Soccer for Everyone: A Program Guide as an Advocacy Tool for Inclusivity

Inclusive sport teams provide numerous benefits to children with and without disabilities. This occupational therapy doctoral capstone project focused on advocacy for the inclusion of children with physical, intellectual, and developmental disabilities in soccer and the development of an evidence-based program guide for running an inclusive soccer team. This program guide included relevant background information, stretching guides, soccer skill stations with options to grade them up and down, scrimmage guidelines, social-emotional lessons, and appendices with example schedules was created for this capstone project. Players, parents, coaches, and volunteers expressed positive reactions to this program guide. This capstone project demonstrated the positive impact an inclusive soccer team has on children with disabilities and their families. There is a need for the creation of more inclusive soccer teams in North Texas, and this capstone project addressed that need by creating a desired resource that is easily accessible for interested parties.