Pickering Soccer Club is “Making Incredible Things Happen” for children and youth with special needs in Pickering, Durham and across the GTA and providing meaningful opportunities and experiences for volunteers through their All Abilities Program.
With the introduction of a special needs program in 2008, Pickering Soccer Club has worked closely with community partners to develop, advance and promote high quality all-inclusive soccer programs for children and youth with special needs.
The primary objective of PSC’s All Abilities Program is to provide opportunities for people of all abilities, including those with special needs, physical and/or intellectual disabilities, to play soccer and be active, have fun and form friendships.
In addition, the All Abilities program provides opportunities for our older athletes to become a certified coach, to compete in tournaments and experience volunteerism.
The program is more than just sports participation – it’s a gateway to a wide range of new training, learning and networking opportunities for both athletes and volunteers.
Working closely with experts specializing in sports, rehab therapy and disability support services, PSC has designed a series of specialized program modules that respond to the unique needs of each athlete.
These modules follow Canada’s Sport for Life development guide and the OSA’s LTPD structure to help athletes develop physically, socially and personally within a soccer focused, team environment.
In addition to building new soccer skills, this model has helped athletes become healthier, more active, engaged, self-confident and independent.
The All Abilities Program reflects Pickering Soccer Club’s commitment to the ideas of “grassroots soccer” and “club excellence” and recognizes their role and responsibility as a community soccer club to ensure that soccer is accessible to everyone and that the entire community benefits from the delivery of high quality sport programming and meaningful volunteer experiences.
PSC will be hosting another All Abilities Symposium on February 28, on “Building Capacity”- Creating Opportunities through Sport.
This symposium is designed to help introduce special needs sports programming, share community knowledge and experience and promote inclusion in community sports.
To learn more about how integrating special needs programming creates club excellence and how these programs can lead to meaningful volunteer, employment and inclusion opportunities for all people contact Wendy Cates for symposium details.