New coach, new season, new expectations for Braves baseball

Angelique McNaughton, Special to the Chieftain

March 26, 2014

At the beginning of the school year, Adam Loecker had no idea that he would eventually be taking over the Bonner Springs High boys baseball program as the head coach when the season started.

Former coach Scott Lero resigned in the middle of the school year leaving the position up for grabs.

Loecker was already in the district and had joined on with the program last summer but he would have his hands full. As a first year coach, he was picking up a struggling program that had went 2-18 in 2013.

“Actually, it’s motivating because of the fact that I can actually do something to make an impact on the program because we can always go up,” he said. “We are kind of at the bottom of the barrel right now and the only thing that we can do is go up.”

Fortunately for Loecker, the transition’s gone smoothly.

“I don’t think it has been difficult,” he said. “They are willing to listen and learn because you know, new coach, new standards, different philosophy. But you know baseball is baseball and I think they are willing to ask questions and they are coachable players for the most part.”

Junior shortstop Roman Glenn, who has been a varsity player since his freshman year, has an optimistic outlook on the impending season.

“I feel like if we play to our potential that we have, we can go pretty far,” Glen said. “We have a new coach, so we do have those new standards and if we do all the little things right, we can take it away.”

So what are those new standards?

For the former JUCO pitcher, developing a pitching staff is the first step. The McPherson native pitched for two years at Hutchinson Community College before concentrating on his education at Kansas State University, where he graduated from in 2012 before coming to BSHS as a math teacher.

“We have to start somewhere and I think they are going to be the glue to the team,” he said. “That’s what I preach to our guys everyday-pitching and defense- because bat’s don’t come everyday but pitching and defense, we can have that on a day-to-day basis and hopefully that is what holds our team together.”

Junior center fielder Thaddeus Glenn said consistent pitching would solve some of last season’s shortcomings.

“We didn’t have great pitching and there were a lot of balls and walks and it was a big problem,” Glenn said.

Focusing on pitching and defense could potentially propel the Braves to at least a .500 win season, Glenn said.

“I think we are capable of that and we could probably make it to state,” he said. “I’m just excited and ready to see how the season will go.”

The Braves enter the season with a relatively young roster consisting of one senior and a handful of juniors and sophomores.

“We had (more than) 40 guys try out this year and that was pleasing to see because that means there is interest in the program,” Loecker said. “If you get interest in the program then I think you can start developing players and wins will start to come that way.”

Loecker and the Braves will be relying on lone senior — Maison Patchett — not only as a leader, but as a utility player.

“I ask more of him than I do of anybody else on the team and I think he is going to be ready to carry that weight,” Loecker said.

Patchett, who pitches and plays shortstop and catcher, said he is ready to make the most of his final season with the Braves.

“I just want to do good so I can go to college,” he said. “I want to win more games and just be more consistent as a team and play good every game, not just every now and then.”

Loecker said he’s not too worried about wins and losses. He said progress and improvement are more important than a aiming for a winning record at this point.

“I’m worried about what can we do to get better,” he said. “That’s basically the goal I have. Did we take a step forward or did we take a step back? And hopefully everyday we are going to be moving in the right direction and wins will start to pile up.

“We can make a run that way, but if we are not getting better then we are not winning games,” Loecker said.

The Brave’s season opens Thursday with a double-header against Mill Valley.

“I’m excited, probably more excited than some of the players because I’m out here doing what I enjoy,” Loecker said. “I probably have more butterflies than a lot of the players do because it’s been a challenge so far but it’s been a fun challenge.”

Williams has lofty expectations for Lady Braves swim team

Angelique McNaughton, Special to the Chieftain

March 26, 2014

After a successful season last year as Kaw Valley co-champions, Bonner Springs High girls swimming coach Preston Williams has high expectations for his team.

With 15 on his squad this season, including returning varsity swimmers Robyn Lewis and Madison Stumbough, the second-year coach said he is encouraged with what he has seen since practice started March 3.

“They are working hard and I think they are doing well so far,” he said.

