KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Every year, the soccer team at Shawnee Mission East is in the mix for a state title.
KSHB 41 Anchor Kevin Holmes asked head coach Jamie Kelly what makes this team special.
“We don’t rebuild here," Kelly said. "We’re fortunate to reload with quality players.”
Quality players on and off the pitch. The team let Holmes kick it at one of their practices. He also caught up with players.
Holmes: “What is it about soccer that you love, bro?”
Wesley Cribb, along with Beck Rettenmaier, are this year’s team captains. They have many goals in mind for the season. Of course, win state. Score as many goals as possible. And to give. Whether it’s giving fits to the opposing goalie, or giving back to others.
Cribb: “There’s no better feeling really than getting out on the field with these guys kicking the ball around.”
Kelly: “We do a pass the hat. My parents help organize a pass the hat in the stands. So, every time somebody scores a goal they pass the hat around.”
The parents then put money into the hat.
Kelly: “To go to a charity. Every year the boys pick the charity that means something to them.”
Last year the team chose KSHB 41’S Gift of Sole. This year the team chose KSHB 41’s Gift of Sole.
Cribb: “Cause it resonates with us so much. We all like shoes and love the feeling of putting on a new pair of shoes.”
Rettenmaier: “It can really affect how they live their lives. How they think people perceive them. It can really do wonders for a kid.”
Kelly: “There’s a world outside of Prairie Village and Leawood, where most of these kids grow up in and there’s people in need. To be able to give back to people to help in the community and beyond our community is important and it’s the real world.”
It’s not just when they score goals. Earlier this year, the young men used their hands to collect over 800 cans to donate to Harvesters.
These are the lessons coaches and parents call *net* positive.
Rettenmaier: “I think it’s important to give because it really builds character in you. It teaches you how to impact and play a part in your society, your community.”
From head to toe, or in this case feet.
Cribb: "You don’t know how blessed you are to have shoes on your feet and have the things that you have in life. So, to put yourself in their shoes, literally to see how that feels. It absolutely raises their self- esteem.”
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