AUSTIN, Texas — A young leader of the Austin community has been rewarded for his work by a major organization.
At Thursday's ESPY Awards, Bryan Aviles was named a regional recipient of the Billie Jean King Sports Leadership Award for his work with the Verde Leaders arm of Austin FC's 4ATX Foundation. The award honors young people who are "using the power of sports as a catalyst for change and making a positive impact on society," according to the Billie Jean King Foundation.
The 4ATX Foundation said Aviles stumbled on Verde Leaders while he was playing pick-up soccer at the 4ATX Wooldridge mini-pitch back in 2021. After he graduated high school, he reached out about getting involved.
Since then, 4ATX said Aviles has become an assistant coach at both Burnet Middle School and Gus Garcia Young Men's Leadership Academy sites, "where he is bringing his shared experience and perspective with students of similar backgrounds."
Aviles told KVUE that growing up, he struggled to find safe places to play soccer. Now he's helping the next generation receive the resources he didn't have.
"Being able to teach these kids leadership skills, our values, which are like, authenticity and inclusivity. You know, things that bind us together," he said. "And I've seen it just in many schools that I coach in – maybe sixth graders or seventh graders that, at the beginning, are really shy and don't know how to express themselves well, I've just seen them, you know, blossom into great leaders."
Aviles also said when it comes to receiving this award, he just appreciates being seen.
"I was super excited. I mean, I wasn't super excited just like, for the award, but just because I was getting noticed for my work," he said. "Because I know I'm doing great things here and ... overall, [it] just makes me feel very proud of myself."