EPIC - Everyone Plays In our Community

EPIC (formerly VIP) Program - Soccer programming for children with different physical and mental abilities

Description

The AYSO EPIC Program (Everyone Plays In our Community) provides a quality soccer experience for children and adults whose physical or mental abilities make it difficult to successfully participate on mainstream teams.

We recognize that all people need to feel a sense of belonging and acceptance. The EPIC Program offers that acceptance and carries the philosophy Everyone Plays to a new heights - giving everyone a chance to play.

The EPIC Program has been structured to integrate our players into the rest of AYSO by providing a soccer season and in some cases, using “buddies”-able bodied helpers- to assist the players who need assistance both on and off the field. Our goals for every participating player are:

Have fun with soccer
Understand the fundamentals of the game
Learn teamwork and sportsmanship
Increase positive self-esteem
Become more physically fit
Meet and be comfortable with new people

Who is eligible?

Any child whose physical or mental abilities make it difficult to successfully participate on a mainstream team. EPIC teams may include blind or visually-impaired players, amputees or with conditions that impair mobility, mentally- or emotionally-challenged players, and players with Autism, Down Syndrome or Cerebral Palsy.