Because of a physical disability, Tom Moran did not get to participate in any team sports when he was a child. That is precisely why he decided to create "Just for Kicks," a soccer camp for children with special needs.
"A lot of this was driven by my own experiences. I didn't have these opportunities growing up, so I said I'm going to do my damnedest to make sure that kids today will," said Moran.
On Thursday, Sept. 29, Just for Kicks came to McLean. McLean Youth Soccer's (MYS) U14 girls team the "McLean Mavericks," hosted the Just for Kicks Ability Camp on Field 2 of Lewinsville Park. The National Sports Center for the Disabled (NSCD), with the support of the Paralympic Academy and D.C. United soccer team, sponsored the event.
Tom Moran has been running the program for the last 4 years. Moran says it all started when he decided to do an independent study while earning his bachelor's degree in physical education.
"I just decided to do it, so I did a 1-day clinic with about 50 kids, ages 3-21, and someone said 'Tom, I think you have something here,'" said Moran.
Since then the program has blossomed into a national success and Moran says he has found himself running Ability Camps "from Alaska to California to Texas." Moran currently lives in Charlottesville where he is attending the University of Virginia to earn his Ph.D.
At Thursday evening's camp, participants moved between four different stations.
"They practice passing, dribbling, finishing which is scoring and body control," said Chris Joswick, a National Programs Supervisor with the NSCD.
Kley Parkhurst, coach of the McLean Mavericks and MYS board member, helped to organize the event at Lewinsville Park. When Parkhurst heard that NSCD was looking for a field to host its Ability Camp, he was quick to coordinate plans for the collaborative effort.
"The [Mavericks] team was looking for a community service project to do, so it was really a perfect match," said Parkhurst.
Parkhurst's 13-year-old daughter Maddy is a member of the McLean Mavericks and helped to escort and guide the NSCD children from station to station.
"I think it's good," she said of the program. "There aren't really any [disability] leagues like this around here."
Parkhurst's teammate Alexis Doherty, 13, also enjoyed having the clinic.
"It's been fun," said Doherty. "I think it's awesome that they are having this."
ALEXANDRIA RESIDENT Valerie Taylor brought her 6-year-old daughter Annabel to participate in the Ability Camp. Taylor said that although her daughter had never done anything like this before, Annabel was "so excited to come."
"She loves to play with all the balls at home," said Taylor. "She is having a good time — she has a big smile on her face."
D.C. United players Ben Olsen, Josh Gros and Clyde Simms also came to the event and participated in the exercises with the children. April Prichet, Community Relations Coordinator for D.C. United says there is no shortage of team members who want to volunteer for the Ability Camp.
"We have a good group of guys so it's not hard to get them out here," said Prichet.
Ben Olsen participated in last year's camp held at RFK Stadium, and says that he really enjoys working with the children.
"It's good for us and it's good for them, but it's really good for us," said Olsen. "We have a blast doing it and it's fun to see the kids learning soccer ... there are really a lot of good people working behind the scenes."
Lisa Sullivan of Ft. Washington, Md., said she was incredibly pleased with the program. She brought her son C.J. Sullivan after his motor skills instructor informed her about the event.
"He was so excited — he's been talking about this all month," said Sullivan. "He is just thrilled."
For Tom Moran, watching children of all ages enjoy the program he created is "what it's all about."
"I say I'm teaching the kids, but the reality is that they are teaching me."
<ro>For More
<lst>MYS also does hold its own, smaller soccer clinic for people with special needs. The program is called TOPSoccer and is held on Saturdays and Sundays in the fall and spring seasons and is organized and run by volunteer players and youth players in MYS. Visit www.mcleansoccer.org/web/BaseRenderer.aspx?tid=200.