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TOPSoccer Initiative continues to forge champions against all odds
Credit: TOPSoccer/Corrales Soccer Club

TOPSoccer Initiative continues to forge champions against all odds

CORRALES, N.M. – Giving up is easy; in fact, it’s one of the easiest things a human can do. On the other hand, fighting against adversity, being brave, and breaking the stigmas that destiny has imposed on us are reserved for those who have a fighting spirit.

For the Corrales’ City TOPSoccer Initiative members, working hard has always been their golden rule. They know that life has challenged them to a difficult match, and yet they still hold their heads high as they go through every obstacle in search of inclusion and self-improvement.

What started in 2017 as an idea has grown so strongly that it has become a reality in just four years. The TOPSoccer Initiative is a community-based training program for all athletes with an intellectual, physical or emotional disability.

The program seeks to promote the physical development of athletes and improve their Soccer skills through training. TOPSoccer is a link for these athletes to fully integrate into society and gain confidence in themselves, which will allow them to succeed in every aspect of their lives.

The founder of the TOPSoccer initiative, Danessa Posen, has always had one goal in mind: to awaken the love for soccer in her students and forge true champions on and off the field through training and the integration of sports with society.

“The goal is to grow their soccer skills to the point of being comfortable and transition into one of our classic division teams (recreational teams) or, to continue fostering and developing their skills with confidence,” Posen said. “We currently have two players that have moved into the larger group for soccer, and others are playing on their unified/best buddies sports teams. If the athletes feel comfortable in our setting, then we will continue to build their soccer skills individually within our program.”

At TOPSoccer, everyone plays an important role. From the volunteer buddies who help athletes practice and develop their soccer skills; to the parents and friends who diligently attend every training and game to provide their support, to the coaches who dedicate their effort to unleash the maximum potential of athletes and help them achieve their dreams on and off the field.

“The TOPSoccer initiative is where I can combine my love and expertise for individuals who identify with a disability and the sport of soccer. I am able to walk out onto the field watching the athletes not only learn the game but learn to play as a team.” Posen said.

The initiative has helped hundreds of girls and girls with disabilities to develop their sports talent and face life with a more positive perspective, where no disability is an obstacle that stops them from achieving their dreams. However, for the TOPSoccer initiative to continue growing and developing champions, all possible help is needed, as Posen says.

“TOPSoccer is the initiative of my dreams, and I would like others to see that importance in any aspect that we can offer it. We need individuals who are willing to support the initiative in fall and spring each year. Buddies do not need to have soccer knowledge as we demonstrate skills before athletes and buddies attempt them.”

TOPSoccer athletes do not deserve our pity, but our admiration. The emotion, courage, enthusiasm, and above all, the joy these boys and girls face each training session and game demonstrates that with the right attitude, athletes can achieve significant results.

After seeing the TOPSoccer athletes in action, there is no doubt that these boys and girls put 200% of their effort into each training session. But best of all, they carry that confidence and determination in every step they take in their daily lives, proving that hard work pays off.

The boys and girls who enter TOPSoccer do so with a need: to be accepted and valued for their potential, but they come out with that and much more. They are no longer listed as “the others”, and neither are they the last to be chosen for a team.

They are now well-rounded athletes, boys and girls, with a fiery desire to progress and be recognized. Now they have the skills, and they know how to play. They now have an unbreakable spirit that will guide them through their odyssey in society. They are now real-life champions, and they will continue to prove that the word “disability” doesn’t exist in the champions’ dictionary.

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