The Lady Braves lost four swimmers last season, but have a heavy freshman presence with swimmers that have experience in both the pool and with Williams.

He lauded freshman Brenna Holt and Alayna Dooley as strong breast strokers who will most likely contribute well to the relay teams.

“I want to get those relays to state again, and I want to see them improve,” Williams said. “And those girls can help.”

The Lady Braves qualified all three relays for state last season, as well as four individual events.

Lewis is the Lady Braves’ top returning state placer, after breaking two school records in the 200- and 500-yard freestyle as a freshman. She was also on the two freestyle relays, 200 yard and 400 yard, that broke school records, as well.

“Going to state was such a big thing for me as a freshman and I knew going into sophomore year that it was going to be crazy because everyone is going to have high expectations of me,” Lewis said. “That puts pressure on me but that also motivates me.”

Despite an injury prone off-season, Lewis said physically, she feels 100 percent but isn’t exactly where she would like to be mentally.

“That brought me down mentally and I just need to get my mindset back and have faith in myself,” she said. “I think after our first meet I need to put myself out there to just race and see where I’m at.”

Williams said he has named Stumbough, who was on three relays last year, as a team captain. The other captain will be chosen his week.

Considering her previous season, Williams said is looking forward to see how she will fare.

“She was real close to making it to state last year and I really want to get her to state in an individual event this year,” he said. “She swims pretty much anything and she’ll definitely be on all of our freestyle relays.”

Returning juniors Morgan Lawrence and Amber Lies will be competing for spots on relays, along with Australian exchange student Danielle Hasking.

“Freestyle is her strength and she is an experienced swimmer who will definitely be contributing on our relays,” Williams said of Hasking.

The Lady Braves have one senior — first year swimmer Sasha Bingaman — who could also be competing for a spot on a relay.

In anticipation of the squad’s first meet April 3 at the Hummer Sports Complex in Topeka, the Lady Braves will be running time trials all this week.

“Our first meet is actually huge,” he said. I’m excited about that and I’m just really excited in general because I think we should have a good season. Our numbers are growing and I’m ready to see where the season takes us.”

Lady Braves fall in sub-state championship to Bishop Miege

Angelique McNaughton

March 11, 2014

De Soto — The Bonner Springs’ High girls basketball team was made short work of by Bishop Miege High during the sub-state finals.

The second-seeded Lady Braves failed to get anything going offensively on Saturday night and were down 20 points at the half, before eventually falling 67-40 to the Stags.

“They were just a lot better team than we were,” BSHS head coach Clay Oakes said. “They had us out manned every possession. They were very athletic and quick and we had a lot of problems getting the ball down the floor against their pressure.”

Julianne Jackson scored 11 points, and Caitlin Reed added seven, as the Lady Braves’ (15-7) season ended just one game shy of a Class 4A-I state appearance.

“We had some good things happen when we could get into our offense but unfortunately, we dug a whole early, had a lot of turnovers and were down most of the game,” Oakes said. “We didn’t do a whole lot of anything well and there were not very many bright spots the whole night.”

Miege (19-3) dominated the entirety of the game, taking the lead 23-7 in the first quarter before extending the lead to 25 by the end of the third.

“We won’t let a game like that ruin what we’ve accomplished the rest of the year in terms of injuries and adversities we’ve overcame,” Oakes said.

The Lady Braves advanced to the sub-state finals after a 46-38 victory against Sumner Academy Thursday night at De Soto High, without starter Kayleigh Taylor.

Jackson led the Lady Braves with 15 points, while Miyah Hightower added eight and Kyliea Jarrett had seven. Jarrett will graduate in May along with fellow senior Kennedy Bizzell.

While the girls prepare for a break, Oakes is already thinking ahead to his new roster and next season.

“I’m ready to get the ball rolling again in May and go from there,” he said.

Bonner Springs girls one game away from state with win against Sumner

Angelique McNaughton

March 6, 2014

De Soto — Julianne Jackson scored 15 points in Bonner Springs High’s 46-38 sub-state victory over the Sumner Academy on Thursday night at De Soto High.

