NBC sportscaster Bob Costa once said, “The best thing about sports is the sense of community and shared emotion it can create.” He may have been talking about the celebrations that explode across cities after local teams win a Super Bowl or World Series. But there’s a much more local—maybe even more poignant—version occurring on Saturdays in northwest Orange County every fall. It’s AYSO Region 154’s VIP Soccer program.
Now in our 15th season, and serving nearly 150 special needs children and adults, VIP Soccer teams may not have a ticker-tape parade down the Canyon of Heroes. But we do have the “Tunnel of Love”—that post game ritual of parents, grandparents and caregivers cheering with hands-over-head while players go running underneath after a spirited game.
What makes VIP Soccer such a success? It’s community. Players may come from Buena Park, Cypress, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Rossmoor, Seal Beach, West Anaheim, West Garden Grove and Westminster. They may live with Autism, Downs Syndrome or Cerebral Palsy. Some may be blind, hearing impaired or confined to a wheelchair. But on the soccer field they are athletes who enjoy scoring a goal as much as – no, probably more than—their AYSO peers. And community is right there with them!
I entered the world of VIP more than 10 years ago. Our daughter, Haley, has cerebral palsy and other developmental delays. We tried regular soccer but the game, at age six, moved far too fast for her. A year later, we found a burgeoning VIP program in Cypress. It had about 20 kids with various ‘special needs’ disorders. I was told if Haley wanted to play, I would have to coach. As necessity is the mother of invention—and I’m a very lousy, former high school football player—I answered the call.
Today, VIP has grown locally thanks to volunteers, players, parents and supporting companies like United Health Care, Cal Optima and the Bandai Foundation. Together, they’ve seen that by helping some of our area’s most challenged individuals they are helping their companies, themselves and the community.
With the emphasis on safety, fun and family, VIP provides benefits to others as well. High school students volunteer as buddies and are critical to our success.
They help players navigate during practice and games. In exchange, they learn about their special needs peers, earn community service credits and develop values like tolerance and empathy that go far beyond the soccer field. Some have even pursued special education, occupational or physical therapy following their VIP experience.
To learn more about the VIP Fall Soccer program, visit www.ayso154.org/VIP_Division. Player and volunteer registration is available online at www.eayso.org.
You can also visit us at Season Ticket Family Pizza from 1 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 28; Sunday, May 6; and Saturday, May 12 to enroll players or sign up as volunteer coach, co-coach, team parent or buddy. Season Ticket Pizza is at 6038 Ball Road in Buena Park.
Ben Singer is AYSO Region 154 VIP director and has been coaching V.I.P Soccer since 2001.
