SAN ANTONIO (December 10, 2023) – In just a few short months, the United Adaptive Soccer Association (UASA) has made its impact on the sport we love. The UASA was founded earlier this year by a group of like-minded individuals with the intent to move the needle for accessibility in soccer and is already delivering on its mission.
Eight disability soccer organizations — US Youth Soccer’s TOPSoccer, Cerebral Palsy Soccer, Down Syndrome Futsal, Power Soccer, Amputee Soccer, Deaf Soccer, Dwarf Soccer, and AYSO Epic — make up the inaugural membership.
Participants from nearly all of the organizations, as well as those representing the Blind Soccer community, met up at Morgan’s Wonderland and the STAR Complex in San Antonio in mid-December. They were on hand for the first-annual United Adaptive Soccer Association Participation and Performance Camp — a multi-day camp allowing similarly-abled teammates to train amongst each other.
The disability soccer organizations were split into two pathways: a performance route and a participation route. US Youth Soccer’s TOPSoccer and AYSO’s EPIC were among those in the participation pathway due to their all-encompassing nature, while others such as Cerebral Palsy Soccer and Down Syndrome Soccer fall under the performance route, as they provide competitive pathways for individuals in those disability categories.
Both pathways had packed schedules set up for them in the Alamo City. Athletes in the performance pathway trained on the field two times a day, ate meals together, and had the opportunity to learn about the other organizations. Participation pathway athletes attended one session per day with a focus on allowing each athlete to build foundational skills necessary to play soccer. USYS TOPSoccer coaches Shannon Hartinger and Shawn Danhouser helped facilitate the sessions for a group of young athletes with the help of buddies from the other organizations.
Those in attendance left San Antonio feeling the event was a resounding success. UASA succeeded in creating an environment for athletes of all abilities to compete and thrive, so all were able to play.
-USYS-
