The Tennessee State Soccer Association (TSSA) recently participated in a National TOPSoccer Symposium that was hosted by US Youth Soccer in St. Louis, Missouri. Attending the event as representatives of TSSA was Tre Arhagba (TOPSoccer Coach Educator), Majda Adrovic (licensed coach and TOPSoccer volunteer) and Allison Darnell (current TSSA TOPSoccer Co-Buddy of the Year).
“The TOPSoccer Symposium was an incredible way to meet with people all over the country who share the same passion,” said Adrovic. “We shared ideas and experiences that we could bring to our home teams to make the sport better for our athletes. While there were many speakers covering several topics, at the end of the day we all had the same mission: to make soccer accessible to everyone.”
The TOPSoccer Symposium brought together state association and local program leaders who are implementing TOPSoccer within their states and communities. Featuring a broad array of subject matter experts and motivational speakers, the USYS Symposium provided value for everyone in attendance ranging from experienced TOPSoccer coaches to novices looking for an introduction to the program.
“The TOPSoccer Symposium was valuable to me because it gave me the opportunity to collaborate with other TOPSoccer coaches,” said Darnell. “My favorite session was Rick Flores’s session ‘Bring your A Game! Adaptive Soccer for Your Sessions.’ His session was mostly a group discussion talking about how you can better your adaptivity. In our groups, we talked about our favorite games the kids play, and we all gained more games. Overall, the symposium was a great experience and very beneficial.”
TOPSoccer (The Outreach Program for Soccer) is a recreational sports program for children with intellectual, emotional and physical disabilities. Developed by US Youth Soccer, TOPSoccer provides an opportunity for those with diverse abilities to play the game in a structured environment that is safe, fun, supportive and inclusive.
