HP_120816

hplandmark.com sports
the highland park landmark | December 8, 2016 | 31
Highland Park AYSO VIP soccer program promotes awareness and inclusion
Children with
disabilities thrive in
Highland Park AYSO VIP
Buddy Soccer program
Stephanie Kerch, AYSO
Long-time friends and buddies within the program (from left), Ezra Miller, Alec Knobloch and Justin
Illes, all of Highland Park, pose for a picture during a recent practice. PHOTO SUBMITTED
Team sports are one of the defining
experiences of childhood.
Weekday practices, weekend
playing on the field, winning,
losing, and the excitement of
play are all part of growing up.
Only local league, the Highland
Park American Youth Soccer
Organization (HP AYSO) VIP
(Very Important Player) program,
makes it possible for children
with disabilities to enjoy
these rites of passage.
The HP AYSO VIP teams
provide local soccer play experiences
to children whose physical
or mental disabilities make it
difficult to participate on mainstream
teams. Locally, they play
on Sunday mornings throughout
the Fall and Spring seasons,
enjoying games that get
everyone moving and having
fun.
“The goal of the national
AYSO program is for every
child to have the opportunity to
play soccer at every level and
ability, and this program personifies
that mission,” said Alana
Miller, a Highland Park resident
who started and has helped
to manage the VIP program for
more than eight years.
Highland Park AYSO has
one of the more robust VIP programs
in the area, due largely to
the dedication and leadership of
both Miller and Todd Grayson,
who previously ran the coaching
side of the program for more
than four years as another HP
AYSO Board member and parent
of a VIP player. Today, the
HP AYSO hosts 17 VIP players
and 25 “Buddies.” Buddies
are volunteers that range in age
from 8th grade to seniors in high
school, and devote their time
to effectively providing oneon-one
help to players on the
field.
Visiting a game recently, it’s
impossible to overstate how
wonderful the program is, and
how rewarding and fun it is for
all involved. One Northbrook
mom of a player on the autism
spectrum shared, “My son has
been coming for nearly six
years, and he is now in seventh
grade. He cannot wait to get up
and go each week, and he loves
to run up and down the field, especially
early before things get
too busy. It is so good for him.
He loves the game, learning
skills, and the one-on-one time
with his Buddy is a connection
he enjoys, that really helps
him.”
Laura Florek, of Northbrook,
has been bringing her two children
for more than five years.
Her daughter, 11 and son, 13
both are on the autism spectrum.
“As a parent, to be able to
have them do something in the
community, play sports, be with
buddies and get into activities,
well, it’s wonderful,” Florek
said. “They really look forward
to it, and are excited to participate.
I can see how happy they
are doing something with their
peers.”
“We couldn’t do it without
our amazing volunteers,” said
Andy Karsen, HP AYSO Commissioner,
“It would be impossible
to field the teams. We’re
very appreciative that we have
so many terrific young people
who step up.”
Some of the Buddies that
shared insight into the experience
include Dani Cohn, Justin
Illes, Rachel Antman and Abby
Karsen, Becca Turley and Ezra
Miller – all of Highland Park.
Each expressed passion for being
Buddies, and how rewarding
it is to see the smiles on the
players, watching them grow
and improve, and their amazing
attitudes.
Miller said, “Our hope is
that VIP soccer will help the
athletes gain confidence, learn
teamwork, some new skills,
and enjoy the physicality of
sports. Overall, this experience
is meant to be fun, fair and safe
for the athletes. Still, it’s not
just giving these VIP players
some genuine inclusion and fun
– although that is the point. It
gives something invaluable to
the parents as well. They can sit
and watch the game, see their
child’s joy in participating in
this team activity, and have an
opportunity to get to know the
other parents too.”
To register, go to www.hpayso.org/vip.
For more details,
write to vip@hpayso.org or like
the Facebook page Alana VIPsoccerbuddy.
wrestling
From Page 34
you have to do against the best
wrestlers in the state. I want to
go back there and improve upon
what I did.”
The Giants received pins
from Weathers (152) and Martin
Melcher (160), a technical
fall by Alex Rosenbloom (145),
a 6-3 win from Aidan Sanders
(120) and forfeit wins from Jett
Koulentes (113), Andy Rosenbloom
(126) and Juan Melgar
(182).
GBN’s Gio Kollias gave a
strong performance as he was
one of three Spartans to earn
pins. Kollias’ pin in 132 came
with 1:29 left in the second period.
“We had a tough fall to start
the match at 220,” Kollias said.
“I wanted to get some points for
the team and do what I could to
help them rally. I did a good job
making sure I was staying on
top and tried to keep control of
my position.”
As a senior, Kollias has been
part of the Spartans program for
quite a while. And he takes his
role as one of the primary leaders
for GBN seriously.
“I’ve been in this program under
coach (Jason) Erwinski for
four years now so I know what
some of the younger guys go
through when they’re first starting
out,” Kollias said. “I feel like
it’s my job to try and get them
to buy into what the coaches are
teaching and set a good example
for the rest of the team.”
Though GBN dropped its first
conference match of the season,
Kollias has liked what he’s seen
from the team thus far.
“We just about have a full lineup
and there were a lot of things
that we did well today,” Kollias
said. “A lot of guys had pins
and really stepped up. I think
we’re capable of having a good
turnaround from last season. We
have to keep working but I feel
like guys are buying in and we’re
showing improvement.”
Jake Fahey (138) and Nate
Rosenberg (170) earned pins
while other Spartans winners
were Justin Starr (195) and Jacob
Weingardt (285) while Kazden
Orshoski (106) won by forfeit.