AYSO's VIP Program for players with special needs is designed to provide a quality soccer experience for children whose physical or mental disabilities make it difficult for them to participate on mainstream teams. The VIP teams are led by volunteer parent coaches, and each player is assigned a buddy, who volunteers for the role. The buddies are students drawn from our local schools. Buddies work alongside players on their soccer skills while the player is engaged on the field. We often find that a special relationship develops between the players and their buddies.