TOPSoccer at Vestavia Hills Soccer Club
Adaptive soccer with one-on-one support, an easy Sunday schedule, and parents who genuinely get it.
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What they offer:
TOPSoccer is an adaptive soccer program for players ages U4–U19 with physical or intellectual disabilities. Each child is paired with a Sidekick volunteer who provides individualized guidance, encouragement, and support. Players are grouped according to their needs rather than strictly by age, allowing participation to look different for every child.
What to know:
Sessions are held on natural-grass fields, so prepare for dew, mud, and weather-related changes. Current dates, cost, and registration availability vary by season; check the program page before enrolling. Players are paired with Sidekick volunteers, and families can contact topsoccer@vestaviasoccer.com with questions about their child’s individual needs.
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Our experience:
I registered for our first spring session without realizing TOPSoccer was specifically designed for children with disabilities. We had previously enrolled in another children’s soccer program through VHSC, so I assumed this would be much the same.
That earlier experience required me to run onto the field and complete the program alongside my son because he needed more support than the format provided. He cried when the ball became wet from the dew, refused to kick it, and spent much of the session color-coordinating the cones. By the end, we were both exhausted.
Then we arrived at TOPSoccer. My child had his own volunteer. The field was full of people ready to support the players, and the sidelines were full of parents who get it. I was thrilled.
His participation did not have to look like everyone else’s to count. He had the support he needed to do something fun, while I was allowed to be his mother instead of his emergency one-woman coaching staff.
The Sunday-evening schedule is late enough not to consume the weekend, but early enough to avoid the worst of the spring heat. We loved the program so much that we registered again for the fall session. I recommend it shamelessly.