WEBVTT 1 00:00:29.199 --> 00:00:31.239 Welcome to SDH Saturday, where we kind of take the 2 00:00:31.280 --> 00:00:33.920 tour and give a look at some of the stories 3 00:00:33.960 --> 00:00:36.000 in and around the SDH footprint and let you know 4 00:00:36.039 --> 00:00:38.159 what's going on, stuff that you know you may not 5 00:00:38.320 --> 00:00:41.679 know about that is worth following up on and following 6 00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:44.439 the stories as they continue to grow here in the 7 00:00:44.479 --> 00:00:48.320 SDH network footprint. And one of the folks that we 8 00:00:48.439 --> 00:00:52.039 follow on a regular basis rising Senior Charlie Longino. He 9 00:00:52.079 --> 00:00:56.679 plays at Clayton State and he sent us a note 10 00:00:56.880 --> 00:00:58.960 and it is something that he has become very very 11 00:00:59.000 --> 00:01:03.280 active in and it has to do with Atlanta Amputee Soccer. 12 00:01:03.799 --> 00:01:07.560 They had Atlanta Amputee Soccer Community Day, their first one, 13 00:01:08.040 --> 00:01:10.400 and it was in the middle of their spring and 14 00:01:10.480 --> 00:01:15.040 summer practice schedule, this time at Kensington Station. They've alternated 15 00:01:15.079 --> 00:01:17.599 between West End and Kensington as a part of their 16 00:01:17.599 --> 00:01:21.680 association with Soccer in the Streets and with the American 17 00:01:21.760 --> 00:01:26.280 Amputee Soccer Association. So Atlanta Amputee Soccer had their first 18 00:01:26.319 --> 00:01:29.000 ever community Day and it was an opportunity to be 19 00:01:29.239 --> 00:01:32.280 at the open field at Kensington marta station, get some 20 00:01:32.400 --> 00:01:35.560 practice in, get acquainted with the game itself. If you 21 00:01:35.680 --> 00:01:39.599 are an amputee and just kind of meet and chat 22 00:01:39.599 --> 00:01:42.239 and hang out with others that are right there with 23 00:01:42.319 --> 00:01:46.239 you that to enjoy the game of soccer, and it 24 00:01:46.280 --> 00:01:49.480 gives you the chance to grow your own knowledge base 25 00:01:49.719 --> 00:01:53.079 and grow your own participation levels. It's for individuals living 26 00:01:53.079 --> 00:01:55.879 with limb difference, and it didn't matter what your skill 27 00:01:55.959 --> 00:01:59.840 level was, and it was interesting for me to see 28 00:02:00.079 --> 00:02:03.400 those that had amazing skill level and those that were 29 00:02:03.400 --> 00:02:06.480 wanting to learn from others and to continue to grow 30 00:02:06.519 --> 00:02:09.400 their game. You had youth, you had adults, you had 31 00:02:10.000 --> 00:02:12.400 veterans who are encouraged to be there as well, and 32 00:02:12.439 --> 00:02:15.120 so you had folks that were circling back to be 33 00:02:15.159 --> 00:02:18.560 a part of the experience there with Atlanta Amputee Soccer 34 00:02:18.680 --> 00:02:20.840 was a local training session. We'll catch up with Charlie 35 00:02:20.879 --> 00:02:22.639 as a matter of fact, a little later on. Here 36 00:02:23.080 --> 00:02:25.199 you get to meet the Atlanta team that's associated with 37 00:02:25.319 --> 00:02:28.400 Atlanta Amputee Soccer. You'll catch up with them coming up 38 00:02:28.439 --> 00:02:30.479 in just a little bit. As well. You get to 39 00:02:30.599 --> 00:02:34.199 find out about competitive pathways and clinics and demos available 40 00:02:34.240 --> 00:02:36.599 for rehab centers and groups. And we're going to catch 41 00:02:36.599 --> 00:02:38.759 you up with a couple of folks that are tied 42 00:02:38.800 --> 00:02:42.000 to the program. First person that we catch up with 43 00:02:42.120 --> 00:02:45.280 is Katie George and she is the number two with 44 00:02:45.479 --> 00:02:48.439 Atlanta Amputee Soccer and we got her thoughts about the 45 00:02:48.560 --> 00:02:51.800 day and Community Day and what it's like to be 46 00:02:51.840 --> 00:02:53.919 a part of something that is growing as much as 47 00:02:53.960 --> 00:02:57.919 Atlanta Amputee Soccer is as a part of the AASA. 48 00:02:58.479 --> 00:03:01.240 So what's it like to see kind of activity out 49 00:03:01.240 --> 00:03:01.840 here today? 