LIBERTY LAKE, Wash. – “I do like soccer, I’ve wanted… this whole time I wanted to play.”
That’s Bobby Knaggs, also known as bear, having the time of his life scoring a hat trick.
“I feel like a champion,” Knaggs said. “I feel like I’m going to be as good as Jordan Morris, that’s literally my dream, is to be like him.”
Today marked Day 1 of try-outs for the Spokane Impact, a new soccer team that gives Bear and his friends a chance to play the game just like Seattle Sounder star Jordan Morris.
“I mean, it’s everything,” head coach Mike Pellicio said. “It’s just opportunity, to experience joy, to have fun, to express yourself, I’m just so glad these guys are getting that opportunity.”
They’re led by Coach Pellicio, a special education teacher at Shadle Park High School and coach of two girls’ soccer teams, and he’s learned a lot from his unique combined roles.
“Patience for these young athletes is really important, and I think that I believe in a classroom where patience will help us solve a lot of different problems,” Pellicio said.
Spokane USL co-owner Katie Harnetiaux said Coach Pellicio was her first call, and she was incredible grateful for the hire.
“If Mike says no, then we put this on hold for a year,” Harnetiaux said. “And Mike was so gracious, and he said ‘absolutely, yes.’ and he didn’t hesitate, he didn’t blink, he just said, ‘I’m in’.”
The team is a part of Project Inspire, the first national soccer league for athletes with intellectual disabilities, co-founded by Spokane Velocity midfielder Nil Vinyals and Harnetiaux.
“Yeah, we talk a lot about how soccer is for everyone,” Harnetiaux said. “It’s really great to see soccer truly is for everyone.”
Coach Pellicio added that even if you can’t make the try-outs today or Thursday, they’ll have trials for anyone wanting to join in the fall.
“We are just going to be having fun out here, so come try it, and if you don’t like it, you don’t have to keep coming,” Pellicio said. “But if you want to come be evaluated, come to a trial, you’ll be so welcomed, you’ll have so much fun, we’ll see where we can go from there.”
Bear with his three goals today looks to be well on his way to a roster spot.
“I would be so proud of myself,” Knaggs said. “I would be like, ‘good job, Bobby, you made the team, all you need to do is face your dream’.”
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