Eliot River Ramblers para sport soccer program 'a place for everyone to play'
'We talk about inclusion in our community, and for us that means everybody'
The Eliot River Ramblers Soccer Club is offering a para soccer program this fall, and hopes to have many Islanders with physical or sensory disabilities out to share the love of the game.
The co-ed program is open for players between the ages of 10 and 18 from across the province. Its focus is on basic soccer development and introducing as many para athletes to the game as possible.
Adrian Desbarats, president of the Ramblers, says it's a program they've wanted to create for a while now, but COVID delayed that. Now, the time is right — and they're charging forward to make the game more accessible for Islanders.
"We talk a lot about inclusion in the sport, and we talk about inclusion in our community, and for us that means everybody," he said. "We felt it was the right thing to do and we have the capability to do it."
People with physical and sensory disabilities are all invited to play.
Depending on the number of people who come out to play, the program will have players break into groups relative to their ability.
'Have a place for everyone to play'
The program will be outdoors every Saturday for an hour from Sept. 4 to Oct. 9, and it'll have the club coaches, Joel MacDonald and Bryce Stone, along with volunteers, running it.
"We have our three pillars and that is to create a fun, safe and challenging environment for our athletes," Desbarats said. "That's our ultimate goal, is to put the bug in these individuals to say 'Man, that was a lot of fun. I want to do it again.'"
MacDonald said they want to "have a place for everyone to play." A club, a venue and an atmosphere that makes athletes feel welcome, valued, safe and excited.
By the program's end, he hopes they want to come back when they do it again next year.
"I hope they leave with a sense of satisfaction about having tried soccer and had some success with it, and for that reason build the confidence to come back and try again," he said.
"Soccer is, to me at least, it's the greatest sport and to not play is to miss out on something great."
More information on the program can be found on the Eliot River Ramblers website.