Kayla Carden

Helping everyone enjoy soccer

TOPSoccer sounds like a secret government plan for soccer players to save New York or something. In reality, it’s much better. As the US Youth Soccer TOPSoccer brochure proclaims, TOPSoccer (The Outreach Program for Soccer) is a community effort to meet the needs of kids with physical or mental disabilities by getting them to play team soccer.

Most reading about this will likely wonder why they should care. First, how does one picture cute little kids playing on their soccer teams without “aww”­-ing? Second, the North Alabama TOPSoccer program needs volunteers. According to the North Alabama TOPSoccer’s website, you can volunteer as a peer coach, helping maybe one little buddy out or an entire team in playing on the field.  If you’re too busy, you can be a regular volunteer and come by to set up and supervise.

You won’t be alone. Bob Jones registrar, Mrs. Dottie Miller, confirmed that the Junior Civitan club at Bob Jones has been sending out members to volunteer. TOPSoccer is kind of a Bob Jones tradition. As she says, “Bob Jones has been the big driving force behind TOPSoccer. In 2010, a lot of the girls on the Bob Jones soccer team like Hannah Snoddy, Cheyenne Conkin, and Juliana Coburn, got together and really started the North Alabama TOPSoccer branch.”

It’s not just a Bob Jones activity. If you’re a part of, or more familiar with the Huntsville Soccer Club, it’s affiliated with and sponsors TOPSoccer. Other schools like Huntsville, Sparkman, and Madison Academy also have kids volunteering there, so it’s a great opportunity to meet new people.

You don’t even have to be on the soccer team or a great soccer player. “We welcome anyone with a heart to work with children who have special needs,” the North Alabama TOPSoccer Coach Tony Schroeder explains.

Don’t be afraid to volunteer just because you don’t think you can help kids with special needs. The University of Rochester’s Medical Center advises that children with special needs
get a lot of exercise anyway and says volunteers should just be mindful of the kids’ specific disabilities.

You can also go that extra mile and become a regular for TOPSoccer. “Different service groups helping is great,” Miller says, “but what’s even better is someone going out and consistently playing with the kids.”

See? Helping kids play soccer is the best.

For more information about volunteering, go to http://www.naltopsoccer.com.