This was in my local news paper and it made me smile all day.
'It's great to have him around'
A mutual admiration society of two: An athlete made it cool to hang out with a teen who has Down syndrome.
Matt Gentry | The Roanoke Times
Chase Cloeter, 16, cheers for the Titans with his mother, Susan. She worried when he started high school, but Chase came home with a happy story.
Related
TimesCast
Watch the May 31 TimesCast for more on Chase Cloeter.
FOREST -- Chase Cloeter smiled from underneath his Hidden Valley High School baseball cap. A win! Another win!
Chase quickly circled around behind the Hidden Valley dugout and grabbed a cooler. With the help of a parent, the 16-year-old with Down syndrome lugged the drinks onto the field.
"Chase!" team members screamed as he came toward them.
"Heyyyyy, Chase!"
"What's up, Chase!"
Hidden Valley center fielder Daniel Gills ran over, scooped Chase up in a bear hug and shouted to him.
"How'd we do, buddy?!" Gills said. "How'd we do?!"
Chase didn't need to answer. The Titans had done well Tuesday, winning 5-3 over Jefferson Forest, setting up a regional playoff game against Northside tonight in Pulaski.
Asked if he planned to attend that game, Chase grinned.
"Sure," he said. "Count me in!"
Count him in.
Count him in at the lunch table at school, where he sits with all the jocks. Count him in the inner circle of the hallways, where he gets a random high-five or a hug from everyone on this team. Count him in the post-game dinners, the parties, the jokes, the fun.
Count him in to all of it, because thanks to one young man's kindness, this team certainly does
more at link:
http://www.roanoke.com/sports/highschool/wb/67567
'It's great to have him around'
A mutual admiration society of two: An athlete made it cool to hang out with a teen who has Down syndrome.
Matt Gentry | The Roanoke Times
Chase Cloeter, 16, cheers for the Titans with his mother, Susan. She worried when he started high school, but Chase came home with a happy story.
Related
TimesCast
Watch the May 31 TimesCast for more on Chase Cloeter.
FOREST -- Chase Cloeter smiled from underneath his Hidden Valley High School baseball cap. A win! Another win!
Chase quickly circled around behind the Hidden Valley dugout and grabbed a cooler. With the help of a parent, the 16-year-old with Down syndrome lugged the drinks onto the field.
"Chase!" team members screamed as he came toward them.
"Heyyyyy, Chase!"
"What's up, Chase!"
Hidden Valley center fielder Daniel Gills ran over, scooped Chase up in a bear hug and shouted to him.
"How'd we do, buddy?!" Gills said. "How'd we do?!"
Chase didn't need to answer. The Titans had done well Tuesday, winning 5-3 over Jefferson Forest, setting up a regional playoff game against Northside tonight in Pulaski.
Asked if he planned to attend that game, Chase grinned.
"Sure," he said. "Count me in!"
Count him in.
Count him in at the lunch table at school, where he sits with all the jocks. Count him in the inner circle of the hallways, where he gets a random high-five or a hug from everyone on this team. Count him in the post-game dinners, the parties, the jokes, the fun.
Count him in to all of it, because thanks to one young man's kindness, this team certainly does
more at link:
http://www.roanoke.com/sports/highschool/wb/67567
