AZ Sunshine League, Inc.

AZ Sunshine League, Inc. was started decades ago by the Oliver family to provide a place for children with special needs to play soccer and socialize with others.  The program has grown to include over 80 players. Monetary and equipment donations have been received, allowing us to offer additional activities that promote cooperation, hand-eye coordination, balance, and flexibility.  We meet at least 40 weeks per year.

Our players have been diagnosed with ADHD, Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Downs Syndrome, developmental delays, visual and hearing impairments, and other disabilities.  We try to adapt as necessary to include every child.  We continue to include children with walkers, braces, and wheelchairs.   We have two players that have been with us since the beginning and several other players that have been participating for over ten years.

We allow the siblings of our participants to play.  We do not want our players to feel different.  We want to show them they can do anything.  Some of our players have joined other "traditional" youth soccer programs, while others now have friends for the first time in their lives.

Parents are welcomed to join us on the field, or they can sit on the sidelines and watch their children play and participate for an hour.  This is something they do not get to do very often.

Our only income is through donations. We have received donations from the Thunderbirds, St. Paul and State Councils of the Knights of Columbus, the Arizona Sports Complex, and other community organizations and businesses.  We provide all the equipment for our program.  We do not charge our participants.  We are here for the kids and their families.

The AZ Sunshine League, Inc. continues to grow and serve our community through our volunteers’ efforts and donations from the business community.  All donations go to further our program and help local children with special needs.

For additional information, please feel free to contact me at 602-670-5003 or azsunshineleague@yahoo.com.

Jill Oliver, Treasurer, and Co-founder