Jessica Ratsch
Sophomore Chase Hitchcock shows off his Special Olympics jersey.
After a weekend full of growth and medals with PCHS Special Olympics, one athlete, Chase Hitchcock, tried out for the Sporting Kansas City Unified team and made the cut.
With more than 32 athletes and partners part of the fun, the competitive nature of the event shined through the cloudy Sunday afternoon where 22 players were selected to join the squad. On April 27 the Major League Soccer (MLS) organization, Sporting Kansas City and the Victory Project kicked off their 10th annual tryouts at UMKC’s Durwood Soccer Stadium.
This achievement is still very present in the minds of the coaching staff and community members who are beyond proud of Chase.
“When I heard that Chase made the team with Sporting KC I think I cried, I was so excited,” said Jessica Ratsch, special olympics head coach.
Chase was also involved in the special olympics triumph at Lee’s Summit North High School where the team took home 23 first place, 13 second place, and 5 third place medals in that same weekend.
“It gives me goosebumps [thinking about Hitchcock making the team],” Ratsch said. “It is very exciting to give him this experience.”
Chase was more than happy to be able to participate in the team, Ratsch and his mother, Dee Hitchcock, are bursting with joy to see Chase’s dream become a reality.
“As a parent,” Dee said. “It is really hard to kind of put it into words how it feels for Chase to get recognized like this.”
Life has not always been easy for Chase with Down syndrome. However, this unique opportunity that the Victory Project offers gives him a completely new and exciting opportunity.
“It makes me very excited for him that he gets to showcase his abilities on the field,” claimed Dee. “[It is really special that] he gets to be known for the things that he can do rather than the things that he can’t.”
Chase himself is beyond proud of his achievements and is more than thrilled to experience this new opportunity head on and succeed while representing Platte County.
Chase said with a smile on his face, “It feels good to make the team.”
The Sporting Unified squad will wear sporting blue on June 28 at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas facing a fellow MLS organization, Real Salt Lake with their unified team to play the first match of a two game series with the club.
Eventually, Chase and his teammates will have the full professional athlete experience when they take a charter with nobody but the athletes and coaching personnel allowed to Salt Lake City. Not even parents will travel with them.
Having this professional treatment being administered to the team, the unified team will represent the club in Real Salt Lake’s stadium, America First Field to wrap up this once in a lifetime experience.