Instead of taking his team out to the field for a typical practice, Paul Kelly, coach of the Toms River Youth Soccer Club U-11 team, shows his boys a different type of Saturday afternoon.
Kelly's team, which is one of three teams sponsored by the Red Bull New York Club Alliance Program, has been spending many of their Saturdays helping out a program called The Outreach Program for Soccer.
TOPSoccer is a program that trains mentally and physically challenged children in soccer. For 10 weeks in the fall and spring, TOPSoccer runs programs at the Paddy O'Neill Center in Toms River, N.J.
On Nov. 4, a contingent of Toms River Youth Soccer Club team, which consisted of about 15 players, three coaches and a few parents, volunteered to train the 20 TOPSoccer children.
"This is our way of giving back," Kelly said. "It's a way I can teach my players to give back to the sport that they love."
Two of the goalkeepers on the team, young Paul Kelly and Jonathan Meola, son of current Red Bull and former U.S. international Tony Meola, held a "Goalkeeper Soccer Challenge" with the TOPSoccer participants.
The winner of the challenge received an autographed Tony Meola soccer ball.
"When I gave it to the boy, I got all choked up," the older Kelly said.
As is usually done at the programs, Kelly's team showcased their skills in a training session for the children. The team performed six drills, including passing, trapping and juggling. One of the most interactive drills was the heading drill, where the TOPSoccer children were taught how to use their head to hit the soccer ball.
To be able to see the joy in those children was enough to satisfy Kelly.
"The kids are amazing," Kelly said. "Some of them are in pretty bad shape. Most of them understand what is going on. They have so much fun. When you see their faces lighting up, it makes it worthwhile."
There were certain moments for Kelly when he realized how fortunate he and his team are just to be able to play soccer.
"You don't know how lucky you have it until you see a little girl with no legs wanting to play soccer," he said.
Kelly got his chance to help that little girl. When she arrived at the goalkeeper challenge, where she had to throw the ball, he gave her the critical tip to get the ball in the back of the net.
The coach was adamant about giving praise to two other crucial members of the TOPSoccer team: director Scott Lindstrom and local trainer and volunteer Vinny Guardino.
Toms River plans on participating in the program in the spring.
"My boys did whatever they wanted them to do," he said. "It was a really great day."
Additional information about TOPSoccer and Toms River Youth Soccer Club can be found at www.trysc.org.
