VIP Special Needs Program- AYSO Soccer Region 372

SOCCER SEASON GAME PLANS

Practical Information
Game days are Saturdays, September 8-October 27, including October 6/Columbus day weekend. Coaches and Referees arrive at 8:30, Buddies arrive at 8:45 and Players arrive at 9am. Game plans include skill-building, team warm-up and a soccer match. Matches are played in halves with a water break midway and a full-program snack time afterward. Remember SAFETY guidelines, with shinguards, water bottles, and no metal jewelry, hoods or jeans.

Coach Field Coverage
At least one trained adult per field, with use of experienced youth buddies who have shown leadership qualities, will monitor the fields. Ginny Elliott and Dave Zeiger are currently compiling a collection of mini-games (drills) and warm-ups to be used before game time. Warm ups and mini-games are planned ahead of time, to support individual player development and team building. Coach resources are Ginny Elliott, Rick Duros, Kenny Pechtl, Bailey Cordes (C), Lisa Coder, Nina Koruna, Blanca Parra (B), Trudy Balogh, Jennifer Vermazen (A).

Referee Field Coverage
Referee resources are Dave Zeiger, Del Parra, Rick Duros, Gabby Will, and Kenny Pechtl.

Youth BUDDIES
In the last year we focused on Buddy recruitment and training, and had almost 50 buddies actively participating in the program. Attendance at games and responsiveness to the players were excellent. Due to overlapping sports practices and games with our older buddies, we have lost some of our youth leaders. Additional buddies are being recruited and trained.

Youth Leadership
Several of our youth buddies have shown leadership qualities in their sensitivity to buddies, their input on warm-up and game plans, and their overall dependability and positive modeling as buddies. These buddies will be offered asst coach roles, warm-up leader roles and invited to participate actively in training and orientation activities.

Fall letters will again go out to the schools and organizations that the youth buddies are affiliated with, to increase acknowledgement and pride associated with participation on our VIP program. This effort has resulted in principals, scout leaders and school board acknowledgement of buddies, and increased service opportunities for some of our high school students.

Updates on Individual Players
One of our returning players is in the thick of treatment for leukemia and is responding generally well. Doctors have encouraged her continued participation with the VIP program. Parents and Valerie have spoken at length regarding additional adaptations and needs, as well as focus areas for her fun and growth. She will likely be inconsistent in her Saturday morning attendance due to unpredictability with acute health issues. Experienced buddies and coaches have been assigned to her for increased supervision. Our VIP Soccer families will keep her in our prayers.

Player Turnover
We have additional players registered for the Fall 07-Spring 08 season, and others who are observing at the fields prior to registering. Observation is welcomed, and improves the transition process once players and buddies register. The Registrar is flexible with additional VIP registrations as long as parents complete the registration process fully. Our registration has decreased generally, due to the following reasons: trying Buddy baseball, family moving, and Saturday AM Dr and therapy appts.

PROGRAM NEWS
Program Successes

Section 6 TOURNAMENT
Our coach and referee volunteers organized the June tournament very well. Contacts were made neighboring communities and states. Grayslake was able to participate along with several of our players in the June tournament. Our youth volunteer turnout was very high and highly commended by observers and the GL program leadership.

U10/U12 VISITING PLAYERS
Players from 3 different U10 girls teams visited our Field C players last Spring. It was a very positive experience for all involved. The VIP leadership will continue to solicit visits from AYSO U10 and U12 girls and boys team. We currently have several teams in the schedule to play on fields C and B.

INTER-REGIONAL PLAY
Round Lake players have been invited to visit and play with us, and the game week is being determined. Discussion about an additional Tournament/Clinic/Picnic program for VIP programs has been initiated. Valerie Walker is in regular communication with VIP coordinators. Additional discussion and planning will happen at the VIP Networking day on November 3rd.

COACH FOR A DAY
Youth Buddies have initiated invitations to VIPs to come watch their own soccer games. VIPs have been invited to sit with the team/coaches, been asked to help keep score or handout water at breaks, been given a uniform to wear or have, and overall have had a fabulous experience. The VIP leadership wants to formalize this into an AYSO program. Benefits would be to empower VIPs by giving them a chance to learn from regular games, be out in the AYSO community, and build friendships; and to expand awareness of the VIP program. Considerations would be coach/volunteer coordination and VIP safety.

4th of JULY PARADE
The VIPs and Buddies who were able to participate in the parade had a positive experience. The VIP leadership has parade preparation/representation ideas for upcoming parades & tournaments, which will be recorded and presented to the AYSO board after the November meetings.

VIP Award Distribution Committee
Mundelein AYSO’s VIP program has been awarded a $5,000 grant from Motorola due to the proposal submitted by Valerie Walker. David Zeiger was awarded the ‘Motorola CEO Award for Volunteerism’ due to his outstanding work with our program. We are convening a committee of AYSO representatives, VIP Volunteers, VIP Consultants and VIP parents to organize recommendations for how to best utilize the resources. Considerations discussed among the coaches and referees at this point are that money should be spent on program materials, equipment, training and special event opportunities that can benefit all the players and program. We do not want to use the donation up on a special event or something that all the players do not have access to. Valerie and Dave are arranging meetings accordingly, and will communicate out to VIP families with requests for feedback and suggestions.

