They'll be able to go for the goal

The Lynbrook/East Rockaway Soccer Club’s next game plan may be off-the-field. Club members are turning to the community to determine a level of interest for their new program, TOPSOCCER, a “total outreach program for soccer” focusing on youth athletes with disabilities in the local area.

Organized through volunteers, the TOPSOCCER program is designed to “bring the opportunity of learning and playing soccer to any boy or girl who has a mental or physical disability, with a goal to enable these young athletes to become valued and successful members of the US Youth Soccer Family. Led by the US Youth Soccer, and administrated by the club’s parent league, Long Island Junior Soccer League, the program is currently running in many local communities. And with the help of the club’s president, Guy Punzi and the Lynbrook Recreation Department, the program is making its debut here.

“Various soccer clubs on Long Island currently have this program in their communities, and we felt it was time to introduce it in ours,” said Punzi, who is also the club registrar. “Although we do not necessarily know for sure that there is a great deal of interest at this time, we felt it was too important not to pursue as a possible new program.”

Hoping that big things can spring from humble beginnings, Punzi recalled one important conversation that initiated this idea for the program, which caters to disabled youth. “The idea was sparked by a recent phone call from the Village of Lynbrook Department of Recreation Director, Pat McDermott, who contacted me one day and asked if I could give him some advice on how to organize a program for children with disabilities,” he said. “After doing some research with our parent league, we decided that it would be most efficient if the club would help create this program, and offer its resources for organizing, administering, registering and insuring the participants.”