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Monday, September 28
UDSC TOPSoccer
Upper Dublin Soccer Club's TOPSoccer program is designed to provide the excitement of soccer to children ages 5-17 with special needs. TOPSoccer has a six week program in the spring and a similar program for eight weeks in the fall. The program pairs each player with a “soccer buddy” who will guide them through drills. Soccer buddies are volunteers from the community grades 8 - 12. No soccer experience is needed to become a buddy, merely a desire to become the friend of a younger child wishing to play soccer. We ask only a commitment of four sessions to allow the buddies to become familiar with the program and the players. Each week the players run through drills for about 30 minutes, then play soccer for another 30 minute period. Soccer players are grouped according to age and ability to provide an environment in which all players will have success in their soccer careers. Soccer players need not reside within Upper Dublin to take advantage of this unique program, but must be mobile enough to play soccer. For more information contact Bruce Buckman at buckman.bruce@gmail.com or Meg Lockard at MYL27@drexel.edu .
What is TOPSoccer?
TOPSoccer (The Outreach Program for Soccer) 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 girls, 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 Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer & US Youth Soccer families
Sessions are on Saturdays from 3-4pm at a field within Upper Dublin
Fall 2009 Program currently in progress runs through mid-November
TOPSoccer is always looking for new players and buddies. Buddy opportunities still available for all weeks in the fall season
Wednesday, November 11
TOPSoccer Completes Fall 2009 Season
UDSC TOPSoccer completed another successful season on 7-November. TOPSoccer thanks UDSC board for their support of our program. This year we provided an opportunity for more than 60 children to play soccer in a noncompetitive environment! The program continues to grow and is recognized throughout the area for opportunities provided to these children. Continued growth means opportunities for buddies to help with our program. If you are interested please contact us
Saturday, December 27
Letter to the UDSC Board and Volunteers
Well the weather co-operated with us on Saturday, the rain stopped and even though the sky was gray, we had a great final TOPSoccer session to top off our fall 2008 season this past weekend. As you know we had a total of 46 special needs kids registered this fall season and they were placed on five fields, distributed a bit by age/size, physical and attentional abilities, with two additonal boys who play with an adult supervisor individually. The kids range from age 5 yrs to 17 yrs! To manage this we have 9 adults who attend regularly to direct the fields and about 45 buddies who participate on various days. I want to let you know how much we, as well as the parents of the kids, appreciate your continued support of this program. We were sorry you were unable to attend on Saturday, but certainly understand. You both got a huge round of applause and cheers at our awards ceremony! Many parents have told us that they have been to other programs, but like UDSC best because it includes all kinds of kids, we always have a safe, appropriate facility to play in, and the uniforms and trophies are fantastic. When the kids get their trophies, they are so excited!!
We also want to let you know how much we appreciate your "looking out for us" and securing the high school stadium as our site and providing beautiful trophies, just like their brothers and sisters. Several parents have said to me that they appreciate the engraving on the trophies--not just the name, but the MVP. It seems like a little thing, but it is much appreicated. The HS stadium is perfect for our kids--safe and contained without various distractions. With space tight and so many great programs that ne ed space, we really appreciate that you understand and support our special needs among the many demands for space. Site watch was also wonderful--the bathrooms and gates were always opened on time. It was wonderful being able to set up without any "glitches".
The kids were all excited to play soccer again in the spring! Thanks to both of your for your unwavering support!
Sincerely,
MEg Lockard and everyone from UDSC TOPSoccer
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