On Feb. 21, the Notre Dame JV girls basketball team spent a good part of their Sunday volunteering for the Rochester Soccer Club’s TOPSoccer program. Sponsored by US Youth Soccer, TOPSoccer is “a community-based training program for young athletes with disabilities.” Along with RSC, the program gives boys and girls with mental and/or physical disabilities the opportunity to play soccer and be active for an hour every Sunday. RSC’s goal is “to enable the thousands of young athletes with disabilities to become valued and successful members of the US Youth Soccer family.”
The Fighting Irish players began the day Sunday with a training session after which they went to the Van Hoosen Middle School in Rochester Hills to pair up with their "buddies," who ranged in age from 4 to 18 years old.
“The ability level of the participants ranged tremendously,” said Kathleen Offer, Notre Dame’s dean of admissions and the JV girls basketball coach. “Some were unable to speak, and others were unable to walk without assistance, but despite their challenges, the boys and girls seemed to really enjoy the opportunity to play with the volunteers.”
Offer said that in giving of their time and talent, the Fighting Irish players found the day to be very rewarding.
Sophomore Maddie Morris, at top, helps out at the RSC TOPSoccer program in Rochester Hills.
According to Notre Dame sophomore Maddie Morris, her experience Sunday with the kids was amazing.
“At NDP we have many clubs that have a goal of helping people and making a difference,” she said. “Working with these kids was a chance to do that, and I believe that all of us felt that we helped them in a small way.”
Team co-captain and junior Montserrat Dorantes, who organized the Notre Dame’s participation along with RSC’s TOPSoccer coordinator Gordon Gardiner, also found the experience to be valuable.
Sophomore Mary Yanik, middle, and junior Montserrat Dorantes also spent time on Feb. 21 with young athletes at the RSC TOPSoccer program.
“The opportunity to work with kids and put smiles on their faces was completely life changing,” Dorantes said. “Not only was being with them wonderful, but working with my teammates strengthened the bond between us and created more fun memories. It also helped us realize that we are very fortunate.”
The TOPSoccer program with RSC operates in the fall, winter and spring, and utilizes volunteers as young as 10 years old.
The Fighting Irish JV girls team, now 10-7 overall, finish their season this week with home games on Tuesday and Friday.
Comments or questions? mkelly@ndpma.org.
Follow us on Twitter @NDPMA
About Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. The school's upper division enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame's middle and lower divisions enroll students in jr. kindergarten through grade eight. All three divisions are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." The Marist Fathers and Brothers sponsor NDPMA's Catholic identity and manages its educational program. Notre Dame is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy, visit the school's home page at www.ndpma.org.