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Soccer camp for cerebral palsy athletes coming to Maple Ridge

Ridge Meadows SC is hosting the free event from Oct. 29-30
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Ridge Meadows Soccer Club is hoping that this two-day soccer camp for cerebral palsy athletes becomes an annual event. (Ridge Meadows Soccer Club/The News)

Ridge Meadows Soccer Club is looking for more members to join its upcoming two-day para soccer camp happening on Oct. 29-30 (Saturday-Sunday).

This special camp is designed for players with cerebral palsy and other similar physical challenges. To make it easier on the athletes, the number of active players is reduced to seven, the field of play and nets are smaller, there is no off-side, and players can roll in the ball instead of having to overhand throw it.

Through a partnership with Sportability BC, Ridge Meadows SC has designed a multi-session camp that will aim to tech these athletes ball control, passing, proper movement with and without the ball, game tactics, and positioning.

The camp will end with a scrimmage match involving a local soccer team, according to Ridge Meadows SC operations manager Shauna Williams.

“We are inviting players from our U13 age group to come play with the participants on the Sunday so we’ll have enough to get the scrimmage going,” said Williams. “I think it will be a great opportunity for them to play together in a supportive environment.”

Ridge Meadows SC will have members of the Canadian National Para Soccer Team coaching the event, while local physical therapists will be on site to do taping for the players before each session and also provide any additional support needed.

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Any athlete who signs up for the camp will also receive a free T-shirt in addition to free drinks and snacks from the concession.

Williams explained that this is the first para soccer event to happen in the entire province since before COVID. That is likely why Ridge Meadows SC has seen such a wide array of players sign up for the upcoming camp.

“We have people coming from all over the province, from Squamish, to Vernon, the Island, and the Lower Mainland,” said Williams. “Ridge Meadows Soccer Club is super excited to be hosting this and hope it will grow into an annual event.”

Ideally, Williams said she’d like to see 10-40 players sign up for this event, which currently sits at seven participants.

Ridge Meadows SC is encouraging all players age ten or older who suffer from neurological impairment to join the free program.

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The two-day camp will take place on field number two at Telosky Stadium, located at 23000 116th Street, Maple Ridge.

The first of the two sessions on Saturday, Oct. 29, will go from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., with a lunch break before the second session from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Sunday’s scrimmage will take place from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

The event is free, but interested players must visit http://ridgemeadowssoccer.ca/para-soccer/ to sign up for a member account and register for the para soccer camp.


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Brandon Tucker

About the Author: Brandon Tucker

I have been a journalist since 2013, with much of my career spent covering sports and entertainment stories in Alberta.
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