50 00:03:02.199 --> 00:03:05.240 I mean, this is incredible. This today is our first 51 00:03:05.240 --> 00:03:08.479 ever community day. It was almost a year ago, a 52 00:03:08.479 --> 00:03:10.719 few weeks out from our first ever clinic where we 53 00:03:10.800 --> 00:03:13.960 had a few people and then the community has just 54 00:03:14.000 --> 00:03:17.639 grown so incredibly over the last year. So did not 55 00:03:17.680 --> 00:03:20.159 only have our athletes as well as our volunteers, but 56 00:03:20.199 --> 00:03:22.360 also members of the community come out. It's just really 57 00:03:22.400 --> 00:03:23.000 really special. 58 00:03:24.960 --> 00:03:27.840 How far back are we talking about here to have 59 00:03:27.960 --> 00:03:30.919 the idea start from the genesis of the idea to 60 00:03:31.039 --> 00:03:32.639 now getting to this one year anniversary. 61 00:03:32.639 --> 00:03:34.400 How far back of an idea? What was this? 62 00:03:34.879 --> 00:03:35.960 Yes, So. 63 00:03:37.879 --> 00:03:41.840 Basically the inception of this was December of twenty twenty three. 64 00:03:42.080 --> 00:03:45.960 I met a member of the men's national team at 65 00:03:45.960 --> 00:03:49.800 a US Soccer Adapt and Thrive program and he kind 66 00:03:49.800 --> 00:03:52.319 of pitched the idea he's in a different region and 67 00:03:52.360 --> 00:03:54.479 he was like amputee soccer in Atlanta, and I was 68 00:03:54.520 --> 00:03:58.960 like maybe, and then we connected in January. It was 69 00:03:59.039 --> 00:04:02.120 January twenty second specifically, is when he kind of pitched 70 00:04:02.159 --> 00:04:04.599 it to me and I said yes. And then in 71 00:04:04.639 --> 00:04:07.840 that same month he met Daniel at a PT conference 72 00:04:07.840 --> 00:04:12.120 in Boston and connecting me with Daniel, and then June 73 00:04:12.360 --> 00:04:15.599 of twenty twenty four was our first clinic. So it's 74 00:04:15.639 --> 00:04:21.439 all kind of happened relatively quickly. And I mean for me, 75 00:04:21.519 --> 00:04:23.519 it's just like the Lord is sowing control and like 76 00:04:23.959 --> 00:04:25.959 his hand is just on this in such a special way. 77 00:04:26.600 --> 00:04:29.879 So what's it been like to see this year evolve 78 00:04:29.959 --> 00:04:32.279 the way that it has. I mean, it's it seems 79 00:04:32.319 --> 00:04:35.839 like it's been a whirlwind even though it's been a year. 80 00:04:35.879 --> 00:04:36.759 Does that make any sense? 81 00:04:37.120 --> 00:04:43.160 Yeah, for sure. I think especially when we first got started, 82 00:04:43.160 --> 00:04:45.800 it was a lot of just figuring out what we 83 00:04:45.800 --> 00:04:50.560 were doing. At the beginning, some of the national team 84 00:04:50.560 --> 00:04:52.959 players came out and just kind of led the clinics, 85 00:04:54.600 --> 00:04:57.600 and then as it has developed, they're not able to 86 00:04:57.639 --> 00:04:59.720 be here as much, but like we've grown more so, 87 00:05:00.879 --> 00:05:03.439 just continuing to grow and expand the community has just 88 00:05:03.480 --> 00:05:06.240 helped us like continue to push forward in that way. 89 00:05:06.879 --> 00:05:09.040 So what are the next steps? 90 00:05:09.079 --> 00:05:11.240 What do you think the next steps should be so 91 00:05:11.279 --> 00:05:13.279 it continues to grow in the direction that you and 92 00:05:13.279 --> 00:05:14.360 everybody wanted to grow. 93 00:05:15.319 --> 00:05:18.040 So the biggest kind of challenge right now is really 94 00:05:18.079 --> 00:05:23.360 finding more amputees who want to play the game. We 95 00:05:23.439 --> 00:05:28.199 have a really incredible group of volunteers who show up consistently, 96 00:05:28.279 --> 00:05:33.079 and we have a pool of around seven players, probably 97 00:05:33.120 --> 00:05:36.879 three to four who show up really consistently. So just 98 00:05:36.959 --> 00:05:44.399 continuing ooh, so, just continuing to make those connections in 99 00:05:45.279 --> 00:05:48.720 communicating it just really especially through word of MAP. I 100 00:05:48.720 --> 00:05:52.160 feel like the personal connection to bring more amputeeses and 101 00:05:52.800 --> 00:05:58.680 in is really important. But yeah, just in the sense 102 00:05:58.680 --> 00:06:04.240 of grow, continuing to grow. So the organization and the 103 00:06:04.279 --> 00:06:08.959 community is just consistency and continuing to make it and 104 00:06:09.040 --> 00:06:12.079 accepting in fun space where people just keep wanting to come. 105 00:06:11.959 --> 00:06:16.000 Back to You look and you see different age groups 106 00:06:16.480 --> 00:06:19.720 and there's a bunch of different representation that's here today. 