Scorpions, Soccer For A Cause To Host Special Needs Athlete Who Wasn't Allowed To Wear Varsity Jacket

Michael Kelley, 19, of Wichita, Kan., a student athlete with Down Syndrome and autism, who was not allowed to wear a school varsity letter jacket because he's not a varsity player, will be a special guest of the North American Soccer League (NASL) Champion San Antonio Scorpions and Soccer for a Cause on Saturday, April 4.

Soccer for a Cause has invited Michael and his family to San Antonio so they can attend the Scorpions' 2015 NASL opener at 7:30 p.m. at Toyota Field against the Tampa Bay Rowdies. Michael will sign a NASL Standard Players contract making him a member of the San Antonio Scorpions and will be in uniform and sit with the team on the Scorpions bench to have a close-up view of the action on the pitch. Michael will also participate in the pre-match H-E-B Championship Celebration ceremonies during which the Scorpions will receive their 2014 NASL Championship rings. Also, the team will present him with his own Scorpions jacket and other official team gear.

"When we first heard of Michael's situation, it truly touched our hearts," Howard Cornfield, Scorpions president and general manager said.  "We wanted to do something to let Michael and other special needs athletes know that they're admired and appreciated. After all, the Scorpions exist because of Soccer for a Cause, which was created to benefit the special needs community. We're proud to welcome Michael as a member of the NASL Champion San Antonio Scorpions."

Michael, a student at East High School in Wichita, actively participates in extracurricular special needs basketball, and as a tribute to his determination, his mother - Jolinda - purchased a varsity letter jacket for her son.  At a special needs basketball game, school officials asked Kelley to remove the jacket, saying that he was not allowed to wear one because he is not a member of the varsity basketball team. Kelley's family then started a movement to have the district award letterman jackets to special needs athletes that has now gone viral with the hashtag #GiveThemLetters.

In 2010, Soccer for a Cause mobilized community support for pro soccer in San Antonio and ultimately led to the establishment of the Scorpions franchise, the only one of its kind in professional sports. The Scorpions and Toyota Field - along with the nearby STAR (South Texas Area Regional) Soccer Complex, with its 13 FIFA-sized fields for league and tournament play - commit all net profits to the unique Morgan's Wonderland, a theme park designed with special needs individuals in mind and built to be enjoyed by everyone. This helps the non-profit park meet its operating expenses as well as expand programs and services for the special needs community.

Gordon Hartman, the driving force behind Soccer for a Cause, sold his homebuilding business in 2005 to devote - along with wife Maggie - time, vision, and energy to philanthropic pursuits. Inspired by Morgan, their daughter with special needs, the Hartmans began with the construction of  Morgan's Wonderland so people of all ages with and without disabilities can come together in an inclusive, safe, totally wheelchair-accessible theme park for fun and understanding. 

Now in its sixth season, Morgan's Wonderland features more than 25 attractions including rides, playscapes and gardens spread out over 25 acres in what once was a limestone quarry. The park, which admits anyone with a cognitive or physical special need free of charge, has welcomed more than 500,000 guests from all 50 states and 54 other countries.