The “Kick with Care” program brings the sport of soccer to many with special needs.

Sidekick Soccer Academy is excited to announce that its fall “Kick with Care” program was begun on Saturday, September 14, at Draw Seven Park and will continue throughout the month of October.

“Kick with Care” is an outreach program whereby modifications to the game of soccer are provided so that children with special needs or anxiety and adults with disabilities can enjoy the world’s most popular game on a weekly basis.

On the heels of a successful inaugural spring season at Winter Hill Community School, “Kick with Care” just completed its summer session with a weekly opportunity for fun in the sun at Capuano Field, also known as Glen Park.

With plans for the program to be run 36 weeks out of the year – in 6 six-week intervals – Sidekick Soccer Academy, in conjunction with Somerville Recreation and the Mayor’s Office, is able to play the game with an underserved population of the Somerville community.

“It allows players to come in, learn the game of soccer, play the game of soccer, get some exercise and meet new friends,” said John Teves, Sidekick’s Director of “Kick with Care.”

The six-week fall session will be held at Draw Seven Park, located at the corner of Foley Street and Assembly Square Drive, near the Winter Hill Yacht Club. The program has rolling admission for both kids and adults. The kids’ program will be from 12–1 p.m. The adults’ program will be from 1–2 p.m. There is no cost to play.

“The Recreation Department and Mayor’s Office have been very supportive of our program – especially financially – and have helped ensure that we run a professional program for these players,” said Zach Rocha, Sidekick Soccer Academy Director.

“Kick with Care” offers a recreational, leisure approach to the game and one-on-one assistance is available to those who need it.

Teves was previously the director of Somerville Recreation’s TOPSoccer program. TOPSoccer is a US Youth Soccer program designed for young athletes with disabilities.

Teves formed the “Kick with Care” program along with Rocha this spring. Rocha had previously assisted Teves with the TOPSoccer program while a student-athlete at Lesley University in Cambridge.

“Kick with Care” is different from TOPSoccer. In addition to serving children with mental and physical disabilities, ‘Kick with Care’ also welcomes children who don’t have a medically diagnosed condition.

“Some of the kids are just shy or have anxiety being in a structured youth soccer program,” said Rocha.

“Kick with Care” also encompasses a program for adults with disabilities, which has been well attended and warmly received, with most players coming from the Walnut Street Center.

“A lot of these adults have one form of weekly activity and ‘Kick with Care’ allows them to have another activity,” said Teves. “They get to interact with other adults and they get to play the wonderful game of soccer.”

Before establishing Sidekick Soccer Academy in 2012, Rocha was the head men’s soccer coach at Anna Maria College near Worcester. Rocha introduced his players there to the TOPSoccer program through a coaching clinic on the school’s campus that was filmed and shown worldwide on Fox Soccer Channel.

Upon moving back to the Boston area this spring, Teves was one of the first people he called.

“John told me that, unfortunately, the TOPSoccer program was not currently in existence. But he added that he received at least one phone call or e-mail per week with former participants wanting to know when it would be re-started,” said Rocha. “When he told me that, I said, ‘Let’s create something.’ And that’s how ‘Kick with Care’ was born.”

To register or for more information, please visit sidekicksocceracademy.com.