Miyah Hightower added eight points and Kyliea Jarrett had seven for the Lady Braves, who earned a No. 2 seed going into Thursday night after finishing the regular season 14-5.

The Lady Braves took an early lead in the first quarter near the four minute mark and never lost it.

The Sabres were held to just four points during the second quarter and ended the half down 21-11, but cut the lead to single digits with 2:24 left in the game after back-to-back three pointers.

Jackson scored a two-point bucket off of an inbound play late in the fourth quarter, that the Sabres followed with a layup to get within six with 55.8 seconds left.

A Sabres turnover prompted a full timeout from BSHS head coach Clay Oakes with 29.5 seconds remaining in the game.

Quick subsequent fouls put the Lady Braves’ Hightower at the free throw line to extend the lead to 46-38 and put the game out of reach for the Sabres.

“Well, we survived and moved on to the next round,” Oakes said. “It wasn’t pretty and we had a lot of things that we had to adapt to tonight.”

The Lady Braves’ roster remains thin without starter Kaleigh Taylor, who was sitting on the bench with a boot on her left foot Thursday night.

“That was a big shakeup for us so we had to adapt to that it was a little sloppy at times and at atimes we did things ok ,“ he said. “We are going to have to come out and relax (on Saturday) because we came out real tense and tight tonight and we know we didn’t play our best tonight but we will try and clean it up a little bit on Saturday and see what will happen there.”

BSHS will play Bishop Miege High on Saturday. Tip is scheduled for 6 p.m., with the winner advancing to the state tournament in Salina.

Lady Braves led from start to finish in victory against Lansing

Angelique McNaughton

January 11, 2014

Lansing — The Bonner Springs High girls took control of the game early on and never lost the lead in their 59-40 win over Lansing High.

“It was a tough win and a good bounce back game for us,” BSHS coach Clay Oakes said, referring to the Lady Braves’ 46-38 loss to Piper High on Tuesday. “We didn’t play with much intensity then, but we had a great team effort tonight.”

The Lady Braves (4-2) got into some foul trouble early in the game forcing Oakes to look to his bench and rotate through 11 players during the game.

“Luckily we had a deep bench and all 11 players scored,” Oakes said.

Tanya Hernandez saw her first start as point guard for the Braves, and for the third game in a row Caitlin Reed scored in double figures. Both Kaleigh Taylor and Julianne Jackson got into foul trouble in the second and third quarters, respectively and saw limited minutes on defense for the remainder of the game.

After letting the Lions get within nine late in the fourth quarter, BSHS eventually extended the lead to 16 with 1:52 left.

“It seems like once we get a big lead we kind of ease up a little bit and let teams crawl back into it,“ Oakes said. “But we just want to continue to build and get to where we develop that killer instinct because we are still pretty young. We haven’t developed that killer instinct yet, and when we get to that point, we can put teams away and then we are going to be a pretty good team.”

Lansing too much after the first quarter

After taking the lead briefly in the first quarter for the only time in the game, the Bonner Springs High boys basketball team was unable to recover and eventually fell to undefeated Lansing High 76-49 during Friday night’s Kaw Valley League matchup.

Aaron McGee led the Braves (3-4) with 14 points, Jordan Jackson added 10 points and Devante’ McGee scored seven points.

The Braves were down 14-12 at the end of the first quarter, but an 8-0 run by the Lions (7-0) late in the second quarter went unanswered.

“We played really well that first half and I applaud our guys for playing hard for one half,” BSHS coach Dan Streit said. “Hopefully our guys can figure out how to put four quarters together.”

The Braves were hoping to bounce back after a 75-50 loss to Piper on Tuesday and will turn around and host Tonganoxie (3-4) on Tuesday.

“We match up nice with Tonganoxie,” Streit said. “While we don’t quite have the chemistry that we want, we are better chemistry-wise than we were last year and I think we are getting there.”

