WESTMINSTER, Colo. — Across the country, soccer is uniting strangers through the FIFA World Cup and the United States Men's National Team further advancing to Round of 16. The love for the game is spreading all over our state and reaching players of all abilities.
The adaptive director for Colorado Storm, Ashley Heinekamp, sees firsthand the impact the program is having on the youngest of talent. The program is designed for age groups from U5 to U19 with intellectual, emotional or physical disabilities. Players are paired with a "buddy" who helps them focus on their skills and develop a bond both on and off the pitch.
⚽️ WATCH: Denver7 Senior Summit Correspondent Maggy Wolanske shares the impact Colorado Storm’s adaptive soccer program is having on families in the Mile High
"Some still need parent involvement, some absolutely don't want it to be here, but the most important thing is that the experience, the environment, inspiring something new and over the course of time, they end up loving being here," said Heinekamp. "I've had players that start off really rocky and not wanting to be here and on Week 3 or 4, they're super stoked to be here and you see a whole different kid."
When Heinekamp first started working for the progam in 2024 it was serving one region in the north. Over the years, it has expanded to now include a south region, central region, and Castle Rock.
"I've seen a very big uptick," said Heinekamp. "When we first started out, we had maybe nine adaptive players and about 10 to 11 buddies, and now we're seeing 20 to 30 adaptive players and 30 to 40 volunteers that work with us"
Heinekamp's daughter, Aimee, is a buddy in the program and helps six-year-old Tommy Brown play on the field and interact with other players his age. Tommy's mother, Lindsay Brown, said he was born prematurely at 34 weeks and was diagnosed with autisim at two and a half years old.
At home, Tommy was full of energy showing off his toys, books, and his favorite Baby Yoda stuffed animal. Brown said they became involved in the adaptive program in April 2025 and has noticed the positive impact it is having on her son.
"He is learning to play with the other kids in a team environment. He's learning a lot of coordination and just improvement with running," explained Brown. "He definitely needs that work with coordination and all of that, but also listening to instructions and following what the other people are doing and that setting has been really great for him to."
With Aimee as Tommy's buddy, Brown has watched her son open up to a new person and develop his soccer skills in a welcoming environment.
"It's been just over a year of him participating and it's been so good because they have the buddy assigned to them each time. He has had Aimee almost the entire time, and he loves her," said Brown.
Seeing the program in action is a testament to the deep bond that can be formed through soccer. With excitement soaring around the World Cup and Denver Summit FC, Heinekamp stressed how special it is to have this program in our backyard.
"It's wonderful to see how soccer can really unite communities and families, especially since soccer is such an wonderful sport and it can be adapted to anybody and any ability," Heinekamp said.
July 2026
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** game played at DICK's Sporting Goods Park
other home matches scheduled to be played at Centennial Stadium