By CHARLES GAGNE
WAKEFIELD — Several years ago, a notable program connecting special needs children with Wakefield soccer players and coaches was brought to the Wakefield community. Now, each Sunday in the fall and spring down at the Galvin Middle School fields, this group comes together for some activity and fun to learn all about the world’s most popular sport.
US Youth Soccer developed this program, TOPSoccer (The Outreach Program for Soccer), 30 years ago as a recreational sports initiative for children and adults with intellectual, emotional or physical disabilities. The Essex County Youth Soccer Association, in which Wakefield town teams compete, encourages teams to adopt this program, and former Wakefield Soccer Association (“WSA”) President Tim Fitzgerald recognized that this would be a special opportunity for Wakefield youth and coaches.
Fitzgerald noted, “As a board, we regularly review our offerings and look for ways to expand the scope of what we do so we can bring positive experiences through soccer to as many people as possible. It was clear to us based on that exercise that we needed to do more to bring the game to players of diverse abilities.
“Fortunately, US Youth Soccer provides great resources to help towns like us start programs. Once the decision was made, we were blown away by the response from our membership. The energy for volunteerism and the willingness of our coaches and players to get involved has been inspiring. We are very fortunate to have Paul Paglierani, who took over the program in its second year and has been a fierce advocate for the program and its players ever since.”
This inspiring initiative has encouraged many Wakefield children with various physical and cognitive disabilities to experience their own version of youth soccer and find their place in the Wakefield soccer community.
WAKEFIELD TOPSoccer has been a great addition to the Wakefield Soccer Association. (Courtesy Photo)
On a typical Sunday afternoon in the fall and spring, about 10 TOPS players will gather on a Galvin soccer field and be paired up with WSA and Wakefield High player buddies who help them carry out drills and then participate in a game with them, all under the direction of Paglierani.
“Coaching TOPSoccer has introduced me to an amazing group of players I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to otherwise meet,” Paglierani said. “These athletes are hard-working, skilled, coachable and appreciative. I really like the fact that, while they are competitive, no one is out to win or to improve at the expense of anyone else. Players meet one another at their personal stages of development and the more skilled players are never impatient with the beginners; in fact, the former nurture the latter. It is really touching to watch and makes me respect these kids as kind individuals as much as I do as soccer players.”
Coaches and player volunteers make a significant impact on their community every time they show up to help with the weekly TOPS training sessions during the fall and spring. This past year, an effort was made to further connect the local TOPS program participants to the Wakefield High boys’ and girls’ varsity soccer teams. This resulted in a genuinely special moment when TOPS players were able to join varsity players on the field for the National Anthem on senior night.
It truly is wonderful to see children with special needs get the chance to play a sport they love, and compete in that sport in whatever capacity they are able. Especially heartwarming are the looks of pride on the faces of the TOPS players’ parents as they watch their children have a chance at soccer.
This is what the TOPS program brings to Wakefield and it has greatly enriched our community.
THE WAKEFIELD TOPSoccer program had two fantastic seasons in the fall and the spring this year. (Courtesy Photo)
