The Beloved Buddy System

For the past two months, I have been volunteering at LYSA TOPSoccer every Sunday. TOPSoccer is a program that works with disabled kids and adults by teaching the athletes the game of soccer and very important personal skills such as teamwork and kindness towards others. I have always loved volunteering and helping others out and there is a special place in my heart for those with disabilities so I feel like this is the perfect service learning organization for me. Unfortunately, this past week was the last week of practice for the season but I will more than likely sign up to be a volunteer buddy in the spring. My favorite thing about TOPSoccer is the ‘Buddy System’. This system pairs one volunteer with one athlete and they become partners, maybe for one practice or maybe for an entire season or more. This past week, one athlete named Hannah was waiting by the entrance to the soccer fields for her buddy for about 20 minutes into practice. When her buddy, Davis, finally came, Hannah ran up and gave him the biggest and cutest hug that I have ever seen. She kept bragging, “This is my partner and I love him so much. I love my partner”. She cooperated with her temporary buddy until Davis came but after he was there, it was clear that she would listen to him better than she would listen to anyone else. The relationship that was developed between Hannah and Davis is something very special and very unique. I wish I could have developed a relationship like that, but this season I practiced with three different athletes, all for only one practice. This was kind of sad but it gave me a better insight into different disabilities and how different children act and react differently to similar situations. For example, when told to warm run and warm up, Will just wanted to sit down, Luc would only run if I ran too, and Jake would lead that pack around the field.

I found it frustrating that the workers at TOPSoccer just threw all the new volunteers in blind. I walked in for the very first time and was expecting to be given direction but instead I was given nothing. I did not really know how to interact with the athletes or even other volunteers and was pretty confused on what to do during my first visit. The more I went to practice, the more comfortable I became with the coaches, other volunteers, and especially the athletes. 

Athletes and their buddies practice