The Long Island Junior Soccer League's Special Children will be kicking off their spring season at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 1 at the Peter Collins Soccer Park in Plainview.

A Special Olympics-certification coaching clinic will be held at the Soccer Park the next Saturday, April 8, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The LIJSL takes great pride in the fact that it was the first soccer league to have a Special Children's Program, starting back in 1978. By 1990, there were four LIJSL clubs with Special Children's Programs--Huntington Boys Club, Massapequa, Plainview/Old Bethpage Highlanders and Sachem.

The New Hyde Park Wildcats Soccer Club was added in 1991 with the North Shore SC Special Children in the Glen Head area kicking off the next year.

There has been dramatic growth in the LIJSL Special Children's Program during the past several years and now there are 13 Special Clubs from all over Long Island. Residents in Massapequa should contact Stan and Patty Jacobson, at 795-3866.