TOPSoccer Begins Another Season at Behrend
TOPSoccer
has started again at Penn State Behrend! TOPSoccer, in its fifth year, is a
community-based program developed by U.S. Youth Soccer aimed at giving
special needs children the opportunity to learn and play soccer.
The program was started in 2002 by men’s soccer coach Dan Perritano after learning about it at a coaching convention. The program has seen substantial growth in its first five years of existence. “We started with 12 players in our first year and now we have close to 50. The response from the special needs community has been great,” said Perritano. Volunteers from the men’s and women’s soccer teams make up the majority of the coaches with athletes from women’s volleyball and basketball rounding out the coaching crew. “It is a great opportunity for our athletes to give something back to the community and help others,” added Perritano.
The program consists of basic soccer skill exercises blended with small sided games and other soccer-related activities. “The main focus of TOPSoccer is for the athlete to be active and hopefully learn about the game of soccer. It is about fun and the connection that is made between the athlete and coach,” said women’s soccer coach Patrick O’Driscoll.
The eight-week program
concludes with an awards ceremony and a pizza party. A speaker series aimed
at the parents of special needs children is also conducted. New for 2006 is
a sibling swim program staffed by members of the women’s water polo team.
Sponsored by East Erie Kiwanis Club and the Sertoma Club of Erie, TOPSoccer
is held every Wednesday night at the Junker Center from 6 – 7:30pm until May
3.
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