Not knowing what to expect after three years, the organizers got a pleasant surprise with around 57 participants including several first-timers.
Tony Cooper of Springfield Thunder said getting back was a case of missing what you didn’t have before. He brings players and volunteers from his select team to help coach and encourage the participants.
The program has been going for 18 years as a way for the team to give back to the community, and little of the format has changed in those years.
“I think we got it right the first time,” Cooper said of the consistent success.
His job is to help the participants experience the real deal as far as learning the game and putting in effort. Those who already know it are also rewarded.
“The volunteers get more out of this than the players, breaking down barriers and seeing those smiles in giving back,” Cooper said.
He leads the kids through warmups and then the various age groups break into scrimmages with an emphasis on fun and learning. Cooper has three rules: Have fun, everybody plays and give the maximum effort.
Kathy Duffin, the local coordinator of Special Olympics Clark County, was expecting lower numbers, but delighted to see them up.
“Everybody’s so excited. When you stop an event, you usually see the numbers go down but we’ve almost doubled with a whole new crowd of younger kids,” she said.
It’s not just the kids who benefit. One of Duffin’s favorite parts of Dream Soccer was seeing parents who formed their own support group sharing their similar and different challenges.
Amber and Josh Evans were seeking an outlet for their daughter Molly, age 7, but found sports like Tee-ball and gymnastics hard for a child who is non-verbal. The goal here was to get her to interact with other children and be involved in something.
“It’s perfect for where she’s at,” Amber Evans said of Dream Soccer.
Having two weeks to prepare was a blessing. Molly was excited but became reluctant during the first practice, overwhelmed by the crowds.
By the second week, Molly discovered a classmate was there and jumped right in. Mom and dad being on the field sometimes helped too.
Amber Evans was able to relax in her lawn chair watching Molly, in shin guards and cleats, happily kicking away. But she was also nearly moved to tears.
“I was so happy to see her like this. It’s hard sometimes to be the parent of a developmentally disabled child and seeing her being social and having fun, that’s great,” she said.
The Evans plan for this to be an annual activity for Molly. Some of the first Dream Soccer participants are in their 20s and still return each year.
Rotary supports several programs for children including its annual Christmas party. Current Springfield Rotary president David Deitrick has been a longtime Rotarian but scheduling conflicts prevented his volunteering for Dream Soccer. He quickly made up for the lost time.
“I love it seeing these kids having a great time. It’s really special for them to try things they haven’t,” he said.
Deitrick welcomes the public to stop by Friday evening’s tournament to support the kids’ efforts and experience something positive in the community.
“Everybody can encourage these kids having a good time and working together and it’s rewarding when you see it on their faces,” he said.
This is an active weekend for Springfield Rotary. Besides Dream Soccer, it will sponsor the eighth annual Springfield Rotary Gourmet Food Truck Competition, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday in Veterans Park. Admission is free.
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