Dr. Jessie Birdwhistell, who played soccer for Lexington FC, Henry Clay and Denison University, returned home from college in 2008 realizing a need for summer soccer camps for children and young adults with disabilities.
The Lexington Youth Soccer Association TOPSoccer program has grown from that simple desire into a triumph that has touched hundreds of lives – athletes and volunteers – since its inception. The Spring 2019 season will mark LYSA TOPSoccer’s 10th anniversary. TOPS stands for The Outreach Program for Soccer.
“Soccer had always a big part of my life and working with individuals with special needs has been a long-time passion,” Birdwhistell said. “We worked hard, we found the support and over the last 10 years, the financial support and the number of players and volunteers have remained strong.”
As a youth player, Birdwhistell’s LFC team had been selected to participate as buddies for Lexington’s first TOPSoccer program. She also got involved with a Kentucky Special Olympics soccer team. The United States Youth Soccer Association developed TOPSoccer in 1991 to train young players with disabilities, ages 4 to 18, in a caring coaching environment. But Lexington’s early venture ended after only two seasons due to lack of support and funding.
Years later, while also pursuing a PhD in school psychology at the University of Kentucky, Birdwhistell reached out to the Kentucky Youth Soccer Association (KYSA) and Kentucky Indoor Soccer and Sport and the first “Let’s All Play Soccer Camp” was created. It attracted many athletes with a wide range of abilities and 30 volunteers. Soon, Birdwhistell began to work with Special Olympics to organize a Lexington soccer team.
Those successes inspired her to try to bring a TOPSoccer program back to Central Kentucky. She got certified by the United States Youth Soccer Association as a TOPSoccer coach. Then, with the help and support of the LYSA, KYSA and many community members she gained the financial, facility and volunteer support to start LYSA TOPSoccer in the fall of 2009.
LYSA TOPSoccer’s first season had 55 players who played on three different teams and 85 volunteers.
“The response to TOPSoccer was overwhelming and showed an obvious need for a league in our community,” Birdwhistell said.
TOPSoccer’s mission is to provide a safe and caring environment for athletes with disabilities where they can experience the joys of sport through the game of soccer. TOPS works to improve the overall fitness, self-esteem and social and soccer skills of athletes and offers a level-playing field, where every athlete gets the chance to play soccer and experience the thrill of scoring their first goal or making their first save. Players join a team, complete with practices, games and uniforms, and a fall tournament, and have end of the season events that include trophies and medals.
TOPSoccer fees have remained unchanged over the 10 years – $25.00 covers player insurance, a team shirt, shorts (if needed), soccer socks, equipment, a snack at the end of each practice, athlete pictures, and a trophy or medal. And scholarships are available upon request. TOPSoccer players can participate regardless of their understanding of soccer and team placement is made by ability, size and age to ensure the safety and success of each athlete at whatever level they are able to participate.
Now much more than a summer camp, the spring season runs over six Sundays, March through early May and is held at Kentucky Indoor Soccer and Sport. The fall season runs over 10 Sundays, late August through October and is held at Masterson Station Park. In the fall, players also have the opportunity to attend a TOPS tournament in Cincinnati and an end of the season awards party.
TOPSoccer practices are held for an hour between 1 and 3:00 p.m. each Sunday, allowing athletes the opportunity to participate in other sports that traditionally utilize Saturdays, including Bluegrass Miracle League Baseball and Special Olympics. Practicing on Sundays also allows volunteer participation by more high school, select and college soccer players.
TOPSoccer also offers a unique experience for its volunteers or “buddies.” Buddies attend practices and games and work one-on-one in a team setting to help each player learn about soccer, being a team member and reaching their full potential.
One volunteer explained it this way, “My family and I have had the opportunity to meet so many amazing athletes, families, and volunteers through our time volunteering with LYSA TOPSoccer. While we signed up to help teach soccer to kids and young adults, over time we have realized that we have been fortunate enough to learn just as much, if not more, from the athletes. LYSA TOPSoccer provides an atmosphere where everyone has fun, meets new people, learns new skills, and enthusiastically says ‘See you on Sunday!’”
TOPS has been fortunate to have at least 90 volunteers each season. Many coaches have been with the program since it began in 2009.
“TOPSoccer attracts volunteers of all ages. Our volunteers may be UK professors, special education teachers, physical therapists, college, high school and select soccer teams, members of UK volunteer groups and the CIS 112 classes, and middle school students.” said Janice Birdwhistell, Jessie’s mother and LYSA TOPSoccer’s volunteer coordinator. “For many, TOPS has become a family affair and we see older siblings bringing younger brothers and sisters to our program. We try to create a family-friendly atmosphere for our volunteers and athletes. But TOPS can always use volunteers to serve as buddies, coaches and help with administrative functions.”
Over the past nine years a LYSA TOPSoccer volunteer has been chosen by KYSA as the Kentucky TOPSoccer Buddy of the Year. Of those selected, four have gone on to win the Region II TOPSoccer Buddy of the Year Award and has competed for the national award.
Those competing nationally were Annie Dunbar (’11), a Henry Clay and UK graduate who started as a sophomore in high school and volunteered all four years while at UK; Alyssa King (’12), a UK graduate and special education teacher who volunteered at the first camp, all four years of college and two years after graduation; Claire Bieber (’15), who received the award her senior year in high school after being involved with TOPS beginning in middle school; and Chris George (’17), a UK graduate who participated eight seasons after discovering the program through a class assignment his freshman year. Others recognized for the TOPSoccer Buddy of the Year Award are: Jason Russo (’10), Jason Goodwill (’13), Chris Hutchison (’14), Tai Punsuchart (’16) and Jack Schaller (’18).
Jessie Birdwhistell, LYSA TOPSoccer director, received the Kentucky 2014 Volunteer of the Year and Sarah Balkcom received the Kentucky TOPSoccer 2018 Coach of the Year.
In 2016, TOPSoccer was recognized as the Outstanding Service-Learning Organization by the University of Kentucky for its commitment to CIS 112, a UK class offered to students interested in community service. Many of the volunteers have gone on to win scholarships and receive recognition because of their involvement with the program.
To volunteer as a buddy or committee member, contact Janice Birdwhistell at jeb147@aol.com or you can complete the on-line form at www.lysa.org/volunteer-coach/youth-recreational/how-to-volunteer.
To register as an athlete go to http://lysa.kysoccerlive.net/.
For registration questions contact Lois Stephens the club registrar at 859-361-5719 or registrar@lysa.org.
For questions about TOPSoccer or to make a donation, contact Jessie Birdwhistell, league director at 859-608-4160.
