October 6, 2015 | Montclair, NJ

With no clear pathway for junior Paralympic soccer players Shea will attend the October Cerebral Palsy mens camp at the National Training Center. The Cerebral Palsy Mens National team is in full preparation for an upcoming game against Brazil and the team has qualified for the Rio Olympics after a great showing at this past summers World Cup played in England.

Eligibility for the Cerebral Palsy Mens National Team comes for Shea because of the stroke that he suffered as a baby. Despite the the significant impact to his left sided muscular development, Shea has always competed with able bodied players but now has a chance to compete with players who have similar issues. Only a handful of teenagers have been invited to the men's camp and Shea will be the youngest in attendance for this camp.

"As a young player we were very lucky to have the incredible support of Kevin Duffus and the staff at Optimum Orthopedics in Montclair who worked miracles keeping him toned and stretched out throughout most of his early playing days" says father/coach Ashley Hammond.

"Today he does his gym work with the amazing trainers at Parabolic who are located upstairs at the Floyd Hall Arena. He trains 2-3 times per week in the gym as well as his soccer work to help retain and build the musculature that doesn't come naturally for stroke victims. Between Optimum, Parabolic and the unerring support of his coaches and team mates at SDFC he has managed to retain a place within the able bodied game" adds Hammond.

Stuart Sharp the USA CP Mens head coach reviews approximately 150 videos per year of young potential CP National team players and invites a select few young players into full camp each year because currently the funding for a youth pathway does not exist.

In Europe a number of the Football Associations have enormous numbers of staff dedicated just to the Paralympic programs that exist and in some instances countries like England have clear junior-pathways with training programs and full time coaches dedicated to all levels of Paralympic player development.

In comparison the US coach (Sharp) fights a relatively lonely battle attempting to forge a pathway and a process to identify more young players across the country who are eligible for the Paralympic soccer programs. Currently any and all youth work in this area at the National level is handled by Stuart and 1-2 others as well as their duties with the mens team.

Shea will wear the colors of the USA for the first time at camp on October 28th and return to New Jersey on November 3rd.

If you know a player (male or female) who is potentially eligible for the Paralympic National Soccer team please contact Director Ashley Hammond of SDFC via email at;

[email protected]