By Ottawa Sports Pages, for Ottawa South United Soccer Club
Courtney Auer-Weatherell wasn’t the player of the match every time she stepped on the pitch – and in recent years she’s often been a supporter from the sidelines due to injury – but she is still a champion of the very best kind.
An Ottawa South United Force player since age 3, Auer-Weatherell is now back with her childhood club to lead a new program for children with autism.
“I’m excited for it to launch in May,” Auer-Weatherell says. “It’s nerve-wracking, but it’s very exciting at the same time.”
A defender for OSU all the way through youth soccer until she joined St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia, “soccer has been in my life for my whole life,” smiles Auer-Weatherell, who was hobbled by injuries during her university career, but scored many friends for life.
The St. Mark Catholic High School grad began coaching as a teenager for OSU’s grassroots programs and later took the helm of her own team for several years. Those experiences proved to be formative in inspiring her future career as a pediatric occupational therapist.
“From a young age, I always had a desire to work with kids,” highlights Auer-Weatherell, who went on to complete a masters degree in Scotland.
Auer-Weatherell’s sister has a severe form of epilepsy called Dravet Syndrome and still requires around-the-clock care at age 22, primarily from her parents at home.
Her disability is different than autism, but it still made Auer-Weatherell want to help others with special needs. She was a past volunteer for Ausome Ottawa, which had offered a suite of sports programs locally before it was forced to close due to funding cuts.
“When Ausome shut down, that was a huge loss for the autism community,” Auer-Weatherell notes. “A lot of the families I work with, they’re already struggling to find inclusive programs for their kiddos.
“They deserve the same opportunities as other children do.”
That sparked Auer-Weatherell to collaborate with OSU to develop the new forthcoming program. When she and the club first put out a call to gauge interest, the response was overwhelming.
“We had like 100 people sign up in 24 hours,” Auer-Weatherell recounts. “We had such huge interest. It was incredible.”
OSU has now built a committee to develop and manage the program. Auer-Weatherell plans to dip into her occupational therapist toolbox to present warm-up drills that aren’t necessarily soccer-specific to help develop gross motor skills.
“We’re not thinking competitive soccer here, but it’ll help them to be able to organize their body and try to execute something new,” explains the Howell Occupational Therapy Professional Corporation worker.
Since it can be difficult for children with autism to engage with others and interpret body language or social cues, the soccer team setting can help create a sense of belonging.
“A big benefit is just the social aspect,” Auer-Weatherell outlines. “And of course being outside on the grass and in nature – that has a positive effect for anyone really. But it’s really about bringing them together and building that community.”
As she does in her work supporting her clients at school or at home, Auer-Weatherell’s first and biggest goal will be to build a strong rapport with her future players and their families. She acknowledges there can be hard moments when supporting kids with autism, but she also finds there is special relationship that forms.
“I like connecting with the kiddos and providing an environment for them to learn and grow in creative ways,” Auer-Weatherell underlines. “The connection you build with both kiddos and the families is hard to put into words, but it’s something really beautiful and it makes you enjoy your job everyday.”
OSU plans to run its autism program in six-week blocks from May through September in an attempt to welcome everyone who’s expressed interest. There will likely be around six coaches, alongside other volunteers or parents to welcome roughly 25 players per session slot.
“My goal is for as many kids as possible to participate and have as much support as we can,” Auer-Weatherell adds. “And my goal is for it to continue and grow after our first year.”
Learn more about Ottawa South United Soccer Club at osu.ca.