2025 Third Place Essay
Ryan Bennett, Villa Madonna Academy
Walking down the long hallway leading to the turf field ahead, I saw children; some young, old, unable to speak, and in wheelchairs. Sitting with their parents-water in one hand, soccer ball in another- the children waited eagerly to play soccer. I don’t know how this will go…What if they don’t have fun with me? I wondered. Volunteering at All Ability Sports started off as a way to get service hours, but in the end, taught me a valuable lesson I will never forget. I am a witness to God’s love by learning to see the gifts of the Holy Spirit in all people, regardless of their physical or mental disabilities.
The organization All Ability Sports brings children with special needs from across the area and gives them the chance to play soccer. Playing soccer myself, I thought I could easily get my service hours done. To my surprise, these interactions deepened my understanding of God’s presence in every person. My partner (we’ll call her Rose) walked into the building excited to play soccer but had trouble focusing on the drills. Every time Rose got the ball; she would take off running in all directions and wouldn’t stop! While I loved her passion throughout the sport, I found it confusing running her through drills. Not only that it proved hard to keep her focused, but I also wondered how Rose kept so much joy inside her. Rose’s life presented struggles and burdens, but instead of letting that hold her down, Rose allowed herself to embrace what she loved to play: soccer. The courage Rose showed reminds me of Scripture, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Watching Rose play soccer gave me a clear example of what this Bible verse meant. When Rose could have let fear allow her to quit, Rose showed fortitude. From Rose, I realized that even though struggles may keep her down, she never seemed sad or negative about them-only positivity. The huge amount of fortitude a younger child could show in the face of adversity helped me learn that every problem you encounter should be tackled head on and with positivity and confidence, because the Lord guides you throughout the whole time.
Many of the parents at All Ability Sports display counsel and sacrificial love. Despite the parents facing so many obstacles raising their children, they provide unwavering support for their children. Everyday, parents care for their children, dedicate time, and worry endlessly about how their child’s life will end up. Referring to the Catechism of the Catholic Church “To love is to will the good of another.” The parents could have abandoned or aborted their child when receiving news that their child will have a disability. Instead, parents saw the beauty of God’s creation and meaningful life their child has. The parents decided that to love their child, they must give them the best they can offer. To do this, the parents displayed counsel and used their lives to show their children agape love. Doing this helped their children see God’s love in person.
At All Ability Sports, a dad –“William”- provided a clear example of what agape love should look like. When I trained his son, William asked if he could help teach his son how to shoot a soccer ball. After saying yes, I watched the dad put so much effort into helping him. William never checked his phone, took a break, or gave up. The children’s laughter and celebrations showed that the bond between father and son proved strong.
From volunteering at All Ability Sports, I’ve learned that everyone has the ability to show the gifts of the Holy Spirit in their own unique ways. Rose displayed fortitude by showing courage when playing soccer instead of cowering away. The parents of those disabled children showed counsel by not giving up their children when they saw their burdens. Instead, they reminded themselves that their children, children of God, should be prioritized and respected above all. While society focuses on the large aspects of maintaining the dignity of human life, we must also realize that the dignity of human life is prioritizing and respecting life through everyday actions.
