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.

What is TOPSoccer?
TOPSoccer is a community-based training and team placement program for young athletes with special needs.  It provides a very affordable opportunity for fitness, fun and building self-esteem.

• Modifications are made to the game to allow full participation and enjoyment to each child.

• One-on-one assistance is available to those who need it.

• It offers a recreational, leisure approach to the game of soccer for children with special needs.

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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.

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Athletes:
A TOPSoccer player is defined as any youth player between the ages of 4 and 19 who has a disability that limits their ability to perform at the level of play in which they have chosen to participate.

Mission:
TOPSoccer was formed to perpetuate the US Youth Soccer mission statement, which is, to foster the physical, mental and emotional growth and development through the sport of soccer at all levels of age and competition.

Our goal is to enable the thousands of young athletes with disabilities to develop their physical fitness, technical skills, courage and self-esteem, through the joy and excitement of playing soccer.

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Facts:

Listed below are some amazing facts on the prevalence of disabilities within our society.  These facts are the latest available from the 1990 Census conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau.

• There are 48.9 million people with disabilities.  7 million have mental disabilities

• 50,000 children a year become disabled through accidents.

• 150,000 babies are born each year with a birth defect.

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Volunteers | How Can I Help?
The TOPSoccer program would not exist without the countless hours donated by dedicated volunteers across the country.  Yet, we need more volunteers to help make this a reality for these children.  If you believe in the statement “the gift of life is the gift of giving,” you are on the right track to becoming a volunteer.

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More Information:

For information on local TOPSoccer programs, resources, registration and how to set up a TOPSoccer program, please contact our TOPSoccer Coordinators Tamara Morris and Ara Tamzarian.