BSHS football again 3-0 entering rematch against Piper

By Angelique McNaughton

September 23, 2013, 5:09 p.m.

Updated: September 25, 2013, 2:11 p.m.

For the third straight week, the Bonner Springs High football team amassed more than 40 points, this time coming out on top at Bishop Ward, 41-13.

The Braves (3-0) scored their first touchdown in the first quarter of Friday’s conference game at Bishop-Ward (0-3) but the Cyclones took advantage of a face mask penalty and delayed hit to tie the game 7-7 before halftime.

“We wanted to make sure we didn’t overlook Bishop Ward,” BSHS coach Lucas Aslin said. “We came out, played hard and scored early and so did they.”

But the Cyclones were never able to capitalize off their early-game momentum like the Braves were.

Senior quarterback Jordan Jackson threw a couple of long-fade passes, including one to Jonah Freese — who had more than 100 receiving yards — and senior running back Trevon Mason also scored two touchdowns.

For the first two games, the Braves averaged about 470 rushing yards and Aslin said he wanted to see the ball thrown more against Bishop-Ward.

“Offensively, we wanted to have better ball security and work on our passing game,” Aslin said. “Which we did.”

Junior defensive back Roman Glenn’s interception right before the half capped a game-turning sequence that put the Braves in control.

“It’s nice to be able to take control of the game and put it away pretty early,” Aslin said.

Aslin was able to move the linebackers and defensive line around to see if they could play certain spots, while working on base defense.

Senior linebacker Devin Burke had more than 10 tackles and first-year starting defensive lineman Jacob Klingele continues to have a strong presence on the field.

“We figured we could got out there and wear them out offensively,” Aslin said.

Despite winning both games, the Braves special teams struggled in the first two games against Turner and Lansing giving up three kickoff returns for touchdowns.

“We’ve been doing a lot of prepping for our kickoff coverage and last night we did a good job,” Aslin said. “That was a main focus because we’ve given up some cheap points and we won’t win any of the next three games if we keep doing that.”

The season so far looks eerily familiar to last season when the Braves started out 3-0 but then ended up losing six in a row.

The Braves will host Piper (1-2) on Friday and then travel to Mill Valley the following week.

“Piper is going to be a huge test for us and we have got to play really well,” Aslin said. “The kids are confident and think they can play, which us as coaches want our kids to have confidence. But they have to have enough humility to know that anything can happen, especially against Piper.

“If we are willing to do that and have a good week of practice, we will be all right.”

Schneck, Klingele exit early in state tennis tourney, eye senior season

By Angelique McNaughton

May 13, 2013

After being paired up only two weeks prior to the boys state tennis tournament, hopes weren’t high for the Bonner Springs doubles team of Quinton Schneck and Jack Klingele.

BSHS tennis coach Bill Scott said he “threw the team together at the last minute” after the duo performed well at a couple tournaments earlier this season. The duo defeated Atchison High School’s doubles team to make it to the semifinals of the regional double bracket and were assured a state berth.

“It wasn’t like we were going into state to win, we were just kind of the underdog,” Schneck said. “While it would have been awesome to be able to get a higher place, it just wasn’t expected.”

At the end of the day, qualifying to compete in the Class 4A tournament at Wichita Collegiate this past weekend was all that mattered to the junior athletes.

“We just wanted to see what we could do,” Schneck said. “You always want to go far and like do as good as you can and maybe make a couple of upsets and place higher, but at the end you look back and realize even though you didn’t get that far you are just glad you got to go.”

Schneck and Klingele met a doubles team from Pittsburg — which went on to place ninth overall — on Friday in the first round and loss in two sets, 6-2 and 6-4.

“At the beginning, we were doing good but I don’t know what happened because we became inconsistent and couldn’t make our shots,” Klingele said.

The pair faced Fort Scott in the consolation bracket, but after leading 2-0, Fort Scott’s team went on to take the set, 9-3.

“It didn’t surprise me because when they saw our weaknesses they picked on them,“ Scott said. “Both guys were disappointed because we wanted to win at least one and survive to Saturday.”

