Major League Soccer is the most recent of a series of men’s premier professional national soccer leagues established in the United States and Canada. That said, Special Olympics is the world’s largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities providing year-round training and activities to 5 million participants and Unified Sports. The combination of the two is a sports program for every Major League Soccer City that tries to allow unified players and players with intellectual disabilities to work hand in hand to provide opportunities and spread more sports awareness. To start, I am going to dive deeper into the program of the Special Olympics itself, its impact on the players, and how big this program can really become.
I started playing soccer on a team when I was around 4 years old. I wanted to continue to play as I got older, but the money and time involved definitely had an impact on what the future held for me and other players. I played rep for Scarborough Women’s United and had hopes of going to play division league from there, and this desire amplified as the all-stars season started to begin.
As soon as I got to grade 10, I tore my ACL severely and COVID-19 hit. My entire vision of even playing soccer disappeared in that instant. That said, I still wanted to have a major impact on the soccer and sports world as a whole. I ended up meeting the coach of the Toronto FC Special Olympics team from a friend whom I’d also played with at one point, and my opportunity to help came flooding back. I did not want to give this up. I talked to them about my history with soccer, and how I would be so happy to help with Unified sports as a whole.
What is Special Olympics, you might ask? “Special Olympics is a global movement of people creating a new world of inclusion and community, where every single person is accepted and welcomed, regardless of ability or disability. We are helping to make the world a better, healthier and more joyful place—one athlete, one volunteer, one family member at a time” (Special Olympics Canada). I started my journey in 2022 and continued to try out for this year’s team as well. I am so happy to still be a part of such a great family striving to make an impact around the world because if little voices start to come together, one big message can be formed and spread throughout.
My first trip with the Toronto FC team started in Chicago, Illinois, where I grew my bond with Special Olympic athletes and helped them understand the game more. Beyond that, I met people who have impacted my life forever and have changed the way I view so much in life. Soccer is different from all other sports as it combines physical abilities, technical skills and team tactics. Soccer requires endurance, speed and agility as much as ball skills and team strategies. Coaching soccer is a mixture of skill development, fitness training and game strategies that must be executed together in order to be successful, and unified athletes help others gain their knowledge and put their skills to use. Some people may think this is not even close to competitive, but these Special Olympics athletes are given equal opportunity to everyone else and truly show off how much talent and skill they maintain.
Over the few trips that I have taken with the team, we went touring, talked game plans, and experienced new cities, making new friends and families along the way. We learnt, discovered and prospered since when we all first started. Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. These events provide continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy, and participate in sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with the world. We train on the same BMO grounds as the men’s Toronto FC team and even get to meet some players. While we traveled, we played our games on the exact same field as the MLS players and all in all the goal is to provide opportunity for players who have intellectual disabilities (Special Olympics athletes) and without intellectual disabilities (Unified partners).
We become outfitted in authentic uniforms provided by Adidas. We have MLS Greats who will serve as celebrity coaches for our games. We have professional photography and more. This year, I had the amazing opportunity to be selected for the all-star game in Washington, DC. Here, the teams and Major League Soccer’s social responsibility platform, MLS WORKS, are partnered with Coke Zero Sugar. In all, 52 players of the Unified team will represent 26 MLS clubs in an 11-on-11 competitive competition. The Unified All-Star Game is a component of the Special Olympics Unified Soccer Exchange programme, which runs the entire season and gives Unified soccer teams the chance to play with a first-team MLS club. Genuine experiences were offered by MLS clubs, including game-day recognition during the MLS actual games, practises and scrimmages with MLS front office officials and first-team players, signing days, and jersey unveilings. MLS Unified soccer teams go on so many touring trips, timed to coincide with MLS first-team games, in front of many MLS supporters and so much more. The endless opportunities given, and the way they plan everything seriously shows how supportive the soccer world is and how people are willing to embrace these athletes.
The main goal I am aiming to strive for here is number one, to help everyone understand that Special Olympics’ health programming focuses on improving the physical and social-emotional well-being of people by increasing inclusion in health care, wellness and health systems for Special Olympics athletes. Also, help everyone to work hand in hand by initiating these programs at all schools if they haven’t already, or spreading more awareness about what exactly this is. This program has changed my life for the better in every possible way, it improves my health, allowing me to continue playing soccer even due to the circumstances. This program helps me build relationships and even helps to interact with MLSE and Special Olympic’s main goal. This said, you do not have to begin playing for a major team in your city like Toronto, instead you can focus on schools itself and build from there. Their mission is to enable youth, teachers, coaches, and families to take the lead in promoting inclusion, beginning in their local communities and schools all across the world. I mention this because I think it’s critical for youth to understand that they have the power to affect change.
After my injury, my life course drastically changed. I am now working towards becoming a lawyer so that I can help preserve the fundamental freedoms and human rights guaranteed by law, while also advancing the cause of justice and defending the rights of clients. When it comes to sports management, the law in general, and intellectual property law, I want to make a difference and always act freely and conscientiously in accordance with the ethics of the legal profession. I particularly want to help provide efforts to protect opportunities linked to MLS and Special Olympics Canada.
We must take the initiative in promoting inclusiveness because if we use our voice and work together, we can make it happen.