Where Is Autism Soccer Going Now?

The future looks bright for this amazing organization. 

In 2012, we started Autism Soccer with the hope of helping children with autism spectrum disorder. It was a simple goal, inspired by our CEO Oscar Amuz’s desire of making a difference in his community. All great ideas start just like that: by first believing in ourselves and making our way up, step by step. There have been an enormous amount of volunteers and friends that have helped us along the way. We wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for them. We couldn’t aspire for more if it weren’t for them. But now, we are aspiring for more!

In these past five years, we’ve helped around 2,000 children with intellectual and physical disabilities, going beyond assisting autistic individuals. Through soccer lessons, we’ve taught them the importance of sports in their life, and we’ve given them a space to grow up, make friends, have fun, and develop their skills. Every day, we see how sports change their lives and the lives of everyone around them, and we also see how they become happier and overcome their limitations.

Help us reach out to more than 10,000 children across the country!

So it’s only natural that we want to continue on this incredible journey and reach out to as many people as we can. Up until this point, we’ve only been Miami-based, but we’re currently looking to expand operations all across the United States so that we can help as many as 10,000 new children within the next 5 years. With time, hard work, and effort, we know that someday we’ll be able to have an international presence and have an even greater impact in the lives of thousands of children all around the world.

With over 3,000 hours of experience and a comprehensive 80-hour curriculum to train coaches, parents, and individuals involved in the organization, we do more than just working with the children. We pass knowledge forward, so everyone has the potential to change someone’s life and offer kids new possibilities and activities. Thanks to our expertise, we’re one hundred percent ready to face whatever comes in our way and to create new models and sports plans to empower our kids and strengthen their bonds with their families.

However, we know we won’t be able to do it all alone. We need people like you, who understand the value of every human being and love's transformative power to make the world a better place. When you donate, your support goes directly toward purchasing equipment, necessary supplies for our program, as well as improving our operations and administrative processes so we can continue to grow and reach more children every year.

It’s just like our founder says: “I might not be able to change the world but I will like to change my community.” Believe it or not, that’s exactly how people end up changing the world. Focus on what you can do from where you are, and each day, you’ll realize you’ll be able to do more and more for the people who need it the most. Are you on board? Then contact us or visit our webpage to find out all you can do to change many children’s lives! We’re waiting for you!

This is where this organization is going right now, and it's important that this is done correctly.

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1480 NE 131 St Unit 103 Miami Fl 33161

Autismsoccer.org

¿Cuál es el valor de organizaciones como Autism Soccer?

Organizaciones como esta apoyan a los niños a experimentar el deporte de una manera diferente.

No es difícil calcular que las personas con discapacidades intelectuales son una pequeña minoría en el planeta. Con aproximadamente 200 millones de individuos, sólo representan entre el 1% y el 3% de la población mundial. Dicho sólo con cifras, es sencillo olvidar que hay rostros, familias e historias detrás de cada uno de ellos. También olvidamos que, cada día, estas personas luchan por lograr tener mayor visibilidad en una sociedad que no ha sido construida o diseñada para ser inclusiva y tomar en cuenta sus necesidades. Recordarle al mundo que no son invisibles es una labor diaria en la que Autism Soccer, junto con muchas otras organizaciones nacionales e internacionales, participa con orgullo.

La verdad es que, desde niños, los individuos con discapacidades siempre requerirán mucho más esfuerzo y apoyo para vivir una vida pacífica y plena en experiencias gratas. El amor y la paciencia de su familia es uno de los factores más valiosos en este proceso, pero no lo es todo. Como sociedad, siempre podemos hacer más unidos. Sólo así podremos generar un cambio que garantice el trato con dignidad y el respeto a la vida de todos por igual, sin importar qué condiciones padezcan. He ahí la importancia de brindar espacios y oportunidades a los niños especiales.

En Autism Soccer, queremos que nuestros niños sean niños. Deseamos que salgan a explorar, que se encuentren consigo mismos, que experimenten, se planteen retos que puedan cumplir, se superen a sí mismos e interactúen con su entorno, todo a través de métodos divertidos y sanos que los ayudarán a desarrollar su personalidad y su capacidad de trabajar en equipo. Sabemos que, al hacerlo, construimos nuevas experiencias y derrumbamos muchas de las malas concepciones que se tienen acerca de los trastornos psicológicos y las patologías del desarrollo. Estos son los primeros pasos en el camino a una sociedad más inclusiva.

