young person who wants to participate. We encourage them to visit us and learn about the programs we have. Practic
Giovanni highlights that “the program handles all types of situations with young people who find themselves in difficult situations, we contact the necessary people to help them and establish commitments with them so that they meet their goals.”
His Advice to other Young People
“When the young person arrives here, my advice is that they do not paralyze themselves, because we all start from the bottom. I am always motivating them to go for their goals and acquire leadership skills, which are two of the things that will help them grow daily as they go into adulthood,” says Giovanni.
Giovanni concludes that “at New Life Centers we have established a competitive methodology, where no young person should feel pressured, but rather, they should feel motivated without exceeding their limits, since in the end, they are the ones who establish their expectations, and we only help them during the whole process.”
Running Forward Participants
