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Land O' Lakes Special Olympics soccer team prepares for World Games

Tampa Tribune (FL) - 7/5/2015

July 05--LAND O' LAKES -- A soccer ball flew over Rufus Smith-jones' modified blond Mohawk, and he gave chase.

A 14-year-old member of the Land O' Lakes High Unified Special Olympics Soccer Team, Rufus caught up to the bouncing ball, controlled it with his right foot and fired a shot at the goal.

The goalie, a Land O' Lakes High student who helps the team practice, made a diving save, frustrating Rufus.

"She's a good goalie," coach Vicky King called to the young player. "Get back in it!"

Rufus complained that his foot had been stepped on.

King had none of it.

"Pay attention," she said. "Let's get back in the game."

"I never stepped on anyone's foot," Rufus said.

"Rufus, hustle!" King said.

The unified soccer team was practicing this week in preparation for the Special Olympics World Games in Los AngelesJuly 25 through Aug. 2. The Land O' Lakes squad is the lone representative from the United States in unified soccer.

The co-ed team includes 12 players, including seven athletes and five partners.

"They're all Special Olympians," King said. "You have intellectually disabled and non-intellectually disabled players working side by side. It's all about inclusion and acceptance. We play (what is called) 'unified soccer.'"

King, also the girls soccer coach at Land O' Lakes High, has been coaching Special Olympics teams for 29 years. The team earned its berth in the World Games after claiming a gold medal at a state competition last summer.

To make it to Los Angeles, the team -- including 12 players and three coaches -- had to raise $40,000, which mostly has been collected.

"We're pretty much there, but we're still taking donations," King said. "We purchased new cleats for everybody on the team and new shirts."

The money was raised through a "Breakfast of Champions" fundraiser in November, a private reception, and through donations from the Land O' Lakes Moose Lodge, a local AmVets, Pasco County firefighters and other members of the community, King said.

Held every two years, the World Games are expected to include about 7,000 athletes from 177 countries this year. Athletes will compete in 25 sports at venues throughout Los Angeles, including the University of Southern California and The University of California at Los Angeles.

The Land O' Lakes team has been practicing three days a week, about two hours per practice, in preparation for the competition. The players often scrimmage against Land O' Lakes High students and other community partners, King said.

"They make us better," King said.

On Thursday, 19-year-old player Kyle Lufcy took a short water break during the live scrimmage.

Lufcy said he has played soccer for a couple of years and also has participated in football and baseball in Special Olympics competition.

He said he never has been to California, although he has "seen Hollywood on TV."

"I just like playing with my teammates and challenging each other," he said. "We're always learning new techniques, and it helps make us athletic."

A forward who occasionally plays goalie, Lufcy said he is excited about the coming competition.

"We're taking on the world," he said. "People will be seeing us on TV. I'm sure I'll enjoy my time."

Temperatures were in the 80s and rising by the end of Thursday morning's practice. The players were sweaty and tired, but King implored them to keep playing hard, make smart passes and get back on defense.

Minutes after missing a goal, Rufus Smith-jones again found himself on a breakaway.

He faked to the left and shot the ball to the right side of the goal.

Again, the goalie dove, but this time the ball slid off the ends of her fingers and trickled into the net.

Rufus was jubilant.

He ran toward midfield with a wide grin and called to his teammate.

"Good pass!"

gfox@tampatrib.com

(813) 371-1860

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