107 00:06:19.800 --> 00:06:22.120 I mean, I think that that's another aspect of this 108 00:06:22.240 --> 00:06:22.959 that's really cool. 109 00:06:23.000 --> 00:06:25.240 And you got folks that are getting after it. They're 110 00:06:25.279 --> 00:06:26.879 just like all we're we're out here to play. 111 00:06:27.160 --> 00:06:31.720 Yeah. No, absolutely, It's such an incredible thing. It's i mean, 112 00:06:31.879 --> 00:06:35.360 the sport of soccer is, you know, the world's biggest game, 113 00:06:35.439 --> 00:06:41.399 and to have amputee soccer as an opportunity for people 114 00:06:41.439 --> 00:06:45.639 to play as an adaptive sport, whether they're in their forties, 115 00:06:45.639 --> 00:06:47.519 in their thirties, or whether they're six years old like 116 00:06:47.560 --> 00:06:49.720 Elliott is, it's a sport that was made for him. 117 00:06:49.759 --> 00:06:51.439 I mean, the first time we saw him come out, 118 00:06:51.839 --> 00:06:54.680 his assistive tech that he uses every day is are 119 00:06:54.720 --> 00:06:57.199 his crutches, And the first time he came out on 120 00:06:57.240 --> 00:06:59.120 the field, it was I mean, he was like, I 121 00:06:59.120 --> 00:07:01.120 want to play on the national one day, like after 122 00:07:01.199 --> 00:07:05.879 his first experience, and that's just it's incredible. It's changing 123 00:07:05.920 --> 00:07:07.800 lives and that's what it's all about. 124 00:07:08.079 --> 00:07:10.720 And thanks to Katie for helping out for the early 125 00:07:10.759 --> 00:07:13.759 part of the education here on SDCH Weekend. And just 126 00:07:13.839 --> 00:07:17.800 so you know, she does have a history in college soccer. 127 00:07:17.959 --> 00:07:21.360 She played in high school and has also played in 128 00:07:21.399 --> 00:07:23.360 the Mid American Conference with her time at the University 129 00:07:23.399 --> 00:07:26.279 of Akrons, so she has a history in the college game. 130 00:07:26.319 --> 00:07:28.000 She has a history growing up in the sport and 131 00:07:28.040 --> 00:07:30.920 now she gets to continue to grow things as the 132 00:07:30.959 --> 00:07:33.800 co founder with what we're talking about today with Atlanta 133 00:07:33.800 --> 00:07:36.759 Amputee Soccer as a part of the AASA, and now, 134 00:07:36.800 --> 00:07:39.680 as promised, time to catch up with rising Clayton State 135 00:07:39.759 --> 00:07:43.360 senior Charlie Longino and find out how he got involved 136 00:07:43.560 --> 00:07:45.759 with this and what it's like for him to see 137 00:07:45.800 --> 00:07:46.839 it grow to where it is. 138 00:07:47.240 --> 00:07:48.600 So, how did you get involved in this? 139 00:07:49.720 --> 00:07:51.240 I actually met these well. 140 00:07:51.399 --> 00:07:56.160 I met the founder of the ASA as AASA, which 141 00:07:56.199 --> 00:07:59.480 is the American amput Soccer So she at like a 142 00:07:59.720 --> 00:08:02.759 job fair, career fair in Atlanta for US soccer. I 143 00:08:02.839 --> 00:08:05.600 met him there and then he connected me to these guys. 144 00:08:05.720 --> 00:08:08.759 I'm also interning with them as well, the AA essay, 145 00:08:09.319 --> 00:08:11.639 I'm I don't know, I'm doing similar things for them 146 00:08:11.680 --> 00:08:15.800 like fundraising, marketing, and helping out on the field. But 147 00:08:15.839 --> 00:08:18.639 I met the main guy over there, the president over there, 148 00:08:18.680 --> 00:08:19.319 and he connected me. 149 00:08:19.319 --> 00:08:21.680 With these guys. So what's the