Community Inclusion for Families Living With Autism

0

Did you know that April is National Autism Awareness Month? According to the Autism Society’s website, Autism is ever present in our society today. Over 3.5 million Americans live with an autism spectrum disorder. Autism is known to be the fastest growing developmental disability. Its prevalence in U.S. children has increased 119.4 percent from the year 2000 to the year 2010.

According to the Autism Society’s website, “Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex developmental disability; signs typically appear during early childhood and affect a person’s ability to communicate, and interact with others. ASD is defined by a certain set of behaviors and is a ‘spectrum condition’ that affects individuals differently and to varying degrees.”

Autism Awareness Month Albuquerque Moms Blog

With its diagnosis and subsequent prevalence on the rise, it is likely that you know someone whose life is affected by autism. The complexities of this disorder are quite vast. I could go on forever talking about them all. Today, I’d like to focus on an issue surrounding autism that is close to my heart: community inclusion.

For over a decade, I have volunteered with Albuquerque’s AYSO VIP (Very Important Player) division. AYSO is one of the nation’s largest soccer leagues. The VIP division is an adaptive soccer program. It has been designed to provide an authentic soccer experience in a safe and fun environment to players that would not be able to safely or successfully compete on a core division team. This includes players with cognitive delays, physical limitations, etc. We are an all-ages, mixed-gender division. Currently, we have players ranging from age 6-60+. Also, about half of our team’s players fall somewhere on the autism spectrum.

We have wonderful coaches that come to us through the UK Soccer program’s partnership with AYSO. In addition, we have a certified referee that officiates our games as well as a peer buddy program. Our buddies come to us through other soccer programs, church youth groups, or other organizations. They help teach, encourage, and promote friendships among players.
 
Being a part of this program has been a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me. I started years ago as a peer buddy, assisting players on the field. I eventually got certified as a coach and started coaching the team. Currently, I serve as the commissioner for the division. Over the years, I have bonded with all of these wonderful players and their families. I have also learned a lot about families living with disabilities in the process.
 
VIP provides an invaluable service to these families: adaptable inclusion for their children. Without a program like VIP, most of these players would never get the opportunity to play soccer. Soccer is a physically demanding sport that requires coordination, focus, and a good level of cardiovascular fitness. For this reason, many children with disabilities could not safely keep up with their core division peers. That’s where VIP comes in, opening up a whole world of opportunity to a player with special needs.
 

What Makes VIP Special

  • Our referee. VIP doesn’t follow all core division soccer regulations by the book. Even so, our ref comes to games in full uniform, whistle in hand. He provides our players with a truly authentic soccer game experience. He knows our players by name and understands each of their focus levels and physical abilities.

  • Our buddies. The peer buddy program we have is AMAZING. Peer buddies often form special friendships and bonds with the players. These buddies provide each player with understanding and self-confidence.

  • Our flexibility. AYSO is a national soccer league with regions throughout the United States. Many of those regions have their own VIP programs. Our VIP division most likely looks very different from San Diego’s VIP division, and that’s okay! That’s the beauty of this program. Our division is exactly what it needs to be in order to properly serve the families that participate. Each player’s needs, abilities, and comfort level are important to us. We try to create an environment where our players will succeed and have FUN!

Although I am not an expert, I have a good amount of experience working with the autism community. Autism is a very complex disorder. It can present itself in so many different ways across such a wide spectrum. The VIP program is a valuable resource for these families. It provides their children with a sense of inclusion in a world where they might not always feel included.
 

To learn more about autism and how you can support the autism community, visit the Autism Society’s website here.