Avery's game
Courtesy photo The senior members of the Kellogg High School football team after presenting a special jersey to classmate and avid Wildcat football fan Avery Spoor. The team also had Spoor sit on the sidelines with the team for the homecoming football game.
Wildcat quarterback Raiden Rickets presenting Avery Spoor with his own custome Wildcat football jersey.
KELLOGG — Homecoming has always been a rite of passage for high school students, but last week the senior members of the Kellogg High School football team made sure that EVERYONE was able to get involved.
Freshman Avery Spoor is a 14-year-old boy with cerebral palsy and a passion for sports.
Due to his cerebral palsy, it’s difficult for him to take in KHS football games from anywhere but the highest point of Teeters Field or from the visitor’s side of the field.
Senior quarterback Raiden Rickets along with fellow classmate Cheyenne Wellman decided to make sure that Avery had a homecoming football experience that he would never forget.
Getting him his own custom jersey and making him the team’s guest of honor with a special seat on the field behind the team, the Wildcat football team made Avery a part of the team on the most important game of the season.
“We wanted to do something for him because we knew how much he loved sports,” Rickets said. “We got him his own custom jersey and he was so excited to get it. It was just awesome to be able to see him smile and get excited. But it also felt awesome for us to be a part of helping make his day special.”
What Rickets didn’t expect was that the team would end up needing Avery to ensure that they got the win.
“We had started out the game so well, but late in the second quarter we started to let Bonners (Ferry) back into the game,” Rickets said. “Right before the end of halftime, I looked at Avery and told the guys that we needed to finish this game for him. He’s here cheering for us and supporting us and we need to do this for him.”
The Wildcats went on to finish the game with a 35-20 win, but more importantly, they gave a young man something he’ll remember for the rest of his life.
Avery’s mom, Cary Spoor, was so happy to hear of the kindness that has been shown by the school toward her son and grateful to football players for making him feel like part of the team.
“Avery absolutely loved his jersey and he had an absolute blast hanging out on the sidelines,” Spoor said. “He took the game very seriously and we even had some tackling and a touchdown happen right in front of us. I was so touched by what the team did by going out of their way to include Avery. That gesture meant the world to Avery. Avery is a freshman this year and KHS has been wonderful, welcoming and fun. He has always been surrounded by amazing teachers, faculty and kids throughout his schooling at Kellogg.”
One thing is for sure, Avery will always remember the night he got to be a part of the Wildcat football team, but even more so, the Wildcats will always remember the night they won for Avery.