Soccer players aim to help Fox Valley Special Recreation

The Fox Valley Park District and Kickers Soccer Club are teaming up to lend a helping hand - or rather foot - to the Fox Valley Special Recreation Association with the Shoot for the Stars three-on-three soccer tournament.

The tournament will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 31 at the Stuart Sports Complex on Jericho Road, west of Orchard Road, in Montgomery. The goal of the tournament is to let kids raise money to help other kids.

Players can enter for $180 per team. Teams need six players, ages 4 to adult. Organizers are expecting 150 teams from the area and surrounding states, and between 1,500 and 1,800 players and family members, to attend.

Many of the park district's Kickers teams will be playing in the tournament, and for Aurora mom and tournament organizer Jackie Olson, whose three children play on several park teams, the fundraiser is a family affair.

"Our youngest player is my daughter, Haley," Olson said. "She loves soccer because that's where she gets to hang with the boys. She has autism, and she's going to play on one of our special-needs teams."

In addition to the special-needs teams, a team of firefighters, police officers, local mascots and more will go head-to-head during the tournament.

Olson and other organizers lined up event sponsors to offer a raffle, a silent auction, a video game station, concessions and more. All of the sponsors are from nearby communities, Olson said.

Although this is the tournament's fourth year, it has only been benefiting the FVSRA for two years.

Previously, the money raised was donated to the Susan G. Komen breast cancer fund, but organizers wanted to help out closer to home.

"In fall 2008, (Kickers soccer) started providing the Special Recreation Association with a soccer clinic," Kickers' President Mark Pickett said. "The kids got so much out of helping kids with special needs. They're local, and our club wanted to make an impact on a local charity we felt was a good cause."

Shoot for the Stars will wrap up with a talk from guest Speaker Tyson Gentry. Gentry is a former Ohio State University football player who was injured during practice and paralyzed from the neck down.

Gentry will speak to the kids and attendees about living with his disability. Gentry will also emphasize the importance of giving without incentive.

"It's a good feeling to help people and know they're having fun and trying their best," said Kickers soccer player Lisa Bajkowski, 18, of Oswego. "It feels good to see them smiling and having fun with each other."

Tournament organizers hope to donate $10,000 to FVSRA, which will use the money for its scholarship fund, adaptive equipment and employee training, according to FVSRA's Tracey Crawford.

"It's kids raising funds for other kids that's so important," Crawford said. "It's all about allowing individuals with disabilities to experience life. When you have people caring and understanding at young age and experiencing what it's like to help someone experience life, then you're creating adults that get it."

For more information visit kickerssoccerclub.org.