An 11-year-old boy wanted a place where he and his friends could play sports together regardless of physical ability, and a group of people came together to bring that dream to life.
Noah Robbins, who has Escobar syndrome and uses a power chair, helped found the All Star Rollers, a youth sports program where kids with and without disabilities can compete side by side.
Before the league began, Robbins felt something was missing in local youth sports opportunities for wheelchair users. He reached out to leadership at his local Boys and Girls Club to bring his vision to life.
Chris Watts, president and CEO of Boys and Girls Clubs of Western PA, said Robbins was driven by a simple desire to participate with his peers.
“He just wanted to play with his friends, play sports and there was not many opportunities for him, because he was in a wheelchair,” Watts said. “He decided that he wanted to essentially start his own league.”
To design the program, Robbins partnered with former Paralympian Jay Styperk, who joined as co-creator and co-coach of the All Star Rollers. Styperk recalled Robbins coming prepared to early organizational meetings.
“We had several planning meetings,” Styperk said. “Noah was at the planning meetings with his notebook with his points that he wanted to go over for that meeting.”
The collaboration led to a program designed to give every child access to organized sports activities.
“They came together to create a program for kids that may need a little assistance, maybe a little additional support, but still deserve all the sporting experiences that all kids have and that’s where All Star Rollers came from,” Watts said.
The program hosts hour-long weekly sessions at the Estelle S. Campbell Clubhouse.
During the weekly sessions, participants compete in basketball, football and relay races.
Styperk said the environment on the court gives athletes equal footing.
“Right when you see them come into the gym, there’s some sort of weight that’s lifted off of them because they’re eye to eye with their peers and they’re competing on an equal playing field and they’re here because they want to compete,” Styperk said.
The weekly games have made an impression on parents watching from the stands.
David Robbins, Noah’s father, described seeing his son take the court.
“The very first week, I mean, literally, to see him out here with a big smile on his face. It was emotional,” David Robbins said.
The athletes have formed a close bond, nicknaming their group “The Sandlot.”
Styperk observed positive team dynamics emerging among the players.
“You really see them take roles,” Styperk said. “There’s leaders amongst the group, there’s team players that are looking out for others before themselves.”
Watts highlighted the overarching mission behind the league’s growth.
“Every kid deserves that opportunity to be with their friends,” Watts said. “Every kid deserves opportunities to feel a sense of belonging and support for mentors that care about them.”
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