PFC All Abilities Virtual Fundamentals has made its way across Canada!
The Pickering Football Club is proud of our All Abilities Virtual Fundamentals programming which has gone viral with the addition of athletes from Calgary, AB. The program runs virtually on Thursday evenings at 6:30pm and includes soccer fun and games.
“I like being athletic and active” says 9-year-old, Molly Richards from Calgary, Alberta. “She would rather be on the field with her teammates, but at least there is this program” says her mom Erin Richards.
Molly, who has Cerebral Palsy, has been playing soccer since she was 3 years old with the Alberta Cerebral Palsy Sports Association and coach Cory Johnson. “Cory sent us the link, told us to check it out… so we did” says Erin looking at her daughter “We got the PFC Athlete Jersey and Soccer Ball sent to us in the mail. It was a nice surprise!” says Erin.
When they signed in that first night, they didn’t know what to expect “Molly hasn’t seen a lot of other people with Cerebral Palsy” and then she saw a coach with the same physical challenges, Molly was excited. The fundamentals program offers socialization, stretching and straitening warm ups, and ball skills. “I like doing the stretching more. I like it when Tammy, the program coordinator, says I’m doing a good job” says Molly
Molly and Erin have set a goal for themselves during the virtual program sessions “to learn all the skills she/we can and then bring them back to ACPSA” says Erin “I’m getting better, faster and stronger, I’m going to blow their minds!” giggles Molly
“Molly also “has big dreams! She would like to be a Para-Olympic soccer player” says her mom. There certainly isn’t a women’s para soccer team, but maybe by the time Molly is old enough there will be.
Written by Christina Doucette, a local freelance writer and children’s book author that has been involved with Pickering Football Club and the All Abilities Program since 2014.
