VIP – Exclusively for Special Needs Players

The AYSO Very Important Players (VIP) Program provides a quality soccer experience for children and adults whose physical or mental disabilities make it difficult to successfully participate on mainstream teams. VIP teams may include:

• Blind or visually impaired
• Amputees or with conditions that impair mobility
• Mentally or emotionally challenged
• Autistic
• Down syndrome
• Cerebral Palsy

These players are Very Important Players in AYSO. We recognize that all people need to feel a sense of belonging and acceptance. The VIP Program offers that acceptance and carries our philosophy of Everyone Plays® to new heights - giving everyone a chance to play.

The goal of the VIP Program is :

• Having fun playing soccer
• Understanding the fundamentals of the game
• Learning teamwork and fair play
• Increasing  positive self-esteem
• Becoming more physically fit
• Meet and be comfortable with new people
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VIP helps more than just the players.  Buddies and other volunteers increase their appreciation and understanding of individuals with special needs. They find their lives greatly enriched by their involvement with their new VIP friends. For parents thinking they would never see their children playing a sport or making new friends, VIP gives them joy and hope. They are able to relax and enjoy watching their children having fun like other kids, perhaps for the first time.

Teams can have as few as three players and may be co-ed. VIP teams can be put together with players who register based on mobility or ability. Older and younger players can also be separated onto different teams when numbers allow.