TOPSoccer - Fall 2024
US Youth Soccer TOPSoccer (The Outreach Program for Soccer) is a recreational sports program for children and adults with intellectual, emotional, or physical disabilities offered only through local US Youth Soccer-affiliated soccer clubs. TOPSoccer provides people with diverse abilities an opportunity to play soccer in a structured environment that is safe, fun, supportive, and inclusive.
When, Where, Who and How Much?
When: Mondays 5 - 6 PM
- August 26th - October 7th
- No session September 2nd due to Labor Day
Who: Ages 4 - 18
Location: Silver Street Park (indoor) 2043 Silver Street, New Albany, IN 47150
Cost: FREE!
We NEED Your HELP
TOPSoccer Buddies are individuals who are paired with a TOPSoccer athlete each session to participate and engage through the session with their paired athlete. TOPSoccer Coaches help lead activities within sessions for our program. Both roles are valuable to creating the best experience and quality program that we can!
Groupings: Players are grouped by ability, not just age, such that they can develop at their own pace and participate amongst others with similar abilities.
Please note- if you have more than one individual from the same family interested in participating in this program, please complete a form for each individual separately.
Types of Volunteers:
- Buddies: Each participant is assigned a volunteer, trained ‘Buddy’ who is typically a little older and neurotypical. This Buddy works with their player individually and makes sure they are safe, engaged, supported, and having fun. The player-Buddy relationship is maintained throughout the course of a season, resulting in strong interpersonal bonds and an establishment of trust and confidence that allows each player to achieve their full potential.
- Buddies need to be 10 years of age or older.
- Coaches: TOPSoccer coaches and administrators have taken formal USYS education and certification training that assists them in successfully delivering the program. In addition to providing coaching strategies and tactics specifically for children with special needs, the training identifies the traits of the most common disabilities and provides guidance on how to modify typical soccer practice activities so everyone can be successful.
- Coaches need to be 18 years of age or older.
Benefits for Participants
- SOCIAL SKILLS - Players interact with their volunteer Buddy and other athletes in a fun, group setting and learn proper social behaviors.
- TEAMWORK - Players learn to trust someone else and rely on them through soccer activities and games.
- PERSEVERANCE - Players might encounter difficulties with activities, but they will be encouraged to keep trying and overcome challenges.
- CONFIDENCE - Players will achieve success on the field that carries over to their lives off the field in so many ways!
Why do we need a TOPSoccer Program?
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 need and can be provided with, the opportunity to play soccer through the TOPSoccer program.