Joe Strauss Foundation & TOPSoccer Rhode Island

2006 was the first year that the Joe Strauss Foundation invited the Rhode Island TOPSoccer program into the Joe Strauss Invitational Tournament and Festival with the help of Jim Kelly (Top Soccer / Soccer Start Director for Soccer-RI) and Judy DeLuca (TOPSoccer Coordinator for Coventry Soccer Association ). 

TOPSoccer Players from various towns within RI came together to create teams and played some very exciting soccer. If you would like to see some photographs of the games and award cerimonies from last years TOPSoccer, click here. The players had so much "FUN" that both the players and parents asked if they could return in 2007.

Therefore 2007 will celebrate it's 11th Annual Joe Strauss Tournament and the 2nd Annual TOPSoccer Tournament. If you have a player that falls into the TOPSoccer guidelines and would like to play in this years tournament please contact Judy Deluca or Jim Kelly.

WHAT IS TOPSoccer?

TOPSoccer (The Outreach Program for Soccer) is a community-based training and team placement program for young athletes with disabilities, organized by youth soccer association volunteers. The program is designed to bring the opportunity of learning and playing soccer to any boy or girl, age 8-19, who has a mental or physical disability. Our goal is to enable the thousands of young athletes with disabilities to become valued and successful members of the US YOUTH SOCCER family.

Why do we need a TOPSoccer Program?

TOPSOCCER was formed to perpetuate the US YOUTH SOCCER mission statement which is, in part, "to foster the physical, mental and emotional growth and development of America's youth through the sport of soccer at all levels of age and competition." There are thousands of children with disabilities who need, and can be provided with, the opportunity to play soccer through the TOPSoccer program.

How do I participate?

Contact your local US Youth Soccer State Association office to find out more about getting involved with a local US Youth Soccer TOPSoccer program. You can find State Association by clicking here. Or, simply contact your respective US Youth Soccer TOPSoccer Committee member by using the e-mail addresses listed below.

Soccer Rhode Island
Top Soccer / Soccer Start Director
Jim Kelly
401-789-7477
VP-TOPSoccer-SoccerStart@Soccer-RI.com