On a recent cold and windy Saturday morning, 50 girls from the Collinsville High School girls soccer program made the trek to Fenton, Mo. to volunteer for the Special Needs Soccer Association.
Lady Kahok soccer players volunteering at SPENSA / Submitted photo
When they arrived, they found about 60 special needs kids who were all energy and smiles, eager to play soccer despite the conditions.
“It was freezing, some of those kids couldn’t feel their toes, but they had a smile on their face and they were loving it,” Kahok girls soccer Head Coach Clay Smith said.
The Lady Kahoks worked with the campers at SPENSA, a not-for-profit, St. Louis-based soccer program for young people with disabilities, on foot skills and helped them during a scrimmage at the conclusion of the day. Senior defender Matty Merlak said the campers had a great attitude.
“It was a good thing to see all those kids with smiles on their faces. They were really appreciative of everyone who came out to help volunteer,” Merlak said. “It was a really good experience.”
Junior midfielder Sophia Sharos, who was volunteering at SPENSA for a second time, said she is not aware of another organization that takes the time needed to teach special needs kids soccer skills. Sharos cited one camper for whom the approach has made a difference.
“There is this one girl named Claire that has been going there for 10 years, and there is a smile on her face every time she goes,” Sharos said. “That’s what she looks forward to every weekend, is playing soccer there.”
Smith, who has volunteered for the Special Olympics for many years, arranged for his team to volunteer at SPENSA after learning that the organization is traditionally short on volunteers during the spring. He asked the players to volunteer as an educational experience.
“It’s very important to me that these girls see that there is life outside of soccer and that there are things they can do off the field to better their community and themselves,” Smith said.
The message was received by Merlak, who said the experience was a reminder to be thankful for the advantages she has.
“I think it brought our team together to realize that not everybody has the chance to come out on the field every single day, or kick the ball normal, or even shoot the ball into a goal,” Merlak said. “I will definitely go back.”
The team will return April 12 for another chance to learn from the kids they are to be teaching, Smith said.
“These girls are their heaviest critics, they get down on themselves a lot. They just need to keep on smiling and keep working and just know that it can be done,” Smith said. “What a great opportunity for those little kids to show them that it can be done, and with a smile.”
