Sidekicks program on goal
Jackson Wells didn't mind when Cody Laurendi stopped to chat. Didn't mind that the Energy FC goalkeeper wasn't pushing his wheelchair around the indoor soccer complex anymore.
But after a few minutes, Jackson had enough.
The 11-year-old reached for the wheels and tried to push them forward.
He was ready to get back on the soccer field. He wanted to play and have fun. Laurendi got the hint. “OK, OK,” he said, smiling. “Let's go.”
Jackson is one of the kids selected by the Energy for this season's Sidekicks program, which pairs players with special-needs youngsters.
They have several social events, the first of which was a kickoff event at Soccer City. They attend games, the next of which is Saturday evening.
But more than anything, they bond.
“Lots of smiles,” Laurendi said. “We go to dinner, celebrate their birthdays, hang out with them. Just build genuine friendships.”
At a time when pro sports teams do tons of community outreach, the Sidekicks program is nevertheless unique. Most franchises try to maximize their impact by doing lots of different events. School trips. Hospital visits. Shopping sprees. There's nothing wrong with any of that.
But the Energy decided that its premier service project would focus on quality over quantity.
That philosophy is a holdover from the days of the Oklahoma City Barons. The minor league hockey club was owned by Bob Funk Jr., who is now co-owner of the Energy, and when the Barons ceased operation, many of the front-office personnel moved to the Energy.
One of them was Stacie Rathbun, who helped oversee the Baron Buddies program. It paired hockey players with Special Olympians for a season-long experience.
She saw magic happen every year.
“These are just regular kids, but a lot of them are treated differently in school,” she said. “Some of them may not have friends. For us to give them that opportunity, it changes some of their lives.”
Rathbun has witnessed it time and again in the first two years of the Sidekicks. They experience something new. They get comfortable. They come out of their shells.
Then again, sometimes that doesn't take very long.
At the kickoff event for this year's Sidekicks a few weeks ago, several of the kids practically sprinted to the front when they were introduced. Some high-fived their soccerplayer buddy. Others danced and flexed.
Will Scott was part of the not-shy crowd. The Southmoore High student was introduced to the Sidekicks last year when his girlfriend was part of the program. After seeing her on the field during a game, Will told his mom that he wanted to apply, and she was all for it.
“He’s our social butterfly,” Beth Kidd said, chuckling. “It’s a new experience, and he loves to do anything new.”
That was evident as soon as Will met Shawn McLaws, a forward in his first season with the Energy. Even though Will has a developmental disorder called Williams syndrome, which affects learning and intellectual abilities, he wanted to try every game and station available at the launch event. Will and McLaws spent the entire evening going from one activity to another, often chatting about soccer or school or Will's love of firefighters.
“Will,” McLaws said, “are we friends?”
“Yeah,” Will answered with no hesitation. “There you go.” Both flashed a smile. There were lots of those on the night the Sidekicks were paired with their players. None may have been bigger than Jackson Wells, the 11-year-old in the wheelchair. He got to know Laurendi two years ago when Jackson's older brother, Caleb, was the goalie's Sidekick.
The brothers have Vanishing White Matter disease, a genetic disorder that attacks the nervous system and gets worse as they get older. Both are in wheelchairs and have limited verbal skills.
But such things aren't daunting to Laurendi, whose mother is a special-needs teacher. He befriended both boys and their parents, Jessica and Bryan Jenkins, a couple years ago. He went to their house for dinner regularly. He attended birthday parties. He became another member of the family.
When Jessica and Bryan took the boys to Disney World in Laurendi's home state of Florida, they spent time with his parents.
Laurendi was pumped to find out that Jackson would be his Sidekick this season.
“That's my guy,” he said, smiling.
Looking at Jackson, you could see that the feeling was mutual. Even as Laurendi stopped to chat, Jackson twisted in his wheelchair trying to look over his shoulder and see the player's face.
When Laurendi saw that Jackson was ready to go, off they went for more fun.
Player and Sidekick for a season.
Friends for a lifetime.
Jenni Carlson: Jenni can be reached at 405-475-4125 or jcarlson@oklahoman.com. Like her at facebook.com/ JenniCarlsonOK, follow her at twitter.com/jennicarlson_ok or view her personality page at newsok.com/jennicarlson.