How Suns are kicking goals and winning hearts
It’s so much more than a game. In just under five minutes, our Gold Coast Suns have captured the essence of what makes sport so magic.
Indeed, anyone who has ever questioned whether this city needs to support our professional clubs now knows the simple answer.
And it’s 39.
That’s the number of the Suns’ newest player, sevenyear-old Ryley Kemp.
In January this year, little Ryley was diagnosed with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, or DIPG – the most deadly of paediatric brain cancers, with children given just nine to 12 months to live.
While Ryley’s parents have desperately tried to enrol their son into a clinical trial of a new drug that offers hope, our Suns have proven to be a light in this family’s dark time.
In a heartbreaking but inspiring video, the club details the day they granted Riley his dearest wish: to be a member of the team.
Indeed, fulfilling this dream for Riley ended up being the ‘best day ever’ for the Suns, and has left a permanent impact on the entire club,
“His dream is to be a Gold Coast Sun,” said Suns coach Stuart Dew in the opening of the video. “He’s in the fight of his life, but with the work of many it has become a reality.”
Then follows just under five minutes of the stuff that makes you proud to not just be a Suns supporter, but a human.
This wish fulfilment was no token experience, but the real deal. Not only did Ryley sign an official contract under
Dew’s watch, he was given his own named locker and jersey, filmed his official video content, was announced to staff, briefed by the dietitian, and trained with the team – including skolling (and spitting) some pickle juice.
And the number 39 will forever be his.
Despite all that the Suns gave Ryley, it seems the little boy has given them even more as forward Alex Sexton detailed after the team’s victory against North Melbourne last month.
“We drew inspiration from a lot of people around the Golf Coast but, I don’t want to get too emotional, it’s been a pretty tough week … but it’s been pretty special for us,” he said.
“Young Ryley, I know he’s watching at home, he’s been our rock this week. We had him in at the footy club. He’s the new number 39 and him and his family are going through a struggle at the moment. We drew inspiration from him.
“Buddy, thanks for helping us this week and that win was for you, 100 per cent.”
While it’s all too easy for the Coast to tackle its home teams when it comes to counting wins on the board, the truth is that this city is so much the richer for both our Suns and the NRL Gold Coast Titans.
We owe them our support, not simply because of the economic and cultural benefits these professional teams score for our city, but because of what they achieve off the field.
In the last decade, both the Suns and the Titans have repeatedly been recognised for their community and charity work.
Look at the Titans’ Brian Kelly, nominated for this year’s NRL Man of the Year Ken Stephen Medal.
A proud Bundjalung man, Brian is extremely active in the Titan’s Indigenous programs and in his own time visits Year 10 students to help them connect with their culture and discuss their aspirations.
He’s also a passionate supporter of the Gold Coast Titans League-ability program where he provides opportunities for disabled young adults to train and play Rugby League.
Following in the footsteps of former Titans and Ken Stephen Medallists Ryan James and Preston Campbell, it’s clear that the club is intent on creating a culture of community.
And while the Suns may be playing a different code of footy, their heart is in precisely the same place.
For Ryley’s sake and for our city’s sake, we should be both proud and grateful.
Because when it comes to our home teams, it’s not
whether they win or lose … it’s how they play the game.
To learn more about Ryley and support his family, please visit: www.gofundme.com/f/helpryley-beau-and-terrythrough-a-tragic-time
Read Ann Wason Moore every Tuesday and Saturday in the Bulletin