experience been like for you? 150 00:08:22.759 --> 00:08:26.199 It's pretty it's pretty pretty crazy. I think I've struggled 151 00:08:26.279 --> 00:08:28.079 in the past, like figuring out what I wanted to 152 00:08:28.120 --> 00:08:31.160 do exactly. I know I've always wanted to work like 153 00:08:31.319 --> 00:08:33.879 in the business side, of things, but like recently, I 154 00:08:33.879 --> 00:08:36.039 think I figured out that this is like something that 155 00:08:36.080 --> 00:08:37.440 I think I would want to do in the future 156 00:08:37.519 --> 00:08:40.600 and something that I could see myself doing, like working 157 00:08:41.200 --> 00:08:43.159 on the business side of sports and stuff like that. 158 00:08:45.639 --> 00:08:47.480 Yeah, it was the question again. Sorry I got side track. 159 00:08:47.799 --> 00:08:52.120 No, it's just when you've gotten involved in this, what's 160 00:08:52.159 --> 00:08:54.120 what's it been like for you to be involved. 161 00:08:53.799 --> 00:08:57.320 In I mean, it's it's been crazy because I mean 162 00:08:57.399 --> 00:09:01.120 I played soccer my whole life and seeing this side 163 00:09:01.120 --> 00:09:03.679 of the sport is completely like life channing. 164 00:09:03.720 --> 00:09:04.320 It's cool. 165 00:09:04.360 --> 00:09:07.840 It's seeing how these people even just come out and 166 00:09:07.919 --> 00:09:10.639 just do this and then the community around it is incredible. 167 00:09:10.720 --> 00:09:12.360 Honestly life changing. 168 00:09:12.440 --> 00:09:15.799 Huh uh, I would say so, yeah, I mean career 169 00:09:15.840 --> 00:09:18.440 choices will be made soon, so I mean it could 170 00:09:18.440 --> 00:09:19.080 be life changing. 171 00:09:19.159 --> 00:09:19.320 Right. 172 00:09:20.080 --> 00:09:22.440 What's it like for you to be out here as 173 00:09:23.279 --> 00:09:28.519 volunteer coach and seeing how everyone responds to teaching. 174 00:09:28.200 --> 00:09:29.360 Into the game and everything like that. 175 00:09:29.360 --> 00:09:31.720 What's it like to see folks of various sizes and 176 00:09:31.759 --> 00:09:34.120 age groups coming out here and you get to be 177 00:09:34.159 --> 00:09:35.279 a part of this whole experience. 178 00:09:35.279 --> 00:09:37.799 I mean it's pretty cool. I mean I've always known 179 00:09:37.840 --> 00:09:40.799 soccer can just bring people together. It's a great sport, 180 00:09:40.879 --> 00:09:45.159 brings communities, brings cultures all together. And seeing that out 181 00:09:45.200 --> 00:09:50.000 here there's people of all literally shapes, sizes, colors, everything 182 00:09:50.120 --> 00:09:52.360 all just come into play, hang out and have a 183 00:09:52.360 --> 00:09:52.799 good time. 184 00:09:53.759 --> 00:09:57.200 For someone who doesn't know about this, what would you 185 00:09:57.320 --> 00:10:00.320 tell them? What would be you standing on a bill board, 186 00:10:00.720 --> 00:10:03.080 you know, on the interstate or something, waving your hands frankly, 187 00:10:03.120 --> 00:10:05.799 or on top of a building, so you're saying, you know, here, 188 00:10:05.919 --> 00:10:07.720 this is what's going on. What would you tell somebody 189 00:10:07.720 --> 00:10:08.759 that doesn't know about this? 190 00:10:09.440 --> 00:10:13.600 I mean it's simple, really, It's just challenged athletes that 191 00:10:13.639 --> 00:10:17.320 are coming together to create a community and strive together. 192 00:10:17.399 --> 00:10:19.639 Basically simple as that. 193 00:10:20.240 --> 00:10:22.080 And so now we go from one of the coaches 194 00:10:22.559 --> 00:10:25.759 that was there for community day to one of the 195 00:10:25.840 --> 00:10:29.440 athletes that has been impacted. And when you see someone 196 00:10:29.519 --> 00:10:33.279 like David Lackwood, you see what it means to be 197 00:10:33.320 --> 00:10:36.399 a part of something like this, and you see how 198 00:10:36.559 --> 00:10:40.759 talented an individual he is in the sport. And it 199 00:10:40.840 --> 00:10:44.480 was a wide ranging conversation that we got to have 200 00:10:44.559 --> 00:10:47.600 with David about how he became engaged in the sport, 201 00:10:47.679 --> 00:10:49.759 how he's grown in the sport, what he's learned from 202 00:10:49.759 --> 00:10:52.240 the sport. So here's our conversation with one of the 203 00:10:52.279 --> 00:10:54.440 athletes to keep an eye on when it comes to 204 00:10:54.480 --> 00:10:57.039 amputee soccer out of the Atlanta area and on the 205 00:10:57.159 --> 00:11:01.000 US scale. David Lackwood, what's it like to have a 206 00:11:01.080 --> 00:11:04.159 day like this where you can just enjoy the sport 207 00:11:04.240 --> 00:11:05.320 as normal as possible. 