By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
Back in 1978, the Long Island Junior Soccer League became the first formal soccer league to start a Special Children’s
Program at a time when Special Children playing sports was not as accepted as it is today. Under the slogan of “Come Play With Me,” the Special kids kicked off their Fall Season on September 10 at the Peter Collins Soccer Park in Plainview. The TOPSoccer Special Children’s Program continues to expand and now there are 18 LIJSL clubs with Special programs:
• Auburndale
• Commack
• East Islip
• Garden City Centennials
• Hauppauge
• Huntington Boys Club
• Levittown
• Massapequa
• New Hyde Park Wildcats
• North Shore SCO
• Oceanside United
• Plainview/Old Bethpage Highlanders
• Rockville Centre
• Sachem
• Smithtown Kickers
• South Huntington
• Terryville
• West Islip
There are two main highlights to the Fall Season. The first is the New Hyde Park Special Children’s Tournament at the Denton Avenue School on Saturday, October 22 from 9 am to noon. Team photos will be taken. The rain date is Saturday, October 29.
The second highlight is the Special Children’s Awards Dinner will be held at the Huntington Hilton on Friday night, December 2. The Marg McGory Memorial Award, given to the volunteer who has contributed the most to the LIJSL Special Children’s Program during the past year, will be given.
Arguably the most well-known current LIJSL player is Craig Ludin of the Huntington Boys Club Special Children’s Program. Despite his Down’s Syndrome, Craig is a top athlete and in 2007 he was inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, located in Commack.
“It’s pretty cool to see Craig’s name in the Jewish Sports Hall of Fame alongside the names of Sandy Koufax, Hank Greenberg, Mark Spitz and Marty Glickman,” commented his father, Mike Ludin.
The TOPSoccer Special Children’s Program is for those children with mental and/or physical challenging conditions. This program was initiated to accommodate those children who are not able to participate in a regular or mainstream soccer activity. It provides an opportunity for that child who deviates from the average or normal child in mental, physical or social characteristics to such an extent that he or she requires modified educational practices and services in order to develop to his or her maximum capacity. As such, any child with a severe auditory or visual impairment, orthopedic handicap, behavior deviations or mental retardation would benefit from a special sports program because he or she requires a special learning environment that is directed towards identifying and remediating their physical as well as cognitive deficits. This could include cerebral dysfunctions, impulse disorders, mental retardation, Down's syndrome, physical handicaps, learning disabilities, epilepsy, etc.
The LIJSL has the largest but not the only TOPSoccer Special Children’s Program in the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association. The Capital District Youth Soccer League, East Hudson Youth Soccer League, Hudson Valley Youth Soccer League, Staten Island Youth Soccer League and Westchester Youth Soccer League all have programs. TOPSoccer Special Children’s Chairperson Michael D’Ambrosio hopes that more leagues and clubs join this wonderful program. For information on registering your child on a team in your area, please contact the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association at 516-766-0849.