1Team1Goal is a nonprofit 501c3 organization for special needs children & adults interested in football, cheer, dance, music.
1Team1Goal is a nonprofit 501c3 organization for special needs children & adults interested in football, cheer, dance, music.
1Team1Goal has 4 football teams, a cheer team, a September through May/every Wednesday dance team, and we take our buddies to the YMCA's Full Circle Program when they need us.
1Team1Goal Dance
Our dance class is on Wednesdays, 6:30-7:15, starting September 30. We are proud to partner with Act Too! 1Team1Goal dance is the only class in the building during our time to limit potential exposure to sickness. 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" on the next page). Our buddies are required to wear masks, dancers that can tolerate a mask are asked to wear one, and upon arrival everyone will get their temperature taken and recorded and asked to wash or sanitize their hands.
Act Too's studio location is at 1113 Murfreesboro Road, Suite 119, Franklin (2 buildings down from Hobby Lobby or you can find it right behind Franklin Chop House). 1Team1Goal follows WCS' calendar for holidays and breaks. Tuition is $40 per month, but if Covid shuts us down, we will not continue to collect tuition, competition or recital fees.
Our dance program has had continued success for 6 years, September through May. We had 8 volunteer buddies returning from our 2019/2020 dance year, and we had 7 new buddies that joined us in September, for a total of 15, plus a coach. We are always committed to our Team!
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
Due to the current conditions of Covid, our football and cheer teams are not playing this fall. Check back here for information regarding a possible spring game.
We have an amazing staff that helps coordinate peer role models for our special needs children and adults to play football, cheer, and dance. We have dance class every Wednesday, September through May. which includes a performance at a dance competition and also at TPAC for our dance recital.
Our 4 football teams and our cheer teams partner with Battle Ground Academy, Brentwood High School, Ravenwood High School, Ensworth High School, and Nolensville High School to play our games.
We take our volunteers to the YMCA's Full Circle program to help assist in their special needs soccer, basketball, and softball games throughout the year.
1Team1Goal was officially started 7 years ago when Traci Semptimphelter and Karen Dudas partnered with Brentwood Blaze Football to put on "Athletes for Autism Day" at Crockett Park. The thought was that all children needed to be a part of a "team", and that someone should have a "goal" to provide these opportunities.
Unofficially, the idea for 1Team1Goal started 35 years ago, when Traci became involved in her Waterloo, Iowa's high school program, Gateway, that mentored special needs children and adults. She became very close with Doug Sturch, who was born with Down Syndrome.
After college and while working for a wheelchair and medical supply company, Traci lived with and cared for a quadriplegic woman. When she was 25 years old, she was a licensed respite foster parent for two girls. Traci then moved to Nashville where she was a professional cheerleader for 3 years, did some modeling and acting for 4 years, and then coached cheer and dance for more than 6 years.
She is now married to Scott, who was a professional football player for 8 years, and has coached for more than 20 years. They have 3 children, Nick, Graci, and Cross. They adopted Cross from Guatemala at 6 months old, and when he was 2 he was diagnosed with autism. Because of autism, they now all have extensive training in behavior therapy, especially Graci; she was trained to be Cross' peer role model. Graci is now in 10th grade and has been a 1Team1Goal peer role model for Lily for 7 years (see 1st picture on our home screen to see Graci and Lily). Graci has helped grow 1Team1Goal with Traci by recruiting special needs people (sometimes walking up to special needs people in restaurants and explaining 1T1G's program), as well as training typical children and adults how to be peer role models. The life lessons that 1Team1Goal's volunteers get is just as important as how 1Team1Goal impacts those that have special needs.
Traci, Graci, Scott, Nick and Cross live just south of Nashville, TN, and visit Iowa every year to see Traci's family, friends, and special friend, Doug Sturch.
Traci understands the importance of a team and working toward a goal. She is an advocate for children with special needs, consults many parents of special needs children, and along with Graci, they have dedicated themselves to grow the 1Team1Goal program to help as many children as they can.
Through Traci and Graci's compassion, leadership, and guidance, 1Team1Goal is dedicated to enhancing the lives of children with special needs, financial needs, social needs, and psychological needs.
To provide a positive experience for athletes with special needs to be a part of a team, whether that be football, cheer, or dance. We strive to promote mental, physical, and spiritual development through team building with 1:1 typical peer role models. Our #1 goal is to build friendships through team work.
Go to our Video Page to see 1Team1Goal's Ravenwood, BGA, Ensworth, and Brentwood High Schools' Football and Cheer Videos
Your support and contributions will enable us to meet our goals and provide uniforms. Your generous donation will fund our mission.