208 00:11:06.639 --> 00:11:11.120 It's I feel like happiness, you know, because I used 209 00:11:11.159 --> 00:11:15.080 to play soccer before my amputation, and I really thought 210 00:11:15.120 --> 00:11:17.000 after my amputation that I wasn't going to be able 211 00:11:17.039 --> 00:11:21.120 to play soccer again. So when I was introduced to this, 212 00:11:21.519 --> 00:11:25.519 you know, amputy soccer thing, and it was it changed 213 00:11:25.559 --> 00:11:31.919 my life because part of like getting my frustration and 214 00:11:31.919 --> 00:11:33.759 all that stuff is like playing soccer, and I used 215 00:11:33.759 --> 00:11:37.519 to play soccer a lot. So being able to have 216 00:11:37.679 --> 00:11:41.840 this and be able to play with you know, some 217 00:11:41.879 --> 00:11:44.200 of some of these guys that are, you know, first 218 00:11:44.200 --> 00:11:49.000 time playing it and then they're going hard, they're showing 219 00:11:50.000 --> 00:11:54.000 that they appreciate the game, and it's it's awesome. You know, 220 00:11:54.759 --> 00:11:55.639 it makes me happy. 221 00:11:55.679 --> 00:11:56.279 It makes me. 222 00:11:58.240 --> 00:12:02.080 It was just happiness that would be happiness. 223 00:12:02.320 --> 00:12:03.360 How did you find out about it? 224 00:12:04.120 --> 00:12:09.799 I found out about amputation soccer back in twenty twenty 225 00:12:09.799 --> 00:12:16.679 one when they sent your email, Nick, it was jo 226 00:12:16.759 --> 00:12:21.159 Vann send your emails saying that if I wanted to 227 00:12:22.080 --> 00:12:24.480 know about the game, and I had to fly to 228 00:12:24.559 --> 00:12:26.320 New York. So I'm like, I don't know. 229 00:12:26.399 --> 00:12:27.480 I'm like, okay, let's do it. 230 00:12:27.559 --> 00:12:29.759 Let's try, you know, I mean, let's do it. 231 00:12:29.799 --> 00:12:30.240 So I went. 232 00:12:30.360 --> 00:12:32.120 I didn't have crushes. I didn't play with crushes. I 233 00:12:32.200 --> 00:12:34.759 played with my prosthetic because I didn't have crushes. So 234 00:12:35.360 --> 00:12:37.440 I saw the game and I saw how active they 235 00:12:37.480 --> 00:12:40.759 were and how good they were, and that kind of 236 00:12:40.799 --> 00:12:43.679 motivated me to like, okay, let me get my crushes. 237 00:12:43.759 --> 00:12:47.519 So immediately after the game, I went on the website 238 00:12:47.559 --> 00:12:51.279 and I bought my crutches, and that was I was 239 00:12:51.360 --> 00:12:54.879 introduced to amputee soccer. Like I said back in twenty 240 00:12:54.919 --> 00:12:59.000 twenty one, I went to New York. It was like 241 00:12:59.039 --> 00:13:04.200 an exhibition thing, and that's that's how I found out. 242 00:13:04.240 --> 00:13:08.480 But ever since, I've been you know, practicing and playing 243 00:13:08.960 --> 00:13:13.200 and with the reserve on the national team, US national team, 244 00:13:13.360 --> 00:13:16.879 so making my way there out there, so little by little. 245 00:13:17.399 --> 00:13:21.799 Do you feel like a role model in anyway or 246 00:13:21.840 --> 00:13:23.000 even example for others? 247 00:13:23.000 --> 00:13:24.000 Maybe I do. 248 00:13:25.679 --> 00:13:28.960 One of my my My thing is motivated, like to 249 00:13:29.000 --> 00:13:31.559 motivate others. And I see that a lot that you know, 250 00:13:31.559 --> 00:13:33.840 I motivated a lot every time, even though when I'm 251 00:13:33.879 --> 00:13:37.320 practicing by myself and then kids from high school come 252 00:13:37.360 --> 00:13:39.360 and practice that I was looking at me and they 253 00:13:39.399 --> 00:13:42.039 come up to me and say, hey, you you you 254 00:13:42.240 --> 00:13:46.399 motivate me to go harder. So not just people that 255 00:13:47.679 --> 00:13:51.240 have an amputation, but people that you know, have you know, 256 00:13:51.360 --> 00:13:55.600 both that are there there their legs or arms or everything. 