Last Sunday, my son had his first experience with organized sports. This opportunity came through a local soccer association, which is in its fourth year of participating in the TOPSoccer program designed by US Youth Soccer.
TOPSoccer is “a community-based training and team placement program for young athletes with disabilities, organized by youth soccer association volunteers.” In our area, it includes a five week indoor winter session, a week-long camp in June, and a six week fall outdoor session.
So I signed Michael up for the fall session, took him to buy a pair of shin guards, and headed to the playing field. We were given his uniform, and he promptly stripped off his shirt to put on the new one (I managed to conceal the fact that there were shorts as well!). Then he was matched up with his buddy, Charlie, and off they went to kick the ball around.
Once everybody was registered, the coaches divided the kids into teams and, after a few stretches, started having them run some drills. It was great to see kids of all different ages and abilities out on the field and having fun.
Michael responded pretty well to his buddy and the coach until the session was almost over and it was time for each player to attempt a goal against the goalie of their choice, usually mom or dad.
Not a good thing in his mind! He determined immediately that this was going to make him look like a failure and that everybody would then hate him. Thankfully, we all got through it and the coach has some ideas for working with him on this next time.
I know there are people who believe children with special needs should always be included with typical children and not have separate activities like this, but I am not one of them. I think each family has to make the decision as to what is best for their own child, and I am grateful to all the volunteers who have opened up a world that we might have been too nervous to enter otherwise.
Trish can be found writing here at 5MFSN every Friday in addition to hosting Try This Tuesday. You can also find Trish at her blog, Another Piece of the Puzzle.
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“each family has to make the decision as to what is best for their own child”. Amen!
Programming that mixes children without diagnoses with those that have diagnoses runs the risk of ignoring either group for the sake of the other.
Also very important is for parents of children with special needs to view ‘extra-curriculars’ as an option for their child.
It is so easy for mainstream schools (my daughter goes to one) to bang on about inclusion and pride themselves on all children mixing together. But I have slowly watched, over the years, my daughter (8, autistic) fall behind socially. The other two girls in particular in her class seem more grown up in their ways and characters even though Amy could knock socks off them with other things.
I don’t take Amy to parties anymore before she simply can’t cope with being included into a group of age appropriate kids, doing age appropriate things when all she wants to do is play with a balloon, preferably outside.
It’s a difficult one, but a very good discussion.
Crystal Jigsaw xx
I’m all for the ‘individual’ approach too. I have one who could easily participate in team sports because of his social and forgiving nature, but the other is a ‘winner’ in all things and that’s not so condusive to a team effort.
Best wishes
It sounds like a great soccer program and I’m so glad your son enjoyed himself.
I agree… I think it is so important for there to be options for separate activities and inclusive ones.
I love this idea – wish we had it in our area.
Currently we have the 3 older ones enrolled in Miracle League Baseball which is Baseball for children with special needs of all types. It is a wonderful thing for them.
There are no losers, everyone wins.
Each child gets a chance to bat twice.
All the paretns are there cheering them on like you could not believe.
I definately recommend it. They are nation wide and can be found at
http://www.miracleleague.org
Continued good luck with the soccer!
Thank you all for your comments and thanks to Krystal for the Miracle League Baseball recommendation.