The Incredible Power Of Youth Sports
The Incredible Power Of Youth Sports. We first heard about Kiefer Katsoulis a few years ago. He was nine years old when his father shared the story of his first ever at bat in a blog post on Ilovetowatchyouplay.
“I was standing there as my little dude walked to the plate. Helmet is too big and choked way up on the bat. He stood at the plate, and the umpire sort of showed him how to get closer to the plate. His teammates’ parents were going crazy. His teammates were chanting. It was amazing. I was trying to take a picture of him.”
This might seem like an unusual reaction for an everyday moment to a lot of sports parents, but for the Katsoulis family, it was a day they will never forget.
When he was just five years old, Kiefer was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy . DMD is a rare genetic disorder characterized by progressive muscle degeneration and weakness. Kiefer had never hit or caught a ball, so it was a season of a lot of hard firsts. And thanks to the keen awareness from a Dad on the other team, Kiefer scored a home run and was greeted with a hero’s welcome as he ran the bases.
But Kiefer’s field of dreams didn’t end with that game or that season. His dad just sent an email sharing an update about his latest baseball accomplishment. The graduating 8th grader was featured on the local news after being honored for serving as his middle school baseball team manager for the past two seasons. The Indian Land Warriors wanted Kiefer on the field, this time, to throw out the first pitch.
The article shared that, Katsoulis has been a constant source of energy for the team, always cheering them on.
“I just wanted to hang out with new people; that way, I wouldn’t just be at home when I come back from school every day,” he said of his experience. “That way, I could do something every day.”
It’s incredible to see the positive effect sports can have on a child. Twice.