257 00:13:55.600 --> 00:13:57.159 You know, they come up to me and say, you know, 258 00:13:57.159 --> 00:13:59.480 you have motivation. So that kind of made me. 259 00:14:00.120 --> 00:14:01.080 Uh. 260 00:14:01.840 --> 00:14:04.799 I don't want to say a hero or or but 261 00:14:05.000 --> 00:14:07.840 like I do, I do motivate a lot of people, 262 00:14:08.279 --> 00:14:11.440 and that makes me makes me happy that the others 263 00:14:11.440 --> 00:14:14.080 can can see that and then go hard and then 264 00:14:14.279 --> 00:14:16.120 just not stop there and just keep going. 265 00:14:16.440 --> 00:14:16.639 You know. 266 00:14:17.639 --> 00:14:22.440 So for someone who may not necessarily know that this exists, 267 00:14:23.759 --> 00:14:25.879 what would you tell them? What advice would you give 268 00:14:25.960 --> 00:14:28.480 for someone who's looking for that outlet that you were 269 00:14:28.519 --> 00:14:31.759 able to find, what would you tell them about activities 270 00:14:31.799 --> 00:14:33.519 like this that can help them out. 271 00:14:33.919 --> 00:14:38.720 To come and try it? Come and try it. It 272 00:14:38.840 --> 00:14:42.679 might seem hard in my seeing embarrassed because at first, honestly, 273 00:14:42.759 --> 00:14:45.639 that was not not not everybody, but like for me, 274 00:14:45.679 --> 00:14:49.440 I was a little embarrassed. But then I said, like 275 00:14:49.559 --> 00:14:52.440 I said, I saw people come up to me saying, hey, 276 00:14:52.480 --> 00:14:54.840 you motivate me. So that kind of also motivated me 277 00:14:54.879 --> 00:14:57.720 to your keep board. Just come try it, come try it. 278 00:14:58.120 --> 00:15:01.159 You know we can we can tissue some some some 279 00:15:01.440 --> 00:15:05.039 you know, some basic skills like you know, touching the ball, 280 00:15:05.720 --> 00:15:09.559 doing the working with the crushes, trusting you crushes, you know, 281 00:15:09.759 --> 00:15:13.080 and and just come out there and try it, try 282 00:15:13.080 --> 00:15:16.879 it and you're gonna like it. Just try it. Uh, 283 00:15:17.240 --> 00:15:20.039 come out here, try I'm gonna be here. Like like 284 00:15:20.440 --> 00:15:23.559 I tell a lot of people too. I was give 285 00:15:23.600 --> 00:15:26.080 them my numbers, say come try. When they come try, 286 00:15:26.200 --> 00:15:28.679 I give them my numbers. Say any any any questions 287 00:15:28.799 --> 00:15:31.720 you have, you can shoot me a text. You want 288 00:15:31.720 --> 00:15:34.799 to go and shoot the ball, I'm always available. You 289 00:15:35.000 --> 00:15:38.200 need you got any questions, shoot me a shot text. 290 00:15:38.200 --> 00:15:42.320 I'm sorry, Hey, just come try it. Come try You're 291 00:15:42.320 --> 00:15:43.240 gonna love it. 292 00:15:43.440 --> 00:15:47.039 Yeah, And personally, I will once again reiterate that David 293 00:15:47.200 --> 00:15:50.240 has a heck of a shot. And it was fun 294 00:15:50.279 --> 00:15:52.519 to see him interact. It was fun to see him 295 00:15:52.600 --> 00:15:56.639 encourage others. It was really cool to see him just 296 00:15:56.759 --> 00:16:00.039 completely and totally involved in the experience to inform and 297 00:16:00.240 --> 00:16:04.240 educate and participate with others involved with Atlanta amputee soccer 298 00:16:04.320 --> 00:16:07.240 on Community Day. This is SDH weekend where we take 299 00:16:07.279 --> 00:16:11.600 a look at Community Day attached to the amputee soccer 300 00:16:11.639 --> 00:16:15.240 community in the city of Atlanta. Here in the SDH footprint, 301 00:16:15.240 --> 00:16:18.639 Atlanta emput Soccer Community Day over at Kensington Station at 302 00:16:18.679 --> 00:16:21.960 Marta at the soccer is Soccer in the Streets pitch 303 00:16:22.600 --> 