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Doer Profile
FRANCI SILVER
City: West Bloomfield
Kudos: Special Soccer Mom
For many people, Alfilling the roles of wife and moth-
er, practicing attorney and soccer coach for her two
daughters, Erica, 14, and Marti, 11, would be more
than enough.
For Franci Silver of West Bloomfield, coaching was
not exhausting; it was inspiring. The experience led to
her starting a special soccer league so kids with disabili-
ties could have the same opportunities to play.
The new league, part of a national program called
TOPS (The Outreach Program for Soccer), has been
playing every Sunday since May 1 at Orchard Lake
Middle School in West Bloomfield. There are 37 regu-
lar players ages 4-19 with varying skill levels and types
of disabilities.
Helping people with disabilities is a familiar avoca-
tion for Franci. For the past 10 years, she has served as
president of the Southeast Michigan Executive
Committee for Muscular Dystrophy, working on the
annual telethon with her daughters and husband,
Larry.
How did the league develop?
"I was secretary of the Lakes Area Soccer League,
where my daughters play, and the president, Jeff
Raben, asked me to help start a program for kids
with disabilities. I did some research on how these
leagues are run in other places. We recruited play-
ers from the Lakes Area teams to serve as peer vol-
unteers. Each player has at least one volunteer;
some might need more than one, to push a wheel-
chair, for example."
Has this become a family project?
"Definitely. It's the best thing we've ever done
together as a family. My daughters are peer volun-
teers, and my husband, Larry, coaches the team of
8- to 12-year-olds, called 'The Fire."'
What about next season?
"We're having a big party on the last day, then
we'll take a break over the summer. Games will be
held at Orchard Lake Middle School during the fall
and spring, and the Soccer Zone in Novi has offered
to host our league during the winter."
What's been most fulfilling?
"Just seeing the kids out there on the field. The
players love it, their parents love it, and the volun-
teers love it; it's a win-win situation. We've gotten
amazing feedback, hundreds of e-mails and photos.
Franci Silver gives a pep talk to players before a game.
One mother wrote us that her daughter, who has
autism, declared that she was a 'real' soccer player
after we played in the rain, because she knows that's
what professional players do.
My wish is that every kid who was never able to
play on a regular sports team will have that chance
now."
— Ronelle Grier, special' writer
REPORT A DOER... Know a Doer — someone of any age doing interesting, meaningful things in their life outside of their job? Share suggestions with Keri Guten Cohen, story dexiet
opment editor, at (248) 351-5144 or e-mail: kcohen@thejewishnews.com
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