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JKYSC TOPSoccer Program
Spring 2009
US Youth Soccer TOPSoccer (The
Outreach Program for Soccer) is a national community-based training and
team placement program for young athletes with disabilities, organized by
youth soccer association volunteers. The JKYSC Soccer TOPSoccer program
has been founded to provide recreational soccer opportunities for
school-aged children with special needs who would ordinarily be excluded
from competitive play. JKYSC Soccer believes in making soccer available
to any player who is interested in the game, and no child with special
needs will be turned away. We want to give families the option of
having all of their children play for the same club, and encourage
inclusion on the field.
This is not a competitive
program. Everyone plays, and everyone wins.
TOPSoccer is unique in that it allows
special needs children to learn about sports alongside their
non-disabled, middle and high-school peer and buddies. Team sports
provide opportunities for building social skills, self esteem, and peer
relationships, and these experiences should be available to all children.
The players are not the only ones who win. Each player is assigned a
“buddy”, and the "buddies" learn along with the players,
leaving parents and loved ones free to cheer from the sideline. Everyone
involved will see and practice enthusiasm, determination, tolerance, joy,
and unconditional encouragement on the field at every game.
We are striving to make the strongest
program possible, and are busy recruiting special education teachers,
specialists and other volunteers to help us coach our teams. In
addition, coaches and volunteers over the age of 18 will have full
background checks completed as part of the registration process.
The spring season will run April 16th
– June 6th, with practices on Thursdays evenings 5 to 6 pm and all
games will be played on Saturdays at the JKYSC soccer complex,
Wintersville. Registration for players will run through March 14th
2009, and late sign ups thereafter. For more information, please contact
Teressa Ammon at (330) 532-4871, or atammon@comcast.net.
To register as a TOPSoccer Volunteer
(Buddy/Specialist/General Volunteer) please contact hdesai000@comcast.net
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