Two of FYSA’s TOPSoccer Programs have been recognized by US Youth Soccer and awarded grants for the upcoming year. Gainesville Soccer Alliance Top Kickers program and Oldsmar Soccer Club TOPSoccer were chosen from Florida.

 

Gainesville Soccer Alliance Top Kickers program serves families in the Alachua County area with a program every Sunday morning. They aim to integrate able-bodied and disabled kids with a core group of volunteers from the University of Florida and in the year they have been in play registration has grown to over 40 players.

 

Begun in March 2006, the Oldsmar Soccer Club TOPSoccer program focuses on enhancing the lives of young athletes with disabilities and also teaching able-bodied members of the Oldsmar Soccer Club the value of volunteering as TOPSoccer buddies. Oldsmar Soccer Club TOPSoccer plans on using the grant funding to better achieve their goals and mission to reach as many special needs children as possible and to let them enjoy the experience of soccer.

 

The TOPSoccer Coaching Course addresses the essential elements in working with players which includes managing the playing environment, qualities of good coaching, prevention and care of injuries, risk management, the TOPSoccer Buddy and several additional topics.  The four and a half hour long course also includes a field presentation, which provides candidates with practical training activities for ADHD, autism, cerebral palsy and Down syndrome.

 

TOPSoccer was formed to perpetuate the US Youth Soccer mission statement which is, in part, "to foster the physical, mental and emotional growth and development of America's youth through the sport of soccer at all levels of age and competition." There are thousands of children with disabilities who can be provided with the opportunity to play soccer through TOPSoccer.

 

The TOPSoccer Coaching Course CD will be distributed to all 55 US Youth Soccer state associations to inform, train and teach TOPSoccer coaches and administrators within their respective associations.

 

US Youth Soccer TOPSoccer is a community-based training and team placement program for young athletes with disabilities, organized by youth soccer association volunteers. The program is designed to bring the opportunity of learning and playing soccer to any boy or girl, who has a mental or physical disability. Our goal is to enable the thousands of young athletes with disabilities to become valued and successful members of the US Youth Soccer family. How do I participate? Contact your local US Youth Soccer State Association office to find out more about getting involved with a local US Youth Soccer TOPSoccer program.

 

 

 

Functioning in the Chairperson’s position I was able to assist several families in finding TOPSoccer programs in their area and assisting them with getting registered with clubs.  I have also supplied information on TOPSoccer to 3 clubs in the North Florida area.

Week three and even with Spring Break, Florida Basketball and the TPC we had 30 player out on Sunday.  We are up to over 40 players signed up and we have had more then 70 buddies help us out.  I have not tried to limit the buddies at this point as I want to see who will stick it out from week to week as well as build a base for next year.  So please bear with me as I get the buddies settled down.  However if you do have a concern about any of the buddies please see me so I can address.

The Northeast Raiders are very proud to announce that one of our TOPSoccer buddies has been awarded the Uniroyal Tire "Buddy of the Year" award for Region III.

His name is Brad Andringa and he has worked with our program the past two years.  Uniroyal Tire is donating $1500 to the TOPS program at Northeast Raiders on Brad's behalf. 

This speaks well for FYSA and Region C!   

For more info look to www.usysa.org or you may contact me at jbbsmal@msn.com

Barb Mallue

TOPSoccer Coordinator Northeast Raiders

St. Petersburg, Florida

Posted 12/11/03