Beyond the Field St. Antoninus Football Program Makes One Boy’s Dreams Come True BY ERIN REDER
True sportsmanship goes beyond the actions and play on a field or court. It encompasses respect, graciousness and support for one another. This football season the St. Antoninus (St. A) Bandit division football team and its opponents collaborated in support of one special boy: Braxtin Gruber. Braxtin dreamed of playing football, but due to Dravet Syndrome and Lennox-Gastuat Syndrome, life-long forms of epilepsy that cause many health-related issues, he has been unable to play – until now! His mother, Katie Gruber, shared that the football coaches from St. Antoninus (where Braxtin’s sister, Addy, attends and his aunt, Emily, teaches first grade) contacted her and her husband, Mark, inviting Braxtin to join their team. Conversations followed with coaches and the St. A football coordinator to explain the complexity of Braxtin’s diagnosis and how careful he needed to be. All were excited and willing to adapt for those conditions to ensure that Braxtin could participate in the safest way possible. Since then, he’s
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practiced with the team, getting to know his teammates and enjoying the opportunity to be part of something he loves. “Having Braxtin as part of the football team as a St. A Jaguar creates a good vibe!” said St. A’s Bandit division coach Andy Wagner. “Seeing him with his teammates interacting at practice is pretty cool and really allows you to focus on what is important, which is for these boys to have fun and be a part of a team. It’s made me a better coach, allowing me to step back and see the bigger picture of how that looks.” On Aug. 21, number 51 suited up to play in his first football game. St. Antoninus coaches explained Braxtin’s unique situation to the opposing team’s coaches, and together they ensured he had the chance to get the ball but not get tackled. The moment was truly special for coaches, teammates and fans. When Braxtin scored his very first touchdown, not only St. Antoninus fans cheered; both sidelines erupted in support and joy!
