Family Spotlight: The Smith Family

Meet the Smith family: Molly, Mike, and their three kids—Maya (15), Lucy (13), and Isaiah (8)—who have been part of the DC Way community since 2019. Molly serves as Parent Manager for both the 2010 Girls Black and 2012 Girls Black teams. We sat down with Molly to talk about their family's journey with DC Way Academy.

How long has your family been part of our club, and how did your journey with us begin?

Maya started attending free clinics run by DC Way for SOTH Players, and then when DC Way started its travel academy, Maya and her SOTH teammates joined the new DC Way Academy in fall of 2019. When Lucy was old enough the next season, she joined as well, and the same a few years later with Isaiah.

You have more than one child playing at the club—what has it been like watching them grow and develop through the different age groups?

I remember with my oldest being stressed about how well my kids were playing or if they were playing at the right level, but now I know that their coaches knew where they should be at any given time. It's also fun to just watch them get better and more confident in their skills and position.

One word to describe what this club means to your family?

Community.

Favorite memory from your time with the team?

I have so many—a penalty shot blocked by an inexperienced goalie whom Coach Juan lifted into the air in celebration, a Memorial Day Weekend tournament where my girls played on the same team for Coach Matheus, a tournament with Coach Celeste that ended in a penalty shootout where we won on a save by our goalie, Spirit games, pizza parties, parents vs. kid games, parent camaraderie on the sidelines.

Advice you'd give to new families joining the club?

Trust the coaches to know not only your child as a player, but also as a person. Also, DC Way families are welcoming and have become dear friends over the years, both for my kids and for me.

Who's the biggest soccer fan in your house—you or the kids?

We all show our fandom in different ways—Mike, my husband, is a dedicated Premier League fan and knows all the intricacies of soccer, Isaiah never leaves the house without a ball, Lucy and Maya are both very involved in their school teams and their academy teams, and I coach Lucy's school team.

Finish the sentence: Our club is special because…

We train kids of all different abilities to be the best version of themselves.