We accept donations rather than charge tuition. 1T1G is a 501(c)(3) public nonprofit.
Our volunteer buddy training will be Sept 10, 2025, 6:30pm. Our special needs dancers start on Sept 17, 2025.
For more info email Traci@1Team1Goal.org or call (615)584-5549
Our dance class is on Wednesdays, 6:30-7:15, during the school year. Come join our class anytime! 1Team1Goal pairs 1:1 special needs dancer to a typical peer role model buddy. The buddies are trained and supported by Traci, who has over 35 years of special needs experience (see "About Us").
We are so proud to partner with Dance Mania Nashville! 1Team1Goal follows WCS' calendar for holidays and breaks. We accept donations instead of charging a tuition.
To sign up for dance, fill out the registration information by clicking the blue DANCE REGISTRATION link below, and feel free to call or email us for more information: traci@1team1goal.org (615)584-5549
We have an incredible volunteer staff that are our peer role models which help our special needs children and adults play football, cheer, and dance. We have dance class every Wednesday, September through May, which includes a Christmas performance in December and a dance recital in May.
Our 4 football teams and our cheer teams have partnered with Battle Ground Academy, Brentwood High School, Ravenwood High School, Ensworth High School, and Nolensville High School to play games.
We have also taken our volunteers to the YMCA's Full Circle program to assist in their special needs soccer, basketball, and softball games throughout the year.
🌟 The Story Behind 1Team1Goal 🌟
Thirteen years ago, 1Team1Goal was officially launched when Traci Semptimphelter and Karen Dudas partnered with Brentwood Blaze Football to host Athletes for Autism Day at Crockett Park. The belief was simple: every child deserves to be part of a team, and someone should set a goal to create those opportunities.
💙 But the roots of 1Team1Goal go back 35 years. In Waterloo, Iowa, Traci joined her high school’s Gateway program lead by Mr. Shubert, mentoring special needs children and adults. It was there she formed a lifelong friendship with Doug Sturch, who was born with Down Syndrome—a relationship that still inspires her today.
After college, Traci worked for a wheelchair and medical supply company, where she also lived with and cared for a quadriplegic woman. At just 25, she became a licensed respite foster parent for two girls. Later, she moved to Nashville, where she was a professional cheerleader for 3 years, modeled and acted for 4 years, and coached cheer and dance for over 7 years.
Traci is now married to Scott Semptimphelter, a professional football player for 8 years and a coach for more than 27 years. Together, they have three children: Nick, Graci, and Cross.
✨ Cross was adopted from Guatemala as a baby. At 2½ years old, he was diagnosed with autism. That diagnosis brought the family into the world of behavior therapy, where Traci received extensive training—as well as Graci, who was trained as Cross’ peer role model.
✨ Graci grew into that role beautifully—she is now a basketball player at John Carroll University, but has been volunteering with 1Team1Goal for 12 years. (She and her peer partner, Lily, are featured on the first photo on our website!) Graci not only served as a peer model but also helped grow the program—recruiting special needs participants, training typical peers, and even approaching families in restaurants to share what 1T1G offers.
👉 The truth is, the life lessons that volunteers gain at 1Team1Goal are just as meaningful as the impact the program has on those with special needs.
The Semptimphelter family now lives just south of Nashville, TN, and travels back to Iowa each year to see Traci’s family, friends, and her lifelong friend Doug.
Through compassion, leadership, and dedication, Traci continues to grow 1Team1Goal—supporting children with special needs, financial needs, social needs, and emotional needs. Their mission is to ensure every child feels the power of being part of a team, and every volunteer learns the lifelong value of giving back.
đź’™ 1Team1Goal: One Team. One Goal. Changing Lives. đź’™
Your support and contributions will enable us to meet our goals and provide uniforms. Your generous donation will fund our mission.
