Nominee: Charlotte Soccer Academy (CSA) Nominator: Jolanda Hengstman Category: Business/organization of the year 2016 Why are you nominating this business? Charlotte Soccer Academy (CSA), a premier youth soccer organization, under the leadership of Brad Wylde (Executive Director) has been, and is, extremely supportive of Camp SOAR (Special Olympics Athlete Retreat) and our local Special Olympics Soccer program. CSA sends professional coaches to our schools to help with training and to the competition to referee. They set high expectations when their youth soccer team players come out to camp SOAR to make the experience a true inclusive experience with a high social value. Brad Wylde himself, even though he is the executive director and busy running the business, never tires to come out himself and volunteer. Setting a great example for all the coaches and players from his club who volunteer. Besides time and expertise they also donate much needed equipment to the special education programs at the various schools. Describe the nominee’s involvement in the local program and for how long. For the past 12 years CSA has been instrumental in providing a high quality soccer program at camp SOAR. A weeklong daytime sport oriented program at the Jewish Community Center in Charlotte NC for campers with Intellectual Disabilities. The camp is free of charge to all the campers. CSA provides professional coaches and numerous soccer players as volunteers. A second area of great support is for our local in-school soccer competition. This is the 7th years CSA is helping us put on a high quality soccer tournament. They arrive early in the morning lining the fields according to S.O. rules, and provide referees for all the games throughout the day. During the weeks leading up to the tournament they provide soccer clinics lead by professional coaches at participating schools. The number of schools involved has steadily increased to 14 this past fall. Last but not least, they provide equipment for camp SOAR as well as for the schools on an as needed bases. This has included shirts, soccer balls, cones etc. Most impressive is their love for the sport of soccer AND sharing this love for their sport with our athletes. CSA members are personable, respectful, encouraging and knowledgeable. Describe the nominee’s impact on the local program. Camp SOAR relies on volunteer groups and businesses. Organizations such as CSA help the camp grow in numbers (from 70 campers in the early years to over 300 now) and provide a level of knowledge, professionalism and enthusiasm that give the camp such a great reputation. Camp SOAR is also a great recruiting ground for our year round local S.O. program, which includes soccer. Our local in-school soccer competition has grown from a few teams and a handful of skills athletes to a large size tournament. We currently have 16 schools involved in the competition. This includes Project Unify Schools (now Unified Champion Schools) which are sending Unified teams to the tournament. The staff and students at the schools look forward to the soccer clinics and over the years CSA coaches have requested to go to the school they had the year before. It is great to see these kinds of relationships develop. The presence of CSA provided referees (in referee uniforms) has raised the level of professionalism, presentation, and quality of the tournament. Our Special Olympic players have significantly increased their skill level. Schools have taken this tournament to heart and are recognizing Special Olympic Teams and are providing them with athletic uniforms for the tournament and including them as sport teams in their yearbooks.