S Youth Soccer 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 girl, regardless of age (there is no maximum age for TOPSoccer participation), 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 US Youth Soccer family.
This section of the manual is to give you a brief overview of the program.
For detailed information on TOPSoccer please read the Program Manual from US Youth Soccer.
The goal is to enable the thousands of youth athletes with disabilities to develop their physical fitness, technical skills, courage and self esteem through the joy and excitement of playing soccer. This program accommodates all disabilities whether mental or physical and brings the joy of playing soccer to players who have not traditionally had a place in the youth soccer system.
The key to this program is flexibility. TOPSoccer can offer opportunities such as single day clinics, jamborees, weekly training, individual skills programs and even recreational league play. Contact your respective US Youth Soccer TOPSoccer Committee member by using the e-mail addresses listed on the US Youth Soccer website.
G E T T I N G S T A R T E D
1. Identify the need in your area.
2. Contact established programs for information 3. Contact your local school districts and universities
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R E C R U I T I N G C O A C H E S
Coaching young athletes with disabilities how to play soccer is rewarding. A coach can make a real and meaningful difference in someone’s life. Volunteers
“soccer buddies” are needed to work directly with a child with special needs. Parents of children with disabilities are your best advocates. They may know people (gym teachers, physical therapists, special education teachers) that would be interested in helping out.
1. Contact local universities, schools and soccer clubs for volunteers. No special training is required, however it is available:
o Through US Youth Soccer and state association sponsored coaching courses
o Through Special Olympics
The TOPSoccer program should be fun and pressure free. Coaches should be
influencing positive attitudes and
eliminating any fears the child may have.
Conduct the TOPSoccer Certificate state coaching course regularly in the state.
Encourage players in US Youth Soccer ODP to participate as a TOPSoccer Buddy.
Please contact the US Youth Soccer office to receive additional support materials for the TOPSoccer program.
SAFETY is the most
important part of the game.
Helpful Hints
Use color-coded goals or nets (e.g., red goals/yellow nets).
Have scrimmage vests available.
Have a ball for each player.
HAVE FUN!
S O C C E R A C R O S S A M E R I C A
Soccer Across America is designed to introduce the sport of soccer to youngsters living in communities not yet served by existing clubs and leagues. Focused on making soccer available
to lower-income children in underserved communities, Soccer Across America provides soccer training and administrative guidance to players and organizations that might otherwise not be exposed to the sport. Soccer Across America also helps new programs find the funding and equipment to begin and then to expand their activities. In the past several years, US Youth Soccer has donated 8hundreds of thousands of dollars in financial and material support to programs across the United States.
It has reached into communities from coast to coast and from north to south.
Yet, soccer has not always served inner city and rural communities and all economic and ethnic groups. In order to ensure that every child has the opportunity to play our beautiful game, US Youth Soccer founded the Soccer Across America program.
This section of the Manual is to give you a brief overview of the program. For detailed information on Soccer Across America please read A Program Overview from US Youth Soccer. Contact your respective Soccer Across America
Committee member by using the e-mail addresses listed on the US Youth Soccer website.
G O A L S O F S O C C E R A C R O S S A M E R I C A
To reach out to children in under-served and socio-economically disadvantaged places in order to offer them an on-going program of positive sports activities through soccer
To increase participants self-esteem through participation in an organized and supportive program of team activities
To build positive social and life skills
To provide important exercise and increase awareness of one's own health through sports
To provide the players with positive, cooperative and enjoyable after school and spare time activities
S U P P O R T N E T W O R K
▪ Local leadership, organizers, soccer clubs and leagues
▪ State association Soccer Across America Committee representative or coordinator
▪ State association Soccer Across America/Recreation Representative to the state Board of Directors
▪ US Youth Soccer/Soccer Across America Committee and regional representatives
▪ Distribution of program materials and educational opportunities
▪ Soccer Across America website
▪ US Youth Soccer national staff
Please contact the US Youth Soccer office to receive additional support materials for the Soccer Across America program.
N A T I O N A L L E A G U E
The US Youth Soccer National League competition is for the nation's top teams in the 15, 16, Under-17 and Under-18 boys and girls age groups, consisting of a total of 16 teams per gender age group. The National League offers additional exposure to collegiate, professional and U.S. National Team coaches and offers the highest level of competition in the country. National League teams continue play in their respective US Youth Soccer State Championships and Regional Leagues to complete their competitive calendar.
Teams play a seven-game schedule facing each team within its age group division one time. The League consists of five weekends of play, with the first two being held in conjunction with the Men's and Women's NCAA College Cup.
The top team from each division in the Under-15, Under-16 and Under-17 gender age group advances to the US Youth Soccer National Championships, and the top two teams from each age group division secure a spot to return to National League play the following season.
P R E S I D E N T S C U P
The US Youth Soccer Presidents Cup is designed for those teams seeking additional challenges to play against teams of similar abilities for a national title. The cup provides a progressive, competitive experience to teams that might not otherwise get the opportunity to participate in a series of unique experiences highlighting
competition, camaraderie and community from the state to regional to national levels of US Youth Soccer.
Regional qualifiers, known as US Youth Soccer Regional Presidents Cup events, will determine the teams competing in the US Youth Soccer National President Cup, July 11-14, 2012, and feature boys
and girls teams in the Under-14 through Under-17 age groups.
A M E R I C A N C U P
The Kohl's US Youth Soccer American Cup provides recreational youth soccer players an opportunity to experience a consistent and high quality statewide tournament in a fun, family-like atmosphere. It fosters stimulation and excitement about soccer in an effort to increase the recreational players’ interest in and love for the game.
We want the recreational player to feel special and have fun! The Kohl's American Cup can achieve this by providing recreational players with the opportunity to
participate in an original event outside of their normal league play. The American Cup gives State Associations another benefit to bring even more service to current members and a tool to use in increasing membership enrollment.
Nationwide, more than 65 Kohl's American Cup events are scheduled, and one thing each of them have in common is the goal of providing all participants with the opportunity to experience a consistent and high-quality tournament in a fun, festival-like atmosphere.
Kohl's US Youth Soccer American Cup: Philosophy
It is the Kohl's American Cup philosophy that all players should receive equal opportunities and benefits within their level of play. All players have the right to participate in competitions where they can develop and exhibit their skills while enjoying themselves. The Kohl's American Cup provides recreational players this opportunity and places emphasis on participation, as opposed to competition.