SPECIAL KIDS GET LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN.Byline: Alicia Doyle Daily News Staff Writer Youngsters with mental and physical challenges can play soccer this year by joining a special league coordinated by the Moorpark division of the American Youth Soccer Organization. Similar to AYSO's national community soccer program, the ``Very Important Person'' league will teach participants soccer basics in a positive environment, said Tobey Shaw, the league's coordinator. ``We focus on teaching skills and teamwork (product, software, tool) Teamwork - A SASD tool from Sterling Software, formerly CADRE Technologies, which supports the Shlaer/Mellor Object-Oriented method and the Yourdon-DeMarco, Hatley-Pirbhai, Constantine and Buhr notations. , building self-esteem and having fun,'' Shaw said. The VIP league integrates special-needs kids in a mainstream environment, with games and practices scheduled on the same days as mainstream leagues, Shaw said. Meshing these leagues together helps promote awareness and understanding on both sides, Shaw said. ``Rather than being isolated, kids with special needs are given a chance to be successful and have a good time in a mainstream setting,'' Shaw said. ``It also gives mainstream kids a chance to participate in positive experiences with kids who have disabilities, and to learn more about them as people.'' So far more than a dozen youngsters with special needs have signed up for the VIP league. Some of the children have Down syndrome Down syndrome, congenital disorder characterized by mild to severe mental retardation, slow physical development, and characteristic physical features. Down syndrome affects about 1 in every 730 live births and occurs in all populations equally. and cerebral palsy cerebral palsy (sərē`brəl pôl`zē), disability caused by brain damage before or during birth or in the first years, resulting in a loss of voluntary muscular control and coordination. . Bruce Levy Dr Sir Enoch Bruce Levy OBE (February 19 1892–October 16 1985) was a botanist from New Zealand who became widely known for his work on improving pastures. He was born in Auckland in 1892, and lived on a farm until he was eighteen. , regional commissioner of the Moorpark AYSO AYSO American Youth Soccer Organization AYSO All Your Saturdays Occupied AYSO Alabama Youth Soccer Organization AYSO Albuquerque Youth Soccer Organization (Albuquerque, New Mexico) , said the league provides an environment where these children won't feel different. ``It will allow them to make some accomplishments,'' Levy said. ``Also, by exposing other players to them, it builds a greater understanding between kids with special needs and regular kids. We shouldn't treat them separately. We should treat them as part of something.'' Founded in 1964, AYSO is a national volunteer organization that promotes community soccer programs. It first started in Torrance on a pilot basis with nine teams. AYSO since has grown to more than 45,000 teams in 46 states, with 550,000 members nationwide. The VIP program began in 1991, with leagues set up in Mission Viejo Mission Vi·e·jo A community of southern California southeast of Irvine. It is mainly residential. Population: 96,300. and Claremont. There are now more than 50 programs of its kind across the country, with between 3,000 and 5,000 players. Shaw offered to coordinate Moorpark's VIP league because of her extensive work with special-needs children. She has a master's degree master's degree n. An academic degree conferred by a college or university upon those who complete at least one year of prescribed study beyond the bachelor's degree. Noun 1. in special education and is the program coordinator of Pasadena's Frostig Center - a nonpublic school for kids with learning disabilities. Shaw also has worked for more than 20 years with the Special Olympics Special Olympics International sports program for people with intellectual disability. It provides year-round training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type summer and winter sports for participants. . She said children with disabilities typically make up about 10 percent of the school population. There are approximately 600 kids with special needs in the Moorpark community, Shaw said. ``We want special-needs kids to be successful and have a good time,'' she said. ``That's what we want for all children.'' |
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