Washburn Rural students chosen for Sporting KC Unified team
TOPEKA (KSNT) – Three Washburn Rural High School students have been selected to play on Sporting Kansas City’s Unified soccer team.
The travel team is part of an exchange program supported by Major League Soccer (MLS), ESPN, and the Special Olympics. It includes Kansas City area high school student-athletes both with intellectual disabilities, and without.
Washburn Rural sophomores Conner Schonlaw and Gentry Scheid, and senior Cohen Nimz will fly to Minnesota next month with the Sporting Kansas City club.
They will compete in Minnesota’s MLS stadium against the Unified team sponsored by Minnesota United FC. In September, the teams will matchup again at Children’s Mercy Park.
27 News spoke with Schonlaw, a Special Olympics athlete, and Nimz, a Unified volunteer, to get their thoughts on signing with a professional soccer team. Schonlaw is in his second year of playing Unified soccer at Washburn Rural.
“It is pretty exciting,” Schonlaw said. “I am looking forward to it. And I can’t wait to go to Minnesota next month!”
Nimz has been a partner with Unified soccer all four years of high school. He says it’s a great experience.
“The vibe is great,” he said. “It’s alwasy a positive attitude it brings great energy out of everybody. For me it brightens my day being able to help out everybody and being able to play along with everybody in all different age groups and stuff like that. Just being able to make new friends.”
All three students will sign official contracts and participate in a media day at Sporting Kansas City’s home practice facility Tuesday, April 23.
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