A través del deporte, y más específicamente del fútbol, damos algo a los niños especiales que la sociedad muchas veces olvida darles: autonomía. Les damos el poder de decidir a qué le dedicarán tiempo, qué les gusta hacer y cómo les gusta hacerlo. Ese empoderamiento es la semilla que les ayudará a desarrollar su propia voz en el futuro, para que, en la medida de sus posibilidades, puedan decidir cómo vivir su vida y cómo desean ser tratados.

Para Autism Soccer, por encima de todas las cosas, el mayor valor que podemos darles a los niños es ayudarles a hallar su propia felicidad. Además, nuestra labor también beneficia a los padres y familiares, sin importar su condición económica, ya que les da a sus niños un pasatiempo liberador, para que puedan verlos crecer sanamente como cualquier otro niño puede hacerlo.

El deporte como disciplina para las personas con alguna discapacidad tampoco es una novedad. Hoy en día, millones de personas forman parte de las Olimpíadas Especiales. Historias inspiradoras y de superación personal abundan y nos recuerdan lo increíble que puede ser la fortaleza y la voluntad humana frente a las dificultades.

Las mayores discapacidades son los límites que nuestros miedos siembran en nuestra mente. Si aprendemos a superarlos, podemos lograr cosas extraordinarias. Autism Soccer ayuda a los niños a desarrollar sus capacidades motoras, a mejorar sus habilidades para socializar, a aumentar su autoestima y a disfrutar de todos los beneficios que el deporte tiene en el cuerpo y el espíritu. ¿Quieres ayudarnos a continuar cambiando la vida de miles de niños? Entra a nuestra página web y entérate de cómo puedes donar o convertirte en un colaborador. Con amor y constancia, ¡cada vez vamos por más!

El valor intrínseco de organizaciones como esta está en la capacidad que tienen para ayudar a los niños del mundo.

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1480 NE 131 St Unit 103. MiamI Fl 33161

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Who Does Autism Soccer Help With Their Projects?

The organization makes sure to create something unique for these children.

More than 5 years ago, a project was born. It started as a way to help children with autism spectrum disorder, by giving them a space in which they could exercise, make friends, and have fun. Over time, it evolved and started to include children with other intellectual and physical disabilities. Since then, Autism Soccer (AS) has benefited the lives of 2000 kids in the U.S. It has grown to become an organization with an immense potential, which works with fundraising campaigns and volunteering so everyone can add to this incredible experience!

Today, Autism Soccer successfully provides its services to children with autism spectrum disorders, Asperger’s syndrome, PDD-NOS (pervasive developmental disorder – not otherwise specified), learning disabilities, and Down syndrome. By teaching them soccer skills for a whole year, AS helps many children grow up in an environment full of support, trust, and love, as well as to develop their motor skills and fight childhood obesity.

Soccer is a team sport, so whatever our kids do in Autism Soccer, they won’t be doing it alone. They’ll be welcomed to a place where they’ll have to communicate with their teammates and interact, improving their social skills and boosting their confidence. Parents and families will also benefit from this experience and will be able to see their children empowered while having fun, exercising, and being kids!

In Autism Soccer, we believe in sports' power to liberate our minds from all worries and limitations we push into ourselves. With training and consistency, our kids will be capable of doing things you might never think they could do before. They’ll learn discipline, how to make friends, improve their behavior, and to listen and pay attention.

Exercising and learning how to play soccer will also give them an idea of what they like. Maybe their experience won’t end with us, and they’ll find in soccer a hobby that could last a lifetime. Our goal is also to help them explore their personalities and define which things they enjoy, building a stronger sense of individuality and strengthen their characters.

What truly matters is that, at the end of the day, Autism Soccer opens a door for children to be themselves, relax, have fun, and enjoy the best days of their childhood. We’re currently based in Miami, but we’re looking to expand all across the U.S., and even internationally. Want to help us? Head to our website and learn more about how you can change many special children’s lives. This magical experience of sharing our time with these wonderful kids, while we see them accomplish things by themselves and be happy, is the greatest reward we can think of!

This organization is not only for autistic children, as they help a vast array of children with disabilities.