00:16:25.759 and it was a fun afternoon for those that were 304 00:16:25.799 --> 00:16:29.440 there and an informative afternoon for me frankly, but it 305 00:16:29.559 --> 00:16:32.039 was really fun to be out there. Last person we're 306 00:16:32.039 --> 00:16:34.960 going to catch up with is Daniel Copeland, and Daniel 307 00:16:35.159 --> 00:16:41.120 is the main contact involving US amputee soccer in the area. 308 00:16:41.159 --> 00:16:44.000 He and Katie are the one in the two when 309 00:16:44.039 --> 00:16:48.320 it comes to the Atlanta amputee soccer movement and everything 310 00:16:48.360 --> 00:16:53.039 that goes in the conversations with the AASA, the American 311 00:16:53.159 --> 00:16:57.840 Mputee Soccer Association, and catching up with Daniel, who is 312 00:16:58.279 --> 00:17:03.240 a physical therapist by occupation, gets to be a part 313 00:17:03.279 --> 00:17:05.720 of the Atlanta amputee soccer community in the amputee soccer 314 00:17:05.799 --> 00:17:10.119 community through moments like today and events like today and 315 00:17:10.359 --> 00:17:13.160 US amp Soccer and Atlanta Amputee Soccer. So here's our 316 00:17:13.599 --> 00:17:17.079 information and here's our informative conversation with Daniel Copeland about 317 00:17:17.119 --> 00:17:20.000 everything that's gone on that has led to this day 318 00:17:20.079 --> 00:17:23.240 when it came to amputee soccer in the Atlanta area. 319 00:17:23.319 --> 00:17:26.440 So what's it like to have a day like this 320 00:17:27.279 --> 00:17:29.720 and see the response that you've gotten out here today. 321 00:17:30.519 --> 00:17:32.200 It's really good. I'm really happy with it. 322 00:17:32.240 --> 00:17:36.279 I'm really happy with getting some seeing some returning faces, 323 00:17:36.319 --> 00:17:39.359 but then getting some new faces out here, whether it's 324 00:17:39.400 --> 00:17:41.880 athletes as well as just the community. You know, getting 325 00:17:41.920 --> 00:17:43.720 a bunch of people out here who are new and 326 00:17:43.759 --> 00:17:45.920 they're just wanting to learn and just be supportive. 327 00:17:45.920 --> 00:17:47.839 And it's really right. It's really exciting. 328 00:17:49.200 --> 00:17:53.720 When you look back to day one of starting today, 329 00:17:54.000 --> 00:17:56.319 does it seem like it's been a long time? Does 330 00:17:56.319 --> 00:17:58.279 it seem like it's been a whirlwind. Does it seem 331 00:17:58.319 --> 00:18:00.200 like it's been both to get to this day from 332 00:18:00.279 --> 00:18:00.640 day one? 333 00:18:00.720 --> 00:18:03.640 Yeah, it's been a little bit of both, because whenever 334 00:18:03.640 --> 00:18:07.799 we actually look at the calendar, it's been it's not even. 335 00:18:07.720 --> 00:18:09.920 Really a year since our first official event. 336 00:18:10.480 --> 00:18:12.599 But and when you look at the number of things 337 00:18:12.599 --> 00:18:14.519 that we've done in that time, it hasn't been like 338 00:18:14.640 --> 00:18:17.000 a ton on paper, but it's been a lot of 339 00:18:17.000 --> 00:18:19.799 stuff to get to this point when you look at 340 00:18:19.799 --> 00:18:22.440 the fine details of it, and so in the moment, 341 00:18:22.480 --> 00:18:24.400 it's kind of quick, but looking back, it feels kind 342 00:18:24.400 --> 00:18:26.720 of long. It's it's just it's back and forth. It's 343 00:18:26.759 --> 00:18:28.480 back and forth. But it's been good the whole time. 344 00:18:29.000 --> 00:18:33.680 So when so there's someone that doesn't know about it 345 00:18:33.759 --> 00:18:35.559 and you walk up to them, you know, there's a 346 00:18:35.559 --> 00:18:37.640 group of people, you know, fifteen twenty folks are just 347 00:18:37.720 --> 00:18:39.759 kind of hanging out and then you say what you 348 00:18:39.839 --> 00:18:41.319 do and they don't know about it? 349 00:18:41.359 --> 00:18:43.599 What are those initial conversations. 