Upcoming Trainings & Networking Opportunities
A Fall New Buddy training will be organized, in addition to the 8/26 one, to train and orient new volunteers to the program if needed. The next full training day will be Saturday, November 3rd, which will include VIP Coach/Referee training, New and Advanced Buddy training, an Inter-Regional Networking meeting, and a VIP Parent Feedback meeting.

VIP Player Parent Feedback
We will use a mid-season survey to gather input from parents and volunteers after the Fall session. Player parents are also invited to attend in informal discussion meeting on November 3rd with the coaches, referees and youth leaders. Although the coaches and referees have worked to have ongoing communication on program and individual player issues during the seasons, we still hear feedback ‘after the fact’ at times. Volunteer and parent feedback and suggestions are essential to our program’s quality and progress.

Communication Progress Update
The VIP program is utilizing a new Access data system, so that players and buddies so that communication is done by fields rather than by the VIP coordinator. Emergency information, contact information, player-buddy matches and backups, and special needs are included for each participant.

The VIP website has received positive feedback from users. The current ‘Family Note’ as well as program information, volunteer highlights and forms are included as links in the site.

Networking/Publicity
Increased publicity will continue to go out to recruit additional players and buddies. Publicity options that have been successful are: letters/calls to Doctors offices, WOM!, letters/calls to Special services staff in schools, HS service coordinators and youth organizations, SEDOL contacts and newsletter, PSAs in local media, volunteer acknowledgements, etc.

Who are the Coaches and Referees?

The Coaches and Referees are a dedicated group of volunteers with backgrounds related to special recreation (social work, special education, nursing, youth sports management, physical training, sign language) or with the willingness to be ‘friendly, flexible and fun’. All adult volunteers receive a required VIP training to be certified to work on the VIP fields.

Who are the Buddies?

‘Buddy’ volunteers are youth ages 10 and older who are trained to the program, and help the players on and off the field. Youth come from middle and high schools, youth organizations and teams, scouts, and religious organizations. Our best recruiters of youth volunteers are the Buddies themselves.
The Buddies work with the players 1-1 to teach soccer skills and familiarity to the game, and support the players during game time. Buddies physically support the players on the field, encourage the players to participate and stay focused, or cheer from the sidelines, depending on the abilities and needs of each players. Our more experienced buddies also lead the team warm-ups and help with coaching.
The VIP Players and Youth Buddies are the center of the program. Buddy volunteers are kids age 10 and older, who receive training, support, a cool t-shirt and weekly snacks, in order to help the players learn soccer and have fun.

What do the players and buddies actually do on game days?

The Buddies, Coaches and Referees meet for updates and field set-up each Saturday by 8:45am. Then the Buddies greet the players who arrive by 9am. The Buddies and Players begin with individual teaching, skill-building and practice working in pairs. Then the teams do group non-competitive stretching and warm-up drills. After a water break, the games begin, played in 2 10-minute halves. The players do a ‘good sports’ line-up and hand shake at the end and enjoy a snack with the other teams. All VIP games are played at the upper fields at Mundelein Community Park, sponsored by Mundelein AYSO Region 372 in cooperation with the Park District.

Why did you develop the program?

A group of AYSO volunteers, Board members and community representatives have worked together since 2002 to develop the program, refine training, and manage the program. It is based off of a national AYSO model, and has been adapted to meet the needs of the players in our community. “As a parent and social worker, I know that the players and buddies are in a win-win situation from their experiences with each other. My own children participate as Buddies, and have increased their views of what is means to be ‘different’, ‘need help’ and ‘give of themselves’.” The VIP program upholds a central AYSO philosophy of ‘everyone plays’, and everyone benefits.

SUCCESS

Many of the players have progressed from being afraid of the ball and playing field to preparing for the AYSO National Games which took place in Libertyville July of 2006. Parents tell us of players sleeping in their uniforms due to excitement for the game days. The program has grown to include additional game fields, the players being selected for particular fields based on abilities and safety. The game fields play adjacent to each other at the same time. Parents can relax and network with other parents on the sidelines.
Our VIP program is succeeding in the AYSO philosophy of ‘everyone plays’, with 3 playing fields and over 50 youth volunteers. The program has been spotlighted in Chicago Parent magazine, Mundelein Journal, Daily Herald, Pioneer Press and … on ABC news, for our growing program, dedicated volunteers and participation in the AYSO National Games.

Recent Highlights of our VIP program include recognition of our program for our model training programs for volunteers, the quality growth of our players, and for our exceptional volunteers. With Sign Language classes for Buddies and AYSO Players, additional playing fields, Advanced Buddy training and Youth Referee options, we are succeeding in helping the Very Important Players become part of our AYSO community. Enrollment has increased by word of mouth, yet we need more BUDDIES! Come visit us on Saturdays at 9am at the upper fields at Mundelein Community Park and see for yourself! Registration for Players and Buddies is ongoing.