Inclusive Sports

Diego is a quiet and friendly young man. His intellectual disability makes it difficult for him to communicate with people he wants to make friends with. It is difficult for him to comprehensively learn to read and write and this limits his continuing education and employment opportunities.

Then United Genuine happened. His first practice with a team of his peers made him feel welcome and equal. He was playing a competitive game with teammates that he could relate to. But more importantly, his teammates understood and accepted him. Diego has three brothers. He has grown up in a rowdy household where the need to prove who is the best has been a part of daily life. So having the opportunity to compete against teams from all over the world in a game that is loved by millions of fans gave him confidence like never before. He felt validated and important. Validated because he was accepted into a circle of athletes that work hard to achieve greatness, just like he wants. Important because he understood that this game, soccer, has given the world a way to unite people from so many countries and backgrounds.

Before becoming an athlete Diego had never truly experienced independence. The Genuine Cup helped Diego experience what it was like to live in a dorm. He had a roommate he actually enjoyed hanging out with. He was responsible for his own things. He had to make sure he got up on time every morning to meet with his coaches and teammates. He was responsible for making sure he had the correct uniform for each activity. And quite importantly, he had to make sure he handled his hygiene every day without being reminded. At home, Diego always had someone reminding him, asking him, telling him to do all of these things. However, being a part of the Genuine Cup taught him self-care and responsibility. As a mother, I worried deeply about leaving him alone in a room where I did not have direct access. Diego taught me that he is capable of more than I give him credit for. It not only helped him, it helped me.

I saw Diego open up like never before. He was smiling and laughing. Having actual conversations with people he could now call his real friends, and with people he had only just met. Although still quiet and somewhat shy, the newfound confidence gave him the courage to act on his friendly nature and talk to anyone.

He used these skills to his advantage when it came to his job. When we were informed Genuine would be sponsoring a summer job training camp, Diego immediately wanted to participate. Every morning, he got up on his own, got dressed, and ate breakfast. All without being told. This was not something he did when he was in high school. I attributed this to his not being able to do these things because he couldn’t quantify the actions needed to get ready to go somewhere; he proved me wrong. For a whole week, he independently handled his responsibilities to make sure he made it to work on time. Then he was asked to come back for a second week of camp. His eyes lit up. During his second week at work, he told me he loved his new job and hoped he would get hired forever. Later, I found out he approached his now-boss and told him he wanted to work for him forever. My heart swelled with joy and pride. The son I thought was unable to express himself took it upon himself to ask for a job.

Genuine is not just soccer; it is a lifeline to our loved ones who need an extra hand to help them find themselves in a world that can be scary and unforgiving. Genuine gave him the opportunity to live a well-lived, purposeful life. A life that we all crave to have.