Special Needs Kids in Central Arkansas Can Play Football Too
By: Wendy Suares, KARK 4 News
Updated: July 18, 2012
It's the time of year when many kids put on their cleats and hit the turf for football practice.
Not every child has that opportunity, but some volunteers are changing that at a camp in Conway.
"As a special needs mom, it's amazing to be able to sit on the sidelines and watch our kid play," says parent Christy Etters.
Running, throwing, passing drills. It looks like a typical football camp. But this is something special. Each one of these kids has some kind of disability.
"They can't participate in a city-wide football league or anything like that, so this is their opportunity to play football," says Community Connections Program Director Derek Moser.
"First we see how good you can run and catch, then we see how fast you can run across obstacles," says camper Keegan Colter.
But for campers like Keegan, it's more than just learning the flag football essentials. These kids aged five to 18 are gaining confidence, team building, and the chance to be like everyone else.
"He comes over and says, Mom, I made 4 points. I say, 'that's great,' and then he takes off. It's three hours of just being a regular kid," Etters says.
All of this is thanks to volunteers and the non-profit Community Connections (click here for website). The camp is now in its fourth year.
"They have so much fun doing this. And its fun for the parents because we can actually sit on the sidelines and not to worry about them throwing a fit or running off because they've got all these people here," says Etters.
"I think the most rewarding thing for me is seeing parents come in, sit down, and watch their kids participate, just seeing the smile on their faces," Moser says.
Many of those kids at the camp will put the skills they learn to good ues on the field during this fall. They play in a free league based in Little Rock called RUFL (Rivals United Flag Football League).
Click here for more information about RUFL.
Not every child has that opportunity, but some volunteers are changing that at a camp in Conway.
"As a special needs mom, it's amazing to be able to sit on the sidelines and watch our kid play," says parent Christy Etters.
Running, throwing, passing drills. It looks like a typical football camp. But this is something special. Each one of these kids has some kind of disability.
"They can't participate in a city-wide football league or anything like that, so this is their opportunity to play football," says Community Connections Program Director Derek Moser.
"First we see how good you can run and catch, then we see how fast you can run across obstacles," says camper Keegan Colter.
But for campers like Keegan, it's more than just learning the flag football essentials. These kids aged five to 18 are gaining confidence, team building, and the chance to be like everyone else.
"He comes over and says, Mom, I made 4 points. I say, 'that's great,' and then he takes off. It's three hours of just being a regular kid," Etters says.
All of this is thanks to volunteers and the non-profit Community Connections (click here for website). The camp is now in its fourth year.
"They have so much fun doing this. And its fun for the parents because we can actually sit on the sidelines and not to worry about them throwing a fit or running off because they've got all these people here," says Etters.
"I think the most rewarding thing for me is seeing parents come in, sit down, and watch their kids participate, just seeing the smile on their faces," Moser says.
Many of those kids at the camp will put the skills they learn to good ues on the field during this fall. They play in a free league based in Little Rock called RUFL (Rivals United Flag Football League).
Click here for more information about RUFL.
