Tackling the gridiron with blind ambition

The Edmonton Journal, Canada
Monday, October 29, 2007

Tackling the gridiron with blind ambition

By Dan Barnes 

Caption: Blind bantam football player Kyle McDonald beat the odds and scored 
his first touchdown the day before his 13th birthday. 

Nothing has come easy to Kyle McDonald in his 13 years, so he isn't about to 
let being declared legally blind keep him off the field
 
The Silver Raiders didn't win a championship this year, falling to the Chargers 
in Sunday's semifinal at Clarke Park, but theirs is a smaller, better story.

Though it focuses on the triumph of a legally blind and developmentally 
disabled bantam football player named Kyle McDonald, his parents, coaches and 
teammates and their parents played a part and should remember this season for 
all the right reasons; sportsmanship, camaraderie and inspiration.

"I didn't hope for anything, other than the kid would have a great experience," 
said Raiders head coach Wojtek Wojcicki, who was overwhelmed by McDonald's 
passion for the game. "I wanted to give him what he wanted as a dream and I 
crossed my fingers that I would be able to keep him in a safe environment.

"I'm so glad I did because he has just meant so much to everybody around him. 
It's also meant a change of life for this young man."

Born 14 weeks premature and grossly underweight, Kyle has faced a life 
frontloaded with adversity. The 13-year-old has a learning disability and can 
see only enough to make out objects close to him. Imagine how difficult it is 
for him to run, block and tackle and you have just begun to understand his 
challenges on the field. Listen to Wojcicki explain how Kyle has faced them 
head-on and the kid's determination is evident.

"Nothing has been given to him on a silver platter. He's had to fight for 
everything," said Wojcicki. "And he's made friends. He's not looked upon as an 
oddity. He's just one of the guys. It's great."

It was never greater than on Sept. 23 when the Raiders clashed with the St. 
Albert 49ers in a Capital District Minor Football Association regular-season 
game. Late in the game, Kyle was pointed by teammates toward the St. Albert end 
zone (he needs occasional direction) and handed the ball for an off tackle run. 
Twenty-five yards later he had scored his first touchdown in organized 
football, his only one this year, it turns out. If you have ever scored a goal, 
kicked a field goal or hit a home run for your team, you'll understand the 
thrill of the first one. If you have ever watched your kid succeed in sport, 
you'll recall the flood of pride experienced by his parents Wendy and Blaine. 
And if you have ever worked or played alongside anyone who has struggled to 
overcome a disability, you will know how his teammates felt for him that 
afternoon.

"The bench exploded," recalled tailback Kyle Deys.

"It was amazing," said centre John Lepine. "I was on the O-line so I was 
blocking. I've never seen Kyle run so fast. He just outruns three people and 
goes for the touchdown. I'm like, wow."

St. Albert players who realized what they had witnessed high-fived Kyle. His 
own teammates carried him off the field on their shoulders. Parents and coaches 
fought back tears.

"He may never wind up being a star on his team. He may never wind up being in 
that situation again, but for one brief shining moment he can enjoy what he's 
desperately wanted to do," said Football Alberta technical director Tim Enger, 
who said his sport strives to be inclusive while ensuring the safety of all 
players.

"All my life I wanted to play football. I thought it was a great sport," said 
Kyle, who turned 13 the day after his touchdown. Nice present.

"It was pretty exciting to get that touchdown," he said. "I thought I wasn't 
going to get it for a second because there was a guy right in front of me. But 
I kept running and I got it."

The whole team gets it. They have all learned about tolerance and in return 
were inspired by Kyle dedication to their game under trying circumstances. When 
necessary, they protected him. At all times they respected him.

"We don't want a bunch of big guys coming in to hammer him and stuff like that, 
so we do protect him," said Lepine. "But Kyle is pretty good. He can take care 
of himself out there. I've seen him make some pretty good hits on the field and 
I'm like, wow, he's this skinny guy and he just hammers the crap out of this 
big guy.

"You know what, this has given us really good confidence. He's got a disability 
and he comes out here, he comes to every practice, he's a team player, he 
motivates everyone. I just think it's great that he's on the team."

Kyle played last year for the Raiders peewee team and Wojcicki will happily 
have him on the Black Raiders bantams next season. He is a regular on special 
teams and is spotted in on offence and defence. The referees are told about his 
disability, opposing players are not. To them, he's just another kid. To his 
teammates, he has clearly been something else, a constant source of inspiration.

"Never give up," said linebacker Jack Digiuseppe, when asked what he has 
learned from Kyle.

"Keep on trying. If he can do it, I can do it."

dbarnes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


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