In his second year playing tennis and first year as a varsity player, Klingele’s lack of experience and the lack of cohesiveness between the players contributed to the short weekend.

“He (Klingele) does the best he can but he just isn’t ready for the really tough competition,“ Scott said.

BSHS assistant coach B.J. Congleton said the competition at state is on “a whole different level” than what the boys were used to and gave them an idea of what to work on if BSHS wants to compete next year.

“We found out how much work we still have … and it was an eye-opener for both of the guys to see tennis played at such a high level,” Congleton said. “Hopefully they will put in some work in the offseason and put together a nice senior season next year.”

Schneck was a state qualifier with Spencer Bush last season and said it has been difficult to replace his former partner since he graduated.

“I had a partner who I played with all last year and we had a undefeated record, so this year it has been trying getting thrown together two weeks before state,” he said. “I think since we haven’t played together that much that kind of hurt us a little.”

After his team’s performance, Schneck said he’s been considering whether or not he wants to concentrate on singles or continue working as a doubles team next season. He sounded confident that he and Klingele could make it to state next year as a duo and have more success but he also desires to play tennis at the collegiate level.

“Either I take a risk or just do good,” he said. “We’ll see how next season goes because I have a little confidence going into it and I’m down to miss some school and have some fun.”

BSHS swim coach reflects on first season coaching boys, prepares for girls season’s start

By Angelique McNaughton

February 19, 2013

Topeka — After taking a couple of days to reflect, first year Bonner Springs boys swimming coach Preston Williams said he couldn’t be more pleased with how the season ended on Friday at the Class 5-1A state swimming and diving championships.

“I was so proud of how they did because they barely made it in,” Williams said, referring to his 200-yard freestyle relay team. “They took off a lot of time from the beginning of the season just to be able to make it.”

The event was the only one the Braves competed in during the weekend at the Hummer Sports Complex in Topeka. The team consisted of Jacob Kraus, Thomas Hook, Lucas Skyler and Jack Klingele, with senior team captain Jacob Sopher standing by as an alternate.

The four-man team capped the season off by moving up five places from the 32nd spot to place 27th during the preliminaries on Friday with a time 1:42.49, but failed to make it to the finals on Saturday.

The 200-yard freestyle relay time was four seconds faster than what it had previously been, Williams said, with anchor Klingele swimming his leg in 24.12 seconds.

The 200-yard medley relay team was two-hundredths of a second from making it to state. Sam Nelson also narrowly missed the mark in the 100-yard butterfly.

The Shawnee Mission South swimming team placed first on Saturday with 236 points, followed by Hayden High School with 199 points, and Maize-South who placed third with 183.

Now that he has his first season completed for next year to be a success, “it’s as simple as getting faster”, Williams said. “I kind of started thinking, it has been a night and day difference from the beginning of the season to the end. The kids worked hard and it paid off for them.”

With Sopher as the only senior for the Braves, Williams said he is looking forward to having all of his swimmers return, in addition to the incoming classes throughout the next few years.

His focus for next year will remain on improving technique, strength and speed, he said. “I really want to build this program up to where we can go to the state meet and compete,“ Williams said. “I think we will be able to take quite a bit more relays and hopefully individual events to state next year.”

Williams’ attention will soon turn to the start of the girls swimming season, a mere few weeks away. Whereas many coaches will be beginning what amounts to an offseason, Williams’ quest for improvement will be put to the test in real time come March.

“I just want to continue to improve my coaching as far as technique, learning new drills and things I can do to help them get better,“ Williams said. “But I am definitely happy with the way it (the season) went and I am really proud of them.”

‘Mad Dog’ Madlock brought college-feel to BSHS volleyball in first year

Jan Madlock didn’t really aspire to be a volleyball player or coach.

She originally went out for volleyball in middle school only to add another sport to her skill set and to stay in shape. She already played basketball, softball and ran track.

But Madlock turned into a willing convert the summer before her senior year at Proviso East High School, Maywood, Ill., after attending a camp at Illinois State University.

