TOPSoccer Gives Everyone a Chance to Play

Like thousands of youngsters around the country, Josh Schwartz of Elyria, Ohio, radiates with pride when he puts on his shiny red soccer uniform and gets into the action of a game.

And when Josh takes the field, his family knows that he'll likely finish the game feeling upbeat, regardless of the game's outcome or whether he scores a goal.

Dylan Mates (left) makes a move while Josh Schwartz is ready on defense.

TOPSoccer (short for The Outreach Program for Soccer) has a singular goal: to give any boy or girl age 8 to 19 who has a physical or mental disability the opportunity to learn and play soccer.

But most important, TOPSoccer gives families of children with disabilities a chance to take part in a sport that's become a tradition for youth all over the country, said Jackie Simcic-Becker, a TOPSoccer coach and MDA health care services coordinator in the Cleveland area.

"Parents of special-needs children just want their kids to have those everyday childhood experiences. But the chance to put on a uniform and come out and play soccer is something that a lot of them never thought their kids would do," Simcic-Becker said.

Program Caters to Community Needs

Shaun Simon takes charge for his team.

In the Cleveland area, the TOPSoccer league is made up of three divisions: wheelchair (power and manual), orthopedic handicap (kids who use walkers or braces), and mentally challenged.

The program is designed with lots of flexibility to allow any child to play. League play and practices are held year-round in most parts of the country, moving inside when cold or wet weather hits.

Games are structured to conform to what's best for the players, with no particular time frame.

"You play as long as you keep their interest, and make the game work for the players who are on the field," Simcic-Becker said, citing the example of kids in her mentally challenged division who could play for only seven minutes when they started five years ago. Now they play for 30 minutes.

As many as four to six coaches might be on the field at one time for added guidance. And there are no referees, Simcic-Becker said. In some leagues, kids without disabilities join the action as buddies to motivate or guide players, or even help push a wheelchair.

Play is often conducted on a modified field for kids in the orthopedic handicap division, where the players might have a difficult time navigating a large field. The field is about one-sixth the size of a typical soccer field with smaller goals, Simcic-Becker said.

"We make it a point that every kid scores a goal," Simcic-Becker said. The organizers focus on "taking what their abilities are and teaching them new skills."

Simcic-Becker coaches together with her husband, Joe, and has several young people served by her MDA office playing TOPSoccer. She said her league's structure has a special advantage for children whose abilities are changing because of neuromuscular disease progression.

For example, some boys with Duchenne who find it increasingly difficult to get up and down the field play in the orthopedic handicap and wheelchair divisions simultaneously.

"They might be the kick-off person -- the person who starts the ball -- or we make them a defender or even a goalie," Simcic-Becker said. "In TOPSoccer there are always ways to adjust for the kids to play. There is no reason any child can't play."

More Than Just Kicks for Kids

The TOPSoccer program strives to fulfill the soccer association's mission statement: "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."

As lofty as that sounds, that's exactly what's happened for Josh in his three years playing soccer, according to his mom, Dee Smosny.

"This has just been the most wonderful thing that ever happened to him," said Smosny. Previously, Josh had tried to play in a baseball league, but because of teasing and other difficulties it wasn't a successful experience.

Now, "he talks about soccer all year long," Smosny said. "He loves it."

"It's really fun," said Josh, who said his favorite part of the game is when he scores a goal, plus getting to wear his soccer uniform.

Ditto that for Olivia Campbell, a 10-year-old with Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy. Campbell is ambulatory and plays in the orthopedic division.

Campbell, who is Ohio's MDA Goodwill Ambassador, said she enjoys playing forward on offense, and wants other kids to know that "it's just fun to be able to play."

She also enjoys wearing the team uniform because "they're just like regular uniforms."

Team uniforms are funded by grants to TOPSoccer from uniform manufacturers and other businesses.

"Our goal is always to have the nicest, most expensive uniforms that we can buy," said Simcic-Becker, who added that the total season fee for a child to play TOPSoccer is $15. That covers insurance and some mailing, and everything else is donated.

But the benefits don't stop with the low cost and the cool uniforms.

Dylan Mates practices his dribbling skills.

Josh, who plays in both the orthopedic and wheelchair leagues, has learned valuable skills that are figuring into his life off the soccer field.

Playing the sport has helped him to gain some self-control, something he has difficulty with because of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, his mother said.

Josh Schwartz works on his soccer skills with Coach Jackie Simcic-Becker.

Campbell's mom, Carissa Krupa, said her daughter has learned good sportsmanship and the fun of competition, and has become a more aggressive player with experience.

"In the beginning, she was timid, and didn't want to take the ball from other kids who might not be as strong as she is," Krupa said. "She learned how to do that and not feel bad about it, and that it is just a game and that's what sports are about. She's absolutely never had that before."

Parents Find Fun, Support on Sidelines

It isn't uncommon for parents to hesitate at the idea of letting a child with a disability join a soccer league, Simcic-Becker said. She often explains to parents that kids with disabilities enjoy being able to blow off steam.

"People sometimes overlook the fact that a child with a disability is competitive, and they need that outlet," she said.

And many parents find some unexpected pleasures while sitting on the sidelines.

"It's so nice to be able to sit out there on the field and watch them play and be a part of that," Krupa said. She says that, although the children in the league might have different kinds of disabilities, TOPSoccer parents find common bonds.

"Everyone is willing to be supportive and work together. We all understand and are all in the same shoes, even though the details might be different," Krupa said.

Yet, it's not always easy for parents to let go and watch their children get involved in what can be very physical play. In fact, Smosny said it wasn't until Josh's second season that she could relax while watching him play.

"Obviously, I'm very protective of Josh, and I just kept saying, I don't know if we can do this," she said. "The first time he fell on the field and I wanted to literally run out and help him, Jackie stepped forward and said, 'No, Joe will help him.' I was like, 'Uh, that's my kid!'"

Now that her son plays in the wheelchair division, too, Smosny has new anxieties to grapple with.

"I'm afraid he's going to tip or roll over or crash hard into somebody. But it's worth it," she said. "It's very worth it to me to see the pride he has and to know that he talks to his friends about soccer. The pride is wonderful."

Both families recommend that other families seek out TOPSoccer.

"I highly recommend it to everyone I come in contact with. It's open to the students I teach and I'm constantly pushing the parents," said Smosny, who is a special education teacher and will soon help coach the players in TOPSoccer's mentally challenged division.

It's that enthusiasm that makes coaching TOPSoccer an ideal hobby for Simcic-Becker and her husband, parents of Max and Derek, ages 3 and 1.

"In the five years that I've done this, I've never had a parent yell at me. It is truly the ideal youth sport, and it is fun," Simcic-Becker said. "Neither of us would choose to coach competitive soccer over this, not in a million years."

How to Find a League of Your Own

To find out if there's a Uniroyal Tire TOPSoccer league in your area, go to the U.S. Youth Soccer Association's Web site, www.usysa.org, and click on "On the Field" to find a nationwide directory of programs and state coordinators.

If there's not a league in your area, contact your state's TOPSoccer coordinator, and get in touch with a local soccer club, or call (800)-4SOCCER.

"Starting a league is not difficult," Simcic-Becker said. "Most of the clubs are very willing to add divisions for children with special needs, but they need help, and that's what the state coordinator can do."

Other organizations offering programs for children with disabilities include the American Youth Soccer Organization's VIP (Very Important Player) Program. Read more about it at www.soccer.org.

Some cities and county recreation programs also offer soccer and other adaptive sports programs for children with disabilities. Check local listings.