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15165 NW 77 Ave Suite 1005 Miami Lakes FL 33014

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The First Seeds of Self-Advocacy

Self-advocacy has a long way back in history. The first known traces of these meetings go back to the year 1968.

When it comes to helping people with disabilities, activists have sometimes been guilty of overlooking the opinions and requests of the very same community they’re trying to advocate for. This is not new. Some people believe that individuals with certain conditions are incapable of speaking their minds or understanding their circumstances well enough to articulate their needs. More often than not, this is far from true. Disregarding or underestimating their insights can cause a rupture between what advocates think it’s best for them and what actually is the best for them. That’s how self-advocacy was born.

Self-advocacy is a social movement that was born in Sweden during the 1960s. The story of how it came to be is very telling. After an organization for children with intellectual disabilities formed by parents adopted “We speak for them" as their motto, disabled people at the meetings decided they wanted to speak for themselves and started to voice changes they wanted to apply on the organization. National conferences were held all across the nation, and participants made statements addressing how they wanted to be treated by society.

We are people first

It’s no surprise then that the movement had a lot of success and spread to Great Britain, the United States, and Canada. In America, one self-advocate declared very eloquently during a conference in Oregon in 1974: “I’m tired of being called retarded - we are people first.” And so the "People First" self-advocacy movement began and became an international organization formed by people with intellectual disabilities.

To become a self-advocate, you have to be a member of the group the advocacy is for. For example, self-advocacy for autism is done by autistic individuals. It can go from communicating preferences and choices to family and caretakers, to speaking in conferences and creating projects to gather other self-advocates with the goal of defending and improving community’s  rights, conditions and lifestyle, going as far as testifying in the Senate or carrying a political career.

This is a philosophy that most of these organizations have chosen. They’ve been investing their efforts in a rights-based approach to disability policies, urging society to become more inclusive and accept them. Not only in secluded meetings and places thought for them, but in public spaces shared with everyone else. This is especially important because while advocates might be more concerned about safety, self-advocates want as much autonomy as they can get to live their lives on their own terms and be happy. Because of that, many good things have come from self-advocacy, like the concept of “supported decision making,” which allows individuals to choose a supporter to provide decision-making assistance without having to depend on him or her completely.

If you’re part of any of these groups, don’t be afraid to speak up your mind. There are many myths and misconceptions surrounding mental health and physical disabilities, and there is no one better than the ones living with these conditions to talk about them and provide a window for the world to understand their reality. Advocates will always be invited to participate in these causes, but it’s crucial that self-advocates’ voices are heard and taken seriously. At Autism Soccer, we want to accompany our children every step of the way, providing our help and love when they need it and let them discover the world on their own. Contact us and join us today!

Self-advocacy movements now focus on raising the voices of the unheard. It's a fight for those who are ignored, with human rights that are not fitting for them.

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15165 NW 77 Ave Suite 1005 Miami Lakes FL 33014

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The Autism Soccer Experience: Oscar Amuz Talks

"They are born with a purpose and they're the ones that should be in charge of the world. They're geniuses". - Oscar Amuz

The work done by communities for the awareness has proven to be a tool in the support for children with autism. All the initiatives made it cause an impact on the people who didn't understand this disorder and are now supporters of the cause.

Oscar Amuz, the mind behind the organization of Autism Soccer is aware of the need for initiatives and support for children with this disorder. This blog post will be mostly about his opinions about autism in the society and the needs kids have in early stages of growth.

When asked about the amount of time he spends working he says “I work non-stop, almost 20 hours a day”. There's another important point of its work, as a non-profit organization, he doesn't earn a cent of it. “This is not about the money; it's about the feeling of being helpful to the kids who need it,” he says. “I hate asking for money, I accept people's donations, but I'm no beggar.” Mr. Oscar is a firm believer of the fact that special needs children were sent to this world to make it better. “Autism is not an issue nor a problem; it's a gift from God to save the planet.”

The world is becoming hard to live in, and things seem to be going out of control. Oscar Amuz thinks that if people helped each other more, the world would be different. “How nice would it be that just half the world's population helped those in need, you could help almost every single person living in it.”

His opinion about himself: “I always tell people that I'm nobody, I consider myself a little ant, but I have the heart of Goliath,” is only an example of how great his intentions are for children who are in need. Kids he considers to be the protectors of the earth.

