ERIE, Pa. - Starting tomorrow and every Wednesday for the next seven weeks from 6-7:30 p.m., the men's and women's soccer teams will host the TOPSoccer program in the Junker Center gymnasium. 

TOPSoccer is a community-based program that gives special needs children from northwestern Pennsylvania an opportunity to participate with the Penn State Behrend student-athletes to build life-long friendships while developing soccer skills children may carry with them throughout the summer.

The program, in partnership with Behrend athletics and student-body, promotes good health, awareness and basic soccer skills to the community's youth.  For the past 12 years, the program's goal has been to pair a child with at least one student-athlete while working to develop soccer talent.

“TOPSoccer gives our student-athletes the opportunity to be active participants in providing a beneficial soccer experience for children of the Erie area with special needs,” said head men’s soccer coach Dan Perritano.

TOPSoccer would also like to give special thanks to East Erie Kiwanis and the Sertoma Clubs for their generous support over the previous years.