
US 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, 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.
Why do we need a TOPSoccer Program?
TOPSoccer was formed to perpetuate the US Youth Soccer mission statement which is, in part, "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." There are thousands of children with disabilities who need, and can be provided with, the opportunity to play soccer through the TOPSoccer program.
Creating Your Program
- The unique thing about TOPSoccer is that each program is different and is created around the needs of the participants. Additionally, TOPSoccer athletes are placed on teams according to ability, not age.
- Length of program is determined by organizer (6-8 weeks)
- Playing rules.
- Create rules to fit specific needs.
- Use the US Youth Soccer Under-6, Under-8 or Under-10 guidelines
- TOPSoccer programs can have very modest beginnings.
- For those athletes not able to participate due to medical reasons, design a skills program that is rewarding, challenging and fun.
- Variety of choices.
- Small-sided games (3 v 3, 4 v 4, 8 v 8, etc.)
- Full-sided games (11v11)
- Unified teams (ratio of challenged athletes to non-challenged athletes)
- Indoor programs Outdoor program
- Camps
- Skills only
- Above all... keep it simple... KEEP IT FUN!