CASL HEART

HEART

When I say "heart", what do you think of?

You might think of a the band Heart, and belting out "What about love" in your car. Or, you might think of the Start! Heart Walk that happens in the fall to raise awareness for cardiovascular disease. You might simply think about Valentine's Day or a simple heart illustration. Just now, having "heart" on my brain as I write, I'm even thinking about the Grinch and how his heart grew three sizes. 

There are plenty of associations with the word "heart," and I want to add one more association into the mix. If you have not heard already, CASL also has a HEART. It comes in the form of an outreach effort that targets youth (ages 7-18) with intellectual disabilities. Participants get to play soccer in a safe, structured environment at no cost to their families.

The HEART season is just around the corner, with the first clinic on Saturday, August 10 at Davis Drive Park in Cary (9:30-10:30am). The season will consist of 6 weekend sessions each consisting of accommodating soccer skill drills and small-sided games. Participating in HEART gets youth physically active, engages them socially engaged, and promotes other social and psychological benefits including teamwork, confidence, and persistence. 

Former HEART participants have documented their love of the program. The Montanye family said, "our son Logan who has autism wanted to play soccer so badly...it was so hard for my husband and I to watch him want something so badly but could not be a part of it. You have made Logan happy. He calls HEART "MY" soccer." 

If you know someone who should join HEART, please pass on the accompanying flyer (click here for HEART flyer) or have them contact CASL's Community Outreach Coordiantor (Martin Rodriguez-Arispe). 

Click HERE to learn more about CASL's Community Outreach program. If you or your child is interested in VOLUNTEERING with HEART or any other Community Outreach initiative, please also reach out to Martin. We can provide documentation for community service hours, and we know that you will have a great time volunteering and teaching the game of soccer. 

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