I’m really into astrology and outer space. I have two tattoos that go with it, so I’m pretty into it. Very proud I’m a Scorpio. It’s just one of my little things that I don’t think you can know about a person just by looking at them.
I started with Girls in the Game as a Teen Squad member my sophomore year of high school. Back then the program was just having an opportunity to go around all of Chicagoland and coaching our curriculum to mainly 3rd-5th grade. I was coaching the girls on our curriculum and there were things I didn’t even know. I was probably 15 or 16 and I was like, “How do I not even know these things?” So right away I saw the benefit of Girls in the Game. I came back in 2019 as a Coordinator for After School, and then COVID-19. Unfortunately, I didn’t do much in 2020, but came back in June of 2021 as the Citywide Initiatives Senior Coordinator.
From what I’m still seeing here today, there are a lot of sports out there that are still not available to girls that I think they should still have an opportunity to learn, to play, and experience. As far as health and leadership, I see the benefit of talking about peer pressure, body positivity, and healthy relationships. I see their views changing in front of my eyes, especially for teenagers. My favorite part is getting the opportunity to share information with our participants and getting their feedback and bringing it into the discussions. I find that the discussions are the most fun for me because I get to know where they are, and they get to tell me their opinions. I love that!
-Dezarré Castillo, Citywide Initiatives Senior Coordinator at Girls in the Game
