People come into your life just when you need them most.  I found myself recognizing one of those moments today during my neurotypical 8-year-old’s soccer game.  Luke ‘s team is simply a joy to watch. 

All three of my sons play soccer with AYSO. The contrast among their teams is strong, but they all have one common thread: joy.  AYSO came into our lives just when we needed it most.

As I watched today’s game unfold, I saw a team having fun.  I saw a team giving each other high fives and telling themselves not to sweat the mistakes, just keep playing!  I saw a team that, despite their loss, came off the field proud, happy, exhausted, and as silly as ever.

Were there mistakes? Absolutely! Were there goals scored? Yes, two.  Were they passing and scoring like a well-oiled machine? Not even close.  Were there any injuries? Yes, there sure were. But our kids were so happy at the end of the game.  Why?  

Before the game started, these little players talked about how much they wanted to win.  They got together and talked about how good the other team was looking during warm ups.  They pumped each other up and truly were a team.  Somewhere in all the practices, falls, crashes, and meltdowns from frustration, these incredible 8-year-olds became a team.  They checked on each other today throughout the game.  They even checked on the other team’s kids.  

And I know why that happened.  It was because of our kids’ coach.  He kicked off the season inviting all the families to enjoy dinner together while conducting his first team meeting.  Our kids instantly hit it off.  Without a doubt, each and every one of our kids grew socially, emotionally, and “soccerly” this season.  More importantly, they found joy in the game and in each other.  They are having the time of their lives out there.  

With every single boy on the team and their families, our coach took time to connect.  He seemed to have the magic touch when it came to getting crying kids to calm down.  I watched him take a knee and bend down to be on the same level as each child.  He calmly spoke encouraging words that both validated their concerns and minimized whatever ailed them. 

My son Luke is far more confident than he was back in March. Coach encouraged him when he came last in every run.  He calmed him when he fell on his face.  And he celebrated him when he had a good play.  

And this experience with AYSO is the same for my other sons too.  My oldest, Josh (12), plays with a team that improves with every practice and every game.  They thirst for the win.  When they are losing, they find the strength deep down and go for it.  Zack, my 8-year-old with autism, plays for EPIC (formerly VIP).  His games are so special for every single person involved.  EPIC not only provides a safe environment for kids of all abilities to learn and play soccer, but it also facilitates inclusion by having the typical teams play our EPIC kiddos.  Some kids start off on the EPIC team and transition to the typical teams after a few seasons.  No matter the level, everyone smiles. Parents, players, coaches, buddies, opponents, refs.  You can’t leave an EPIC game without feeling pure joy coursing through you.

AYSO is the only organized recreational activity my family does that caters to all three of my kids.  Special needs and all.  AYSO has given us, an autism family, a great experience.