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Rowdies hold inclusive soccer event for kids
The Tampa Bay Rowdies and TOPSoccer hosted more than 80 children with disabilities for a day of inclusive soccer activities at the Rowdies practice facility in Tampa. FOX 13's Heather Healy reports.
TOWN 'N' COUNTRY, Fla. - It was an exciting day on the pitch as many young athletes got the chance to play soccer while traveling "around the world."
The backstory:
The Tampa Bay Rowdies partnered with TOPSoccer to host a special event designed for children with disabilities, giving them the opportunity to showcase their skills and enjoy the game in an inclusive environment.
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"Just getting them outside, playing some soccer, we’re really excited for it," Josiah Brown, youth development manager for the Tampa Bay Rowdies, said.
More than 80 children with disabilities participated in the event, with over 100 volunteers helping run drills and activities throughout the day. Organizers say the goal is to provide a welcoming space where kids of all abilities can participate and feel part of the game.
"It’s always important not only to be active, but to have that sense of community and sharing it with other people," Brown said. "Soccer is one of the beautiful sports that is as a team, and with the World Cup coming and everything, and with soccer being such a worldwide sport, we wanted to celebrate our theme of soccer around the world this year."
The event honed in on different soccer activities inspired by different countries and each participant gets a passport to see where they’ve traveled.
What they're saying:
"They’re going to be doing a lot of dribbling, kicking. They're going [to] be passing. They're going to [do] ball control, a lot agility," Jennifer Ditillio, FYSA TOPSoccer chairperson, said.
Ditillio says a lot of times kids are left out of all the normal things that other children do, so TOPSoccer is trying to bring that to their level. They allow children to work at their own pace and allow them to be able to move however they feel they need to.
"So today we're not going to do any kind of station regiments. So basically the kids will get to go [to] whatever station they want to go to, whichever one they gravitate to first. So they'll be able go and play and then move on to the next level. And then we advance it as they go too. So if they go back to a station a second time, they'll add a little bit to it so that they can try a little harder," Ditillio said.
Big picture view:
It’s a unique event that will leave a lasting mark on anyone who has fun on this turf.
"Every one of them are different and everyone comes up and gives you a hug every time they see you, and the fact that they just enjoy what they're doing, and they're included. That's the part that's best is that they feel included. They can play the game their brother or sister play, or their cousin, and they are just super excited to be out on the field," Ditillio said.
TOPSoccer and the Rowdies are excited to continue this partnership and event for the upcoming years.
The Source: Information for this story was gathered from interviews with professionals associated with TOPSoccer and the Tampa Bay Rowdies, along with information from the Tampa Bay Rowdies website.