Kids get kick from program

The Soccajoeys Foundation has helped 200 players find their feet on the field.

Soccajoeys Next Step trainers Jose Bello and Lauren Phelps with some of the Next Step participants at Baulkham Hills. Pictures: Richard Dobson

• Sally aims for the top
• Giles’ giant steps
• Gold fever at North Rocks

A FREE soccer program for children with additional needs has helped more than 200 families in just five years.

Next Step provides free indoor soccer skills and training classes to children ages three to eight with additional needs, such as autism or cerebral palsy.

Six-year-old Ben Speechley, of Kellyville, started the Soccajoeys Foundation’s Next Step program about three years ago.

Soccajoeys Next Step trainers Karlee Wade, Jose Bello and Lauren Phelps.

Ben has Linear Nevus Sebaceous Syndrome, a rare condition that affects his eyes and results in low muscle tone and hypermobility.

Ben’s mum Allison said the program has given her son confidence and improved his balance, muscle strength, co-ordination and social skills.

“The things they do in Soccajoeys is the sort of stuff we’re doing in physio ... but he doesn’t really feel like it’s physio,” she said.

Former professional soccer player Jose Bello founded Next Step in 2011, after he noticed a lack of group sport opportunities for children with additional needs.

Mr Bello said the program was tailored to help children learn new skills, increase core strength and muscle tone, improve balance and improve their fine motor skills while having fun.

Mr Bello said the program, run by soccer coaches and occupational therapists, complemented early intervention therapies in a “fun, sporting environment”.

“It became quite a sneaky therapy because we’d be working on all those things that therapy works on but we’d be working on them in a sporting atmosphere,” he said.

The Next Step classes run across five locations in Sydney, including at Baulkham Hills.

The program, funded by the Soccajoeys Foundation through grants and fundraisers, started five years ago and Mr Bello now hopes to expand it interstate.

“We’ve been fortunate to provide the program to 217 families in five years ... and of that 217, 32 per cent have gone on to a mainstream (Soccajoeys) program,” he said.

“We’re really big advocates for inclusion … once we see they are functioning well with Next Step we see that they’re going to be able to assimilate into a mainstream (program).”

Ben has since moved into a mainstream Soccajoeys class – along with 16 other Next Step graduates – but still benefits from ongoing support.

“He was able to get a lot of support at the start, and now he doesn’t need as much help, he can do a lot of the stuff in the class himself,” Mrs Speechley said.

For details, visit the Soccajoeys Foundation website.