“It opened up my world,” she said. “I was so turned on to the sport.”

Madlock’s love affair with volleyball has continued for more than 20 years and is still going strong. She recently completed her inaugural year as the head volleyball coach at Bonner Springs, leading the Braves to a 16-20 record (including winning 10 of the last 12 matches.)

“I got so much from my playing career, it’s almost spiritual for me,” she said. “It feels like because I got so much from it, I’m obligated to pass it on to someone else.”

After that summer, Madlock decided she wanted to pursue volleyball in college even though she wasn’t being recruited. She walked-on and ultimately red-shirted her first year in 1988 at Illinois State University.

Describing herself as athletically capable, Madlock recognized she didn’t have the skills to secure a spot in the rotation.

“I wasn’t prepared for the level of training and what the practices were like — it was hard,” Madlock said. “I spent a lot of extra hours training and lots of hours in the gym serving by myself. I was in a different league. I was the 13th-man on a 12-man team.”

Madlock improved enough during the year to start as a defensive player in 1989, contributing to her team in a major way. Her on-court leadership and self-discipline landed Madlock the title of captain for her last two college seasons, which included a historic Sweet Sixteen appearance in 1992.

“It was such an incredible year,” Madlock said. “Really magical, my last season.”

Former teammate Kim Nelson Brown, who is currently the head volleyball coach at Illinois Wesleyan University, said Madlock was “extremely intense.” Her teammates did, and still do, call her “Mad Dog”.

“She used to punch the floor and her knuckle would swell up if she missed a dig,” Brown said with a laugh.

Madlock led her team to a 30-4 record and the volleyball program’s first NCAA tournament berth. The 1992 Redbirds still hold the program record for most victories in season.

“She was a big part of that and really kept things at a level of intensity that we needed to maintain,” Brown said. “The seniors kept us grounded and for Jan it was like a job.“

The Redbirds eventually lost to Long Beach State University, ending Madlock’s career. After graduating, Madlock quickly transitioned from athlete to coach, leading her to stay briefly at her alma mater. She had coaching stints at the University of Iowa and Kansas University before entering high school academia.

“I was really trying to figure out what else I was supposed to be doing besides a volleyball coach,” she said.

Fluctuating between teaching and coaching at the high school level, Madlock took a break from coaching to start a family with the children she fostered — Mercedes, 8, Hailey, 7, and Keani, 3 — and ultimately adopted.

Finding herself in Bonner Springs, Madlock decided that the classroom was where she wanted to be. A job at Clark Middle School introduced Madlock to the district before she ultimately accepted her current position.

“It’s been like a dream come true and I am incredibly fortunate,” she said.

Taking over the program from previous coach Heather Campbell, Madlock introduced a different coaching style and approach to the game. BSHS senior Cassady Holloway said her new coach pushed the team more than what they had experienced in the past.

“It was honestly a big change,” she said of Madlock’s coaching. “It’s more strict and more college-like, which it’s better for us because we know she has the right experience and we know she knows what she’s talking about.”

Prior to the start of her first season with Bonner Springs, Madlock learned that her former Redbirds team would be reuniting to celebrate the team’s Sweet 16 appearance 20 years before.

As Madlock made plans to attend the reunion in Illinois she checked an updated schedule and realized she was supposed to be in Tonganoxie that same weekend for a tournament.

“I honestly was deflated for a good 24 hours,” Madlock said.  “But my team, I asked them to be here and asked them to make the commitment. I can’t just walk away from this team for that.

“While that was a really special opportunity for me, we had our glory days,” she said. “This was a weekend event where I was really trying to build and lay a foundation here.”

The BSHS volleyball team ended up going 1-4 that day, but senior Jene Williams said the team dynamic would have suffered even more if Madlock missed the tournament.

“When she’s there, she brings us together as a whole,” Williams said. “It was such an honor for her to give up her important event to be there and coach us and cheer us on.”

