Soccer Program Provides Field For Disabled Players

Shakopee resident Lukas Tucker spent the first seven years of his life in a wheelchair. The 13-year-old has Angelman syndrome, a genetic disorder which often causes developmental delay, speech impairment and problems with movement.

But Tucker continues to improve his walking, and this summer he spent each Sunday night taking his movement to the next level—laughing, running and playing with the TOPSoccer Blues program.

“It’s absolutely amazing Lukas can do something he couldn’t do before,” said Angela Tucker, Lukas’ mother. “It definitely touches us. he’s trying, and that’s all we care about is that he tries. Whether he’s successful or not, he’s trying and that makes us happy as parents.”

TOPSoccer, which is run through the Minnesota Youth Soccer Association, is a community-based soccer program for children and adults above the age of 8 with physical and/or mental disabilities.

Each week from early-June to mid-August, eight teams from five TOPSoccer locations near the metro meet in Eagan to play a game or two. The Blues squad draw 43 players from the southwest metro area—with the majority coming from Edina, Eden Prairie and Shakopee—and break into three teams each week to compete.

The Blues’ final game of the summer was on Sunday in Eagan.

Lukas Tucker and at least six other kids from Shakopee play on the Blues team, and all joined this season.

“The atmosphere is amazing,” Angela Tucker said. “It’s like a family, I think. The kids support each other. The coaches are amazing. It doesn’t matter their skill level, their age, their disability.”

The program, which has five locations and about 120 players around the Twin Cities, allows kids and adults of all ages to compete together, have fun and exercise often.

Blues co-coach Scott Raver said his favorite part of the program is seeing the kids improve throughout the summer.

“Seeing a person who is really tentative on the field blossom out there is really neat,” Raver said.

Jeff Mueller has coached with both Special Olympics Minnesota and TOPSoccer for 12 years, and he said the program ensures participants a way to exercise, enjoy a summer activity and develop friendships with both teammates and opponents. 

Winning and losing is a secondary priority. Some nights, a team lends players to the opposing team so the kids get more playing time.

“It’s just one big happy group,” Mueller said. “We cheer for both sides.”

Edina resident Jane Cashin said the coaches make the program even more special. Cashin’s son, Sam, is in his fourth year with the Blues. She said the coaching staff brings an enthusiasm to the field each week.

“They’re not all excited about it because it’s for their child,” she said. “They’re excited for it because it’s our child. That gets a parent excited.”

Angela Tucker said because of Lukas’ Angelman syndrome, he cannot talk and communication is sometimes difficult. She isn’t sure he knows the soccer season ended on Sunday for the summer.

Still, she said Lukas claps and smiles when they arrive at the field each week, and she expects that to happen again in 2012.

“I don’t know if he knows it’s over,” she said. “But he’ll be happy when we drive to the field again next year.”