SEYMOUR/ANSONIA – A new regional soccer program allows kids and young adults with special needs to channel their inner Lionel Messi.
Ansonia and Seymour Soccer teamed up in August to bring a national program called TOPSoccer (The Outreach Program for Soccer) to the Valley. The program gives those with intellectual, emotional or physical disabilities a chance to play soccer in a structured environment that’s safe, fun and inclusive, according to the organization’s website.
The program kicked off on Sept. 29 at Seymour Middle School’s soccer field. Seymour Soccer Association President Beth Carson said more than 30 kids turned out, ranging in age from four to the teens.
Seymour mom Marie Mosher signed her son Paul, 7, up for the program. She said he’s been having a ball since that kick-off session.
“He was super excited about it and spent the weekend picking out his outfit, trying out his new cleats and kicking the ball back and forth with his dad,” Mosher said. “He’s already looking forward to the next session and can’t stop talking about it.”
The program pairs volunteer soccer buddy mentors with players, under the supervision of volunteer coaches. The players partake in hour-long sessions, visiting different stations to work on basic soccer skills. Student soccer players from Ansonia and Seymour high schools, along with a few parents, are assisting with the program.
“The kids learn how to pass the ball, some of the basic foot skills, teamwork, shooting goals and most of all the emphasis is on having fun,” Carson said.
Mosher praised the program’s mentorship system and said it gives her son someone to look up to.
“He was paired up with an older boy from the high school as his mentor, and it was nice for Paul to have someone to look up to,” Mosher said. “It’s nice for my son to see other students like him of different capabilities and seeing they’re able to play and learn.”
Registration is still open – and free. Parents from the Valley and beyond can register their kids online at Ansonia Soccer Club.
Note: to register, visit the soccer club’s homepage (linked above) and click the “Register” button in the top-right. After creating an account, there will be a dropdown list where you can select the program.
There are three more sessions, which will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Seymour Middle School soccer field, 80 Botsford Rd., Seymour, on Oct. 6, 13 and 20. Kids receive a free soccer ball and t‑shirt, and should bring their own cleats, sneakers and shin guards if they have them.
Carson said her group tried to put together a Seymour TOPSoccer program a few years ago, but COVID hit, and the numbers for participation weren’t there. Regionalization turned out to be the way to go, she said. Seymour provides the field and insurance, while Ansonia handles registrations.
Carson said the Valley TOPSoccer program will be offered again in the spring, and there may also be some sessions over the winter if a space is secured.
Volunteer coaches for the Valley TOPSoccer program are Steve Kish, Ansonia High School’s head girls’ varsity soccer coach, former Naugatuck youth soccer coach Craig Andrews, and Vicki Andrews, a Connecticut Junior Soccer Association board member.
“Every child deserves to feel a sense of belonging,” said Vicki Andrews. “While children without disabilities have access to numerous programs and opportunities, children with unique abilities should have the same opportunities as well.”
There are about 15 to 20 TOPSoccer programs across Connecticut that run in the fall/spring soccer season. Vicki Andrews said the regional approach allows multiple towns to pool their resources.
Kish, whose daughter Leah, 15, a sophomore at AHS and a volunteer soccer buddy, said the program is beneficial to all involved.
“A program like this will help those that may feel overwhelmed or physically unable to participate on club teams and offers them a chance to be involved in an organized sports program,” Kish said. “Just from our first ever session I saw so many great player/buddy connections where our volunteer high school players got the kids to feel comfortable and engage in several soccer activities.”
For more information, email the Ansonia Soccer Club at info@ansoniasoccer.org. Instructions for registering are included earlier in the story.