With the Braves’ strong conclusion at the end of the season, Madlock said she is already thinking about next season and the momentum established for the program after her first year.

“I have a passion for life and it’s displayed when I coach,” Madlock said. “That passion comes from how I felt about the game.”

BSHS Friendship Group bonds athletes with students with disabilities

By Angelique McNaughton

November 6, 2012, 10:56 a.m.

On any given Tuesday morning, it’s not uncommon to see nearly 40 athletes socializing and playing games with other students at Bonner Springs High School.

The group is considered a club and members meet weekly for 30 minutes in either the gymnasium or outside, weather permitting.

What is unique about this scene is that socializing and casually intermingling with the athletes are a little more than 10 special needs students. Students who receive special education support at BSHS stand out either socially, emotionally, or behaviorally which then interferes with the students’ ability to communicate with others.

Called the Friendship Group, the club meets weekly and promotes a community of understanding and acceptance amongst all student groups. 39 of the program’s 49 peers are involved in some type of sport at BSHS.

Freshman volleyball player Taryn Remigio joined the group while at Clark Middle School. Remigio said after joining the program she realized she would like to pursue special education as a career.

“I feel like I really made a connection,” she said, referring to the special needs students.

Remigio is currently paired with junior Erin Walter, who served as the manager for the girls basketball and softball teams last year. Walter’s disability inhibits her social and communication skills.

Remigio said that before spending regular time with Walter in Friendship Group, she wouldn’t talk to her or look her in the eye.

Now Walter does.

“They may be shy sometimes but once you get under their shell, they are amazing,” Remigio said. “They have flaws but are the funniest people you will meet.”

Junior varsity volleyball and varsity softball coach Denise Chowning, a social worker with the school, originally introduced the Friendship Group to students at the elementary and middle schools three years ago. The activities that the peers arrange for the identified students are designed to help with each student’s specific social challenges.

Chowning said Walter’s appointment as manager was the first time students had really accepted a special needs student and gotten them actively involved.

This year, it was the football players who welcomed a fellow student onto the team as a manager.

“Two of the football players (Jordan Jackson and Jason Van Maren) included him in everything they did,” Chowning said. “They may not able to participate on the field with them, but they can contribute to the team.”

Van Maren, a senior kicker and soccer player, said after participating in the program he has gained “a lot more respect for people and how they are.”

“It’s a lot easier to stand up to other people that don’t have respect because of the way that people look up to us in a way that we’re athletes and are leaders and that we can be respectful and don’t have to be the cool people,” Van Maren said.

Since the program’s adoption at the high school, a growing acceptance has spread throughout the school as more students are seeking out identified students in an effort to include them.

Where lunchtime once resembled a divided society with each student group sitting at their own respective tables and special needs students typically alone, now it is hard to tell if anyone has social issues.

“Kids used to stand by themselves and now the kids are going and getting them and saying ‘hey, join our group’ and maybe they’re not providing a lot of conversation but they are there and present,“ Chowning said. “If the captain of the volleyball team is standing up for kids with disabilities, other kids see them doing that.”

Evidence of the positive effect the club is having on both the peers and identified students isn’t going unnoticed at home.

Dawn Jackson, the mother of Jordan, a junior, and Julianne Jackson, a freshman, said she loves the program because it encourages her children to make new friends that they might not have previously gravitated toward.

“Jordan really has a soft spot for Keith (the football manager) and feels like he understands his story,” she said.

It affords the athletes the opportunity, Dawn Jackson said, to understand that everyone has their own skills that they can bring to a team.

“We got groups of kids and maybe they are not good with that but maybe they are good with rallying the troops on the sidelines,” Dawn Jackson said. “It helps with Denise being a coach because she understands the mindset of the athlete and getting them to step out and help kids.

“Both kids respect what’s being said. This program has done so much for my kids and I truly believe my kids need this program, too.”

Almost 60 students participate in the program at the high school and similar programs exist at both Bonner Springs Elementary and Clark Middle School. The program gained club status last year and will soon make its way into the school’s curriculum as an elective class offered next year.