Autism Soccer has been working hard for almost five years now and is continuously growing. This organization is the living proof that children can develop skills through soccer and become the future of society. If you're willing to help, access their website and donate. Every cent counts.

"How great would it be that half of the people in the world helped just one person in need?" for Oscar Amuz children with autism are the key for this change.

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15165 NW 77 Ave Suite 1005 Miami Lakes FL 33014

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How to Bring Organization into Your Child’s Life

Let your children know the importance of planning ahead!

It’s important for parents to teach their children to be organized. Each time they play with a toy, parents should tell them to put it where it was before. Having a clean space is essential for their present and their future. For that reason, you have to start teaching them from an early age, so you don’t have to deal with it later. In my personal experience, a clean space is motivational; you don’t have to waste time looking for something, because you know exactly where to find it, which makes you feel calm and relaxed.

There’s more about this fact that will help your child's life:

• Calms their nerves.
• Helps them find things.
• Teaches the importance of belonging.
• Creates a sense of comfort.
• Helps establish a routine.

How can you bring organization into your home?

Sometimes, for most parents teaching their children to be organized is a difficult task, but once children learn to be so, daily activities become easier to do. However, there are a few tips you need to know before you ask your children to organize their mess:

• Teach them responsibility: One of the main problems when it comes to children’s organization is the fact that most of the time they don't do it by themselves. Teach them how to do it.
• Show them the right place: Show your child that everything has its place in the house, from toy bins to low bookshelves.
• Designate cleaning schedules: For children, routines are essential to staying organized. That’s why you have to create a schedule to book their daily activities. Make them have responsibilities at home.
• Include house chores: Ask your children to help you with the cleaning of the whole house. For example, washing dishes with you.

These are other simple steps to be more organized:

• Identify the mess: Go somewhere in the house and ask your children what is out of place.
• Have a specific time to do things: Let them know they have a time set to do the task. For example, 10 minutes to pick up their toys from the floor.
• Know where things belong in the house: Make your children ask this question to themselves: “Where does that belong?”.
• Teach your children to appreciate things: Teach your children that all they have is valuable and they should appreciate it.

Teaching your child how to be organized, it’s essential for their development. Being organized will not only help them in their present, but also in their future. That’s why Autism Soccer is your best choice to start developing your child’s senses to be the greatest you want them to be. Autism Soccer will teach your children all these points through sports, which is a fun way to learn. What are you waiting for? Contact them now!

It is important for children to follow an organizational system.

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15165 NW 77 Ave Suite 1005 Miami Lakes FL 33014

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What You Need to Learn About Cognitive Development Exercises

Learning about it can boost your ideas to implement excercises that help them develop. 

Children development is important for parents. They need to assure that their kids are always making the most out of themselves. Especially, parents want their kids to have the necessary development to let them experience the world in a healthy way. That's why it's very important for you to learn all about cognitive development exercises to participate actively in this process.

The cognitive development is a condition of the brain and it’s characterized by the process of learning and experiencing the world. The different skills that are involved in this process might change thanks to the different exercises one stimulates. Likewise, the parts of cognitive development, according to Jean Piaget, are the following:

• Sensorimotor stage.
• Preoperational stage.
• Concrete operational stage.
• Formal operational stage.

These phases have been assessed for many years, but they are still valid today. Ask your doctor at what stage your child is, and the things that you can do about it.

What kind of exercises can you do with your children?

You should teach your children how to be integral people; this way, they might experience many things, allowing them to choose what they enjoy the most. Therefore, you might increase their cognitive development by playing games or doing other activities. For example:

• Using games: Playing games is a way of making a connection between you and your children. It’s very important to involve them in games that increase their cognitive development.

• Do sing-a-longs: This helps children reach their goals while increasing their speaking skills. Also, it helps boost your children’s knowledge.  
• Give them different options: It’ll be incredibly educational if you offer your kids different options for activities to perform. This allows them to create their own critical opinions about those activities and the options the world might offer them in the future.

What are you doing to boost your child's cognitive development? Keep in mind that you are responsible for helping them reach their goals. If you are looking for specialists to help your child increase his/her cognitive development through sports, your answer is Autism Soccer. They are a group of highly trained professionals that do their best to make sure your child is being educated in the world of sports in an interactive and positive way.

Improving their cognitive functions can be a fun experience for them. Make sure it is!

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15165 NW 77 Ave Suite 1005 Miami Lakes FL 33014

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