TOPSoccer
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Connecticut Junior Soccer Association
2011 TOPSoccer Initiatives
My name is Michael Galbicsek, Sr. and as the new CJSA Director of Recreational Services I am hoping to expand both our recreational programs as well as our terrific TOPSoccer initiatives across the state.
TOPSoccer (The Outreach Program for Soccer) is a youth program, sponsored by US Youth Soccer and the Connecticut Junior Soccer Association for young athletes with disabilities, organized by youth soccer association volunteers. The program is designed to foster an opportunity of learning, teamwork and enjoyment to any boy or girl, who has a mental or physical disability. Our goal is to enable the thousands of young athletes with disabilities to become valued and successful members of the US Youth Soccer family.
Below you will find information concerning TOPSoccer programs. Ideally, it would be great to have every club associated with the Connecticut Junior Soccer Association create a program, or at the least, link up with a club nearby and publicize it within your town.
I have worked closely with many individuals at the local, district and state levels and have several goals in mind to move forward with for anyone interested in TOPSoccer. If you have anything to share please do not hesitate to connect with a local/district contact (see contact) or email me for any additional information.
Before I conclude this message I wanted to share with everyone an email I received from one of the parents that attend the TOPSoccer at Valley Soccer club this past weekend.
“As a parent, bringing your special needs child to any number of various events can quickly turn into an anxiety provoking uncomfortable situation for everyone. I would like to tell everyone that last weekend went amazing, it was clearly thought out, there were no long lines, the buddies were fabulous and most importantly everyone had fun!! In talking with other parents I learned that this program is in its second year, I would have never guessed! So thank you to each and every one of you who puts time aside to help run the TOPSoccer program it means so much to so many of us and our children.”
This is why we volunteer. We devote our time to helping others-this is, to me, the best reward one can get. Thank you for taking your time to research TOPSoccer and I look forward to working closely with you.
Michael J. Galbicsek
Director, Recreational Services
Chairperson, TOPSoccer
Connecticut Junior Soccer Association
Connecticut Junior Soccer Association TOPSoccer Initiatives & Proposals, 2011-2012
1) TOPSoccer Best Practices Committee
This committee, which will meet at the CJSA Office four times a year, will work to answer common questions amongst the clubs, specifically:
1) How to get a TOPSoccer program started
2) What should a club do with their program (i.e. modified games)
3) Assist in the planning/execution of bi-annual training sessions and seminars (one of which will occur at the CJSA AGM) aimed towards all TOPSoccer partners and interested personnel.
4) What can the CJSA do to assist the local clubs/buddies
5) What common questions are the clubs/districts encountering and how do we answer them
6) How to get others involved in TOPSoccer
Committee members would include volunteer members from the local clubs, District TOPSoccer Chairmen and the CJSA Board of Directors. The CJSA Director of Recreational Services would serve as the Chairperson of this committee.
2) TOPSoccer Developmental Training Sessions (Bi-Annual)
Many individuals are interested in helping athletes with disabilities however they do not know how to do so. Some may not have the resources while others feel they do not have the skill sets necessary to do this. The TOPSoccer Best Practices Committee will work directly with the CJSA President and the CJSA Director of Coaching to develop two training sessions (one of which will be held at the AGM in January and one to be held in August around the time of the CJSA Annual President’s meeting) to prepare the participants to assist and run and nurture a successful TOPSoccer program.
Prior to the training sessions, the planning committee will seek out questions from the TOPSoccer representatives at the local and district level and request the TOPSoccer representatives share the ideas that have worked successfully for them.
Immediately following the TOPSoccer Developmental Training Sessions the Connecticut Junior Soccer Association will survey all who attended to ensure that the objectives and goals that were intended to be objectified were answered. We will then take the assessment results to build upon our curriculum for the next TOPSoccer Developmental Training Session.
The January training session at the AGM will be designed for individuals who have limited knowledge of TOPSoccer and would like to participate in a general training session. This training session will be facilitated in three diverse learning styles:
Lecture-the facilitator will review the TOPSoccer initiatives that are currently in place and provide a low-key training module/certification for participants interested in TOPSoccer.
Verbal Participation-attendees will ask questions and provide the participants with ideas that have successfully worked in their town/district. The facilitators will work to develop positive solutions and immediate feedback.
Athletic Demonstrations-Partners and Buddies will demonstrate their skills so that the attendees can put what they have learned in to practice.
The training session in August (around the President’s meeting) would be a second-tier educational session intended on increasing an already established program (at the local or district level) and celebrating TOPSoccer within the state. In addition to the training module, participants throughout the state would be welcome to participate in a TOPSoccer Day (celebration of buddies/small events-no formal game) immediately following the training session for administrators/coaches.
Topics would include:
Lecture/Discussion Recruitment of Volunteers (for club/district administrators)
Idea/Program Swap Meet (for club/district administrators)
TOPSoccer Day(A celebration day for the partners to participate in a fun day with individuals in other clubs/districts)
3) TOPSoccer Message Board
If you have a question, ask! If you have an idea to share, why wait?
I am going to work closely with the CJSA Information Technology Manager to develop a message board on the CJSA website for anyone who has a question or an idea to share to post on our website. This message board will be monitored daily by members of the CJSA Board of Directors and TOPSoccer contacts at the District level. Anyone would be able to post information on the website however it is my goal to have their questions answered in a timely fashion. Within time this would be a great “hands on tool” and a basic encyclopedia for people to have answers to their questions, etc.
4) TOPSoccer Administrator/Coach Recognition
TOPSoccer is not a new program. This terrific effort is the result of thousands of volunteers who dedicate their time to better the lives of others. Every year the Connecticut Junior Soccer Association honors a TOPSoccer buddy for their contributions to the sport. In addition to this, I would like to develop and honor one administrator or coach each year that has shown a terrific contribution to the sport.
The award description and criteria will be evaluated by an ad-hoc committee with the approval of the Connecticut Junior Association President and Board of Directors with the first inception to take place at the January 2012 President’s dinner.