WASHINGTON TWP., Montgomery County — Some can't walk. Some can't talk. Some, unlike other athletes who limp off the field, limp on and off.

All have a common bond — T.O.P. Soccer, a U.S Youth Soccer program for youth with disabilities, where winning is not the goal, but a winning smile is.

Like a mixed bag of chips, the players in Dayton's two T.O.P. Soccer programs, one north and one south, cover the gamut of mental and physical disabilities, from muscular dystrophy to Downs Syndrome and autism.

Seventeen-year-old Michelle Witters of Vandalia doesn't even like playing soccer, her mom Tina Witters said. "She just likes to hear people yell her name. She likes to put on her uniform and for the most part she likes to do what her four other sisters can do."

Tina and her husband Ron Witters run the North Dayton T.O.P. Soccer program, which has 62 "kids" ages 5 to 18, with one 30, who play Wednesdays and Sundays at the Vandalia Parks & Recreation Sports Complex.

The Witters started their program five years ago after tiring of the drive to the South Dayton T.O.P. Soccer program in Washington Twp., where this year 158 "kids" ages four to 18, with one 46, play at Oak Grove Park on Social Row Road.

On a recent Wednesday, South Dayton's wheelchair team, 8 members strong, took to the field, a paved area near the dog park, with their coach Brad King of Springboro. King and his wife Cheri, who have two disabled children, took over the south program this year from Centerville residents Bob and Sheila Glavin, who started it 8 years ago.

The wheelchair players kicked or pushed a soft four-foot-tall soccer ball towards small orange cones set up as goals, assisted by seniors from Bellbrook High School's boys varsity soccer team. Fifty-eight BHS boys and girls soccer team players served as soccer buddies for the various age groups.

"I like scoring goals," said Marisa Arvin, 10, of Springboro, propelling her own wheelchair, with BHS senior Matt Sadler at her side. "Soccer and basketball are the only real sports I've done," she said.

"It's good group therapy," said Sarah Todd of Dayton, whose son Phillip, 12, plays in the south program. "He's been playing since he was five," she said. "The first year all he wanted to do was run up the field, Now he actually stays with the team. It teaches high school kids that there are kids with disabilities who want to play the sport just like you, but can't," she said.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2341 or kullmer@DaytonDailyNews.com.

T.O.P. Soccer

What: Dayton T.O.P. (The Outreach Program) Soccer disabled youth programs.

When: Wednesdays and Saturdays from August through mid-October.

Cost: None. Donations pay for uniforms, equipment, medals, trophies and banquet.

Needed: Volunteer coaches and soccer buddies.

For more info: North Dayton T.O.P. Soccer: www.northdaytontopsoccer.com, Ron and Tina Witters, program directors: (937) 836-2156 and South Dayton T.O.P. Soccer: www.eteamz.active.com/daytontopsoccer, Brad and Cheri King, program directors: (937) 748-8066.