350 00:18:42.960 --> 00:18:46.000 Like, Honestly, it's just a lot of I'm not the 351 00:18:46.000 --> 00:18:47.920 best at doing and talking to people, and I usually 352 00:18:47.920 --> 00:18:48.279 rely on. 353 00:18:48.319 --> 00:18:49.039 Katie for that a lot. 354 00:18:49.079 --> 00:18:52.680 But it's it's usually just hey, do you want to 355 00:18:52.720 --> 00:18:55.519 learn something about something pretty cool, something pretty new. A 356 00:18:55.559 --> 00:18:58.400 lot of that's been conversations with coworkers to come out 357 00:18:58.400 --> 00:19:02.319 here and just be like, hey, check this out. It's 358 00:19:02.319 --> 00:19:04.960 a cool thing. It's a growing thing. It's something that 359 00:19:04.960 --> 00:19:07.799 we're really excited about, we're really passionate about. And then 360 00:19:08.519 --> 00:19:11.240 as those other others turn to start getting more excited, 361 00:19:11.240 --> 00:19:12.880 then you start to hear a lot of the tone 362 00:19:12.960 --> 00:19:16.440 change is just like just energy level spike. We're getting 363 00:19:16.440 --> 00:19:18.400 super excited, We're getting super giddy. Oh my god, Yeah, 364 00:19:18.400 --> 00:19:21.119 there's this, there's this, that's this. Start telling them about like, hey, 365 00:19:21.200 --> 00:19:23.799 are us women's team just play second in the world 366 00:19:23.880 --> 00:19:26.480 right now? So it's growing and we're just trying to 367 00:19:26.480 --> 00:19:28.319 get it bigger and bigger. There's a chance of it 368 00:19:28.359 --> 00:19:30.640 being in the Special Olympics eventually, and it just turns 369 00:19:30.680 --> 00:19:32.359 into hey are you curious about this? 370 00:19:32.400 --> 00:19:34.119 To now I'm word vomiting all the. 371 00:19:34.079 --> 00:19:37.640 Things that it can become, even and then speaking on 372 00:19:38.279 --> 00:19:40.720 backtrating and saying this is where we're at though, but 373 00:19:40.759 --> 00:19:42.680 this is where we're going, and then just being super 374 00:19:42.680 --> 00:19:45.880 excited about that and hopefully getting other people excited about 375 00:19:45.880 --> 00:19:46.319 that as well. 376 00:19:46.880 --> 00:19:48.720 So when you go from where you are to where 377 00:19:48.759 --> 00:19:52.759 you're going, what's missing from the outside in what do 378 00:19:52.839 --> 00:19:54.759 you need to get to those next steps? 379 00:19:54.880 --> 00:19:58.720 A lot of what we are looking for and being 380 00:19:58.720 --> 00:20:02.559 more involved in the overarching American Association, I know some 381 00:20:02.599 --> 00:20:05.119 of the stuff that we need to grow to where 382 00:20:05.119 --> 00:20:08.039 we're going as a nationwide association. But some of our 383 00:20:08.039 --> 00:20:09.920 stuff with just the Atlanta Group is getting a lot 384 00:20:09.960 --> 00:20:13.160 of athletes out here, Katie and I and then now 385 00:20:13.240 --> 00:20:15.480 Charlie as well. We've been working then David and the 386 00:20:15.519 --> 00:20:17.839 other athletes. We've been working a lot on the word 387 00:20:17.880 --> 00:20:19.880 of mouth stuff, and we're trying to grow more into 388 00:20:19.920 --> 00:20:22.880 the realm of like we're actually reaching out as the 389 00:20:22.920 --> 00:20:27.680 ambassadors of the group and growing one the community of 390 00:20:28.200 --> 00:20:30.640 non amputees but as well as amputees, and then just 391 00:20:30.720 --> 00:20:32.640 getting as many athletes out here as possible so that 392 00:20:32.640 --> 00:20:35.960 we can then say, okay, we got the full squad 393 00:20:36.000 --> 00:20:38.960 of Atlanta Amputee soccer that can then be more competitive 394 00:20:39.000 --> 00:20:42.640 within the actual American Association, and then from there that 395 00:20:42.720 --> 00:20:45.880 just grows the overarching association, which in turn allows us 396 00:20:45.920 --> 00:20:50.000 to go to all those other governing associations like the 397 00:20:50.039 --> 00:20:52.000 Paralympic groups and all that kind of stuff to then 398 00:20:52.039 --> 00:20:54.200 in turns just say hey, we got something big in 399 00:20:54.200 --> 00:20:56.559 the US and we're just helping to build it as 400 00:20:56.599 --> 00:21:01.759 an international sport. So there's just our biggest thing though, 401 00:21:01.839 --> 00:21:04.200