Local Professional Athletes Bill Hamid and Joanna Lohman join Award-Winning DC SCORES in Celebrating its 25th Anniversary

DC SCORES, the official community partner of D.C. United, and the leading provider of afterschool youth programming in Washington D.C., is excited to announce that D.C. United Goalkeeper Bill Hamid, and Washington Spirit Midfielder Joanna Lohman will serve as the official ambassadors for the organization, which will celebrate its 25th Anniversary throughout 2019 – 2020. DC SCORES uses a unique combination of soccer, spoken-word poetry, and service-learning to create neighborhood teams that give kids in need the confidence and skills to succeed on the playing field, in the classroom, and in life. This year, DC SCORES will provide programming for over 3,000 low-income kids from throughout the District.

Hamid and Lohman are both homegrown talent: Lohman hails from Silver Spring, Maryland, and Hamid is from Annandale, Virginia, and the roots both stars have in the area will enable them to connect with DC SCORES poet-athletes in a deeply personal way. Hamid and Lohman will attend SCORES soccer and poetry events, interact with DC SCORES’ poet-athletes, and spread word of DC SCORES to their teammates, friends, and networks. Bethany Rubin Henderson, Executive Director of DC SCORES said, “Joanna and Bill are inspiring local leaders, on and off the pitch, and great role models for our poet-athletes. To have these long-time
advocates for DC SCORES as our official 25th anniversary year ambassadors will be both meaningful, and a lot of fun.”

Hamid, who first joined D.C. United in 2009, returned to the club from Danish team, FC Midtjylland in August 2018. Among many career highlights, Hamid has had several call-ups to the U.S. Men’s National Team, has made numerous Major League Soccer All-Star teams, and was the 2014 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year. He has started the 2019 season with three consecutive shutouts as D.C. United sit atop the Eastern Conference. “Bill is a major part of the fabric of this club with his local ties, homegrown history and on-field accomplishments. He’s a leader on and off the field,” said D.C. United General Manager and VP of Soccer Operations Dave Kasper. Hamid added, “I’m honored and excited to join DC SCORES — I’ve been a fan for years, and I’m ready to get to work!” Hamid, will further support DC SCORES by granting scholarships to his goalkeeping clinics to DC SCORES poet-athletes.

Lohman is a former member of the U.S. Women’s National Team, and joined the Spirit in 2014. At 36, she is the oldest field player in the National Women’s Soccer League. “I play because every single day I get to show the world that love is love,” said Lohman, who recently launched an online course called “Define Your Beauty” which is focused on helping people “discover, define, and ultimately love the qualities that make you unique, allowing you to bring that love to others and contribute to our global community in a way that only you can.” Lohman continued, “being comfortable in your own skin doesn’t mean you have to look like everyone else … different doesn’t mean dangerous, and beauty comes in every color of the rainbow.” This positivity and generosity of spirit makes her a perfect ambassador for DC SCORES. Washington Spirit CEO Larry Best agreed, saying, “Jo is a tremendous role model for all young people in and out of soccer. She is a consummate professional on and off the field and we could not be more proud to share the news of her becoming an Ambassador for DC SCORES.” Lohman, with her signature enthusiasm, added “YEAH! So excited to support DC SCORES and the amazing kids, volunteers, coaches and staff that make it so important for so many people!”

Hamid and Lohman will both be in attendance at DC SCORES’ annual gala, One Night One Goal, to be held at Audi Field on May 30, 2019. Both are also scheduled to attend the DC SCORES spring poetry showcase, Our Words Our City, to be held on April 11 at Studio Theatre. Additionally, Hamid and Lohman will appear in Soccer in the City, a documentary film about the often complicated relationship between soccer and inner-city America, produced by D.C. production company The Content Farm and slated for a summer 2019 release. Videos featuring Hamid and Lohman announcing their ambassadorship of DC SCORES can be seen on the organization’s social media platforms, including Instagram and Facebook.

For information about Hamid and Lohman joining DC SCORES, One Night One Goal, Our Words Our City, or Soccer in the City, please contact DC SCORES Director of Marketing & Communication, Michael Holstein (mholstein@dcscores.org).

About DC SCORES: DC SCORES (www.dcscores.org) creates neighborhood teams that give kids in need the confidence and skills to succeed on the playing field, in the classroom, and in life. DC SCORES’ school-based, team-based, whole child programming intentionally integrates soccer, poetry, and service-learning to help low-income 1st – 8th graders throughout the District build physical fitness, find their voice, improve their literacy, increase school engagement, and strengthen ties to their community. This year, DC SCORES is providing year-round programming for 3,000 kids at 69 sites. DC SCORES has served more than 25,000 low-income children since 1994 and is the flagship affiliate of America SCORES, with programs in 12 cities, annually serving over 15,000 at-risk youth.