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US Youth Soccer TOPSoccer (The Outreach Program for Soccer) is a community-based training and team placement program for young athletes with exceptionalities. TOPSoccer provides people with diverse abilities an opportunity to play soccer in a structured environment that is safe, fun, supportive, and inclusive. The purpose is to give every player a chance to experience the joy of soccer.TOPSoccer is designed to improve the overall fitness, self-esteem and social skills of your child. Germantown Legends is offering TOPSoccer in our community and is providing a professional staff to assist with conducting each session along with other area volunteers. It is fully supported by the Tennessee State Soccer Association (TSSA) and US Youth Soccer TOPsoccer.
TOPSoccer sessions are typically once a week. Once your athlete is registered, you will be directed to sign up for PRAXIS, a free app with Germantown Legends, that will allow you to sync the calendar, mark availability, and chat with other parents. PRAXIS will be the calendar for all events.
Typically, Fall season runs September thru early November, while the Spring season runs March (after Spring breaks) thru early May but all days, times, and location will be announced and communicated through PRAXIS.
The Outreach Program for Soccer that enables children under 19 with physical and or intellectual disabilities to play the game of soccer.
Buddies: Each participant is assigned a volunteer, trained ‘Buddy’ who is typically a little older and neurotypical. This Buddy works with their player individually and makes sure they are safe, engaged, supported, and having fun. The player-Buddy relationship is maintained throughout the course of a season, resulting in strong interpersonal bonds and an establishment of trust and confidence that allows each player to achieve their full potential.
Coaches: TOPSoccer coaches and administrators have taken formal USYS education and certification training that assists them in successfully delivering the program. In addition to providing coaching strategies and tactics specifically for children with special needs, the training identifies the traits of the most common disabilities and provides guidance on how to modify typical soccer practice activities so everyone can be successful.
Groupings: Players are grouped by ability, not just age, such that they can develop at their own pace and participate amongst others with similar abilities.
Any athlete is allowed to participate unless participation would be considered unsafe for the athlete! Players must have an up to date (within one year) physical from their pediatrician clearing them to play and on file.
FREE!
Yes, we need Volunteers (or ‘Buddies’), if interested, please register online.
A TOPSoccer Buddy is an invaluable volunteer who has completed USYS online training module on how to be a Buddy. The TOPSoccer buddy is not a player and does not score goals. A TOPSoccer Buddy can be a caregiver, aide, family member, same-aged peer, teenager or adult as long as they registered as a buddy and completed the online module. Whenever possible and appropriate, given the characteristics and limitations of given circumstances, TOPSoccer will do it’s best to provide a buddy to each athlete who needs one. We cannot always guarantee buddy assignment. It is the goal of TOPSoccer to provide the opportunity for participation for each athlete, while ensuring the safety of all athletes, volunteers, parents and spectators. Most buddies will be MS or HS aged kids and will be trained in what they might expect to see and experience in the TOPSoccer program. For more information on becoming a Buddy, please check out the TOPSoccer Buddy page and then click on the REGISTER AS A TOPSoccer BUDDY.
