Kicks for Kids establishes connection with disabled children


Kicks for Kids, a soccer league for young kids with developmental disabilities, played its first game Sunday at McCarthy Quad.

Started by Zade Shakir, the current president of the organization and a senior double majoring in biology and international relations, Kicks for Kids is a service organization dedicated to promoting a healthy and active lifestyle for children with disabilities in the greater Los Angeles area. Shakir founded the group in March after he attended USC’s annual Spirits in Action event, which is the university’s version of the Special Olympics. Shakir’s “buddy” at the event was diagnosed with autism, which inspired him to create more opportunities for children with developmental disabilities to participate in sports.

Shakir said there is a correlation between kids with developmental disabilities and obesity. To combat this correlation, Shakir wanted to create a social environment where children could run around and families could cheer them on. USC students involved in the program couldn’t agree more.

“I would like them to feel a sense of togetherness, like unity amongst other people,” said the programs’ marketing director Sharon D’Souza, a senior majoring in communication. “I think it’s really important that they understand the importance of being active and that they can still be active. Whatever barriers they’re facing, it shouldn’t hold them back.”

D’Souza said that the parents of these children work hard to pay for their kids’ medical bills and hoped that this event could help them stay active even with their families’ busy schedules.

The organization advertised to pull together more than 50 volunteers who signed up to help for the first game, according to D’Souza. They contacted all the occupational therapy professors and asked if they could present their organization to students, and many professors even offered extra credit to students for participating in Kicks for Kids. The organization also reached out to groups such as sororities and fraternities, which have service requirements.

“It’s really the epitome of Trojan Family. Everyone I’ve talked to about the program has been so helpful and so willing to go for it,” Shakir said.

Student volunteers at the event mentioned that there are a lot of recreational centers that do not provide special events for children with developmental disabilities, so when they found Kicks for Kids, they pounced on the opportunity to volunteer.

“I think every kid I talked to here said soccer is their favorite thing to do, and I know that can be a problem if you live in the inner city to get an opportunity to play,” said Tom Murphy, a junior majoring in economics and math.

The event was a great opportunity, not just for the children but for the volunteers as well.

“When I used to practice, I did not meet with a lot of autistic kids, and I’ve learned about them but I’ve never met them. It was a great experience to know how autistic kids at an older age are doing, how they do in society, how they do when they are with a lot of new people around,” said Charmi Patel, a graduate student studying occupational therapy.

Rima Al-Rabadi, a junior majoring in global health, said she has spent a lot of wtime working with kids with disabilities through her involvement with the USC Helenes. She thought Kicks for Kids would be another great way for students to simultaneously engage with the community and have a rewarding experience.

“I really enjoy having ‘buddies’ and getting to be a part of their lives,”  Al-Rabadi said. “I feel as though they teach me a lot as well. They’re always so happy, excited and ready to do whatever event we have planned for them to do.”

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