Today we’d like to introduce you to Jorge Flores.
Hi Jorge, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My name is Jorge Flores. I was born in Jalisco, Mexico & was only 3 years old when my family came to America in search for a better life. We moved to Chicago, Illinois where I was introduced to the game by my older brothers who would always bring me along to play. I grew a passion for the sport & as a youth had many accomplishments but unfortunately never got a chance to play Select soccer due to financial struggles.
We moved to St.Louis, MO in 2000. I played on many local teams as a teen & also played through my High School years. One of the biggest regrets of my life was not playing Senior year. I missed my opportunity at any scholarships, barely graduated High School & certainly didnʼt have the academics or finances to attend College. A few years after High School I decided to learn more about the game by becoming a youth official. Along the way, I got the honor to officiate many state wide tournaments, along with local club leagues & competitions. I wanted to reach a higher level of officiating but I always had a desire to be a coach as well.
During my time officiating, I noticed the biggest problem with our sport which is the Pay To Play system. The diversity problem in US youth soccer has been detrimental to the development of our game starting from the grass roots. I decided to start change somewhere & build our own independent club team, Dream Big FC with the intention to help low-income families. Coaching has completely changed my life. To be able to work with kids, see them bond, create a safe place to play, has been rewarding to say the least. Over the years I realized the positive impact in their lives so I decided to add a girls team to our program. We have since then committed to progressive change & founded Dream Big Foundation Inc, which is a non profit independent soccer club who takes pride in offering an inexpensive soccer program that will always focus on the young athletes who stem from low-income families.
I’m also a father of 5 beautiful kids. 4 girls & 1 boy. Ages 1, 4, 5, 7 & 9.
They are my world & my motivation. They inspire me to always push myself & be better.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Helping low income kids by offering them a safe place to play has unfortunately not been easy. US Youth soccer promotes a Pay to Play system unlike any other sport in our country. Finding the facilities & funds to help offset the cost to play league & tournament games relies solely on our fundraising abilities. Without local community support & consistent drive to demonstrate results, we already start a step behind our biggest competition. Which are the big soccer clubs that filter kids & only allow the ones that can afford to play to be on the team. Struggles also come from the lack of volunteers that want to help assist our program to move forward.
Without fundraising in our early years I had to come out of pocket for many the activities we offered our kids.
Although a financial burden, I always believed their development would be worth every second.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m currently a facility maintenance manager at Frontenac Racquet Club & Woodsmill Tennis Club. My job consists of having the facility ready to go for daily member use. Making sure safety protocols are taken place & assuring top housekeeping service for all of our guests. I also help as a tennis instructor, working with our youth program & coaching kids that range ages 5-18. During our busy season, I help plan monthly club events to assist with member engagement & promote our St.Louis tennis scene.
As I mentioned, I’m also the founder of our non profit organization, Dream Big Foundation, Inc. I spend a lot of time organizing meetings with other coaches, board members & help with visual ads for our social media platforms.
I’m most proud of the ability I have to bring 100 different kids in a room & make them play together.
Along with the creative sides to bring about change, the way I can appeal to the common people is I think what I think sets me apart.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
My favorite book is The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo Best apps: Experian, Excel App, Outlook App, Wix App & the weather app.
Contact Info:
- Email: thedreambigfoundation@hotmail.com
- Website: dreambigstl.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedreambigfoundationinc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DreamBigFoundationInc
- Twitter: @dreambigfc
