Hi! We're the Miracles!
Photo courtesy of the Mililani Miracles!
Mililani Miracles! is a program where disabled children can participate in a fun game of soccer. In this program many children have found life long friends and made great memories. The program is dedicated to the children, and this website was designed to promote teens to volunteer for it. Volunteers are needed to be “buddies,” a friend for the children and someone to guide them during their warm-ups, drills, and soccer games. Respect for one another is another must for the Mililani Miracles! and ithey follow their rules of "everyone plays” and “it’s about having fun.”
About the Miracles!
Photo courtesy of Coach Desi
Team Coordinator and Coach Desi McKenzie began the Mililani Miracles! after hearing about the AYSO VIP soccer program. She has a daughter, Aubrey, who has Down syndrome, autism, and is hearing impaired. Aubrey first played soccer with an existing AYSO VIP team: the Leeward Dolphins. After playing for that team for two years, Coach Desi decided that, with the help of Emily McCollum, to begin a special needs soccer team in Mililani. Coach Desi also asked Coach Sharon Mujtabaa to help them. Today the team is coached by Coach Desi, Coach Emily, Coach Sharon, Coach Chris, and Coach Craig.
Coach Desi also added that she feels every community should have a special needs soccer team. She says that it is important to do this because "every child, no matter what their ability, should have the opportunity to play soccer." The special needs soccer team also gives many children a chance to interact consistently with other children, bonding them as a team and as friends. To encourage their interactions, "assists" are praised much more than actual goals, showing the children that teamwork is very important.
In 10 years, Coach Desi hopes that the Miracles! team is still running. She is very happy to see that older buddies, who are leaving for college the fall, have been finding people to replace them-ensuring that there will always be buddies to help out in this program. One of her hopes is also that all the buddies return to the Miracles! one day, so that they can run the team and make it a successful program for many years to come.
Coach Desi also added that she feels every community should have a special needs soccer team. She says that it is important to do this because "every child, no matter what their ability, should have the opportunity to play soccer." The special needs soccer team also gives many children a chance to interact consistently with other children, bonding them as a team and as friends. To encourage their interactions, "assists" are praised much more than actual goals, showing the children that teamwork is very important.
In 10 years, Coach Desi hopes that the Miracles! team is still running. She is very happy to see that older buddies, who are leaving for college the fall, have been finding people to replace them-ensuring that there will always be buddies to help out in this program. One of her hopes is also that all the buddies return to the Miracles! one day, so that they can run the team and make it a successful program for many years to come.