Mini-Monsters clinic empowers kids with disabilities to play football

LOVES PARK, Ill. (WTVO) — Mini-Monsters, a youth football clinic, is helping children with disabilities take part in football drills and have fun during Spring Break.

“It’s really cool to see kids who might be a little bit anxious to come in are now at the end running through and jumping on mats and kids who, you know, looking at someone they may not have met before because they’re a volunteer a little bit sideways, are now engaged and running around and having fun,” said Shannon Schumacher, recreation director for

The age range of participants was from 5-12 years old at the Indoor Sports Center, at 8800 E Riverside Blvd, on Tuesday. The majority of the volunteers are still in high school.

“There’s high school football players who are working with a little kid and helping them run through these drills. And they’re learning just as much as our kids are learning,” Schumacher said.

In total, 85 children attended the event.

“Everyone deserves an opportunity to just have resources to this like this and just have an opportunity to play football and to do activities like this regardless of ability, kind of ability or anything like that. You know, everyone deserves an opportunity, you know, So it’s great that they get this opportunity to play. And it’s really rewarding to see,” said Tim Bragg, of the Rockford Park District.

“You always see kids laughing, smiling, playing. They want to go again to the drill multiple times. I’m like, wait, wait, wait a second. But it’s great to see that that enthusiasm, that they want to keep doing it. They want to keep playing. So it’s always great to see,” he added.

This is the second year that Mini-Monsters has partnered with Rockford’s Buddy Sports program.