5-year-old Philadelphia boy signs affirmations to teammates to help make soccer game more inclusive

SOUTHWEST PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A video on social media is gaining a lot of attention and tugging at heartstrings.

It shows a local 5-year-old boy signing affirmations to his teammates after his weekly soccer practice and it's helping to make the game a little bit more inclusive.

"We do the affirmations after session," said Ryan Griffith, Assistant Director of Coaching for SWAG. "So, essentially, Little Sherman - that's we call him - took this whole affirmation and transitioned into sign because he does sign outside of soccer."

Griffith, who is with the philanthropy-based soccer program SWAG, says Little Sherman is not hearing impaired, but encouraged him to start doing the team's affirmations in sign language if he wanted to.

He's been doing it for the last month and his teammates in Southwest Philadelphia were quick to embrace it, making soccer a little more inclusive to the kids they are serving.

"That's the thing! So now anyone from the outside will be like: 'My child is hearing impaired' and they're willing and able to have their kid play, because we want to make soccer accessible and affordable to all," said Griffith. "But when you see that and you see kids surrounding him and he's signing the affirmations...that's what you want for your child!"

The team recites this affirmation after every practice: "I am smart, strong and am going to change the world."

It's safe to say that Little Sherman is already doing that with his team.