It started as a service project for school eight years ago.
Now, the Kickin’ It for Down Syndrome Kickball Tournament is an annual event that raises money for Upside Downs, a nonprofit that supports kids with Down syndrome and their families. This year, teams will take the field at Westbank Bridge Park in Luling on Sunday, May 3 at 9 a.m.
Organizer Shelley Adams said her oldest son, Trent, put together the first tournament as part of his senior service project at Destrehan High School.
“He wanted to donate the funds to Upside Downs due to his brother having Down syndrome,” Adams said. “Originally, it was just a few teams full of athletes of Destrehan. When the day of the tournament came, we had a much bigger turnout, and the day was so fun that people started talking about ‘next year.’”
Adams and her family decided to hold the tournament every year after that, offering the opportunity to seniors looking for a tournament to hold for their senior project.
Adams said the kickball tournament means the world to her. Her second child, Cole, was born with Trisomy 21 and a complex hole in his heart. After 99 days in the NICU and an open-heart surgery, Cole finally went home. He returned months later for another open-heart surgery, and he has since had 11 other surgeries, including a spinal fusion in 2018.
“He is our little miracle baby,” Adams said last year. “He was destined to be here and be with us.”
Cole is now 13 years old. He plays baseball, he takes hip hop dance classes, he loves to socialize, and he enjoys school.
The kickball tournament is a day full of love and acceptance, Adams said.
“Knowing that my family and friends play a part in bringing this together and allowing the bonding, awareness, and, of course, all the money that we raise for Upside Downs, warms my heart and completely fuels the fire for the next year,” Adams said.
A group of parents, who have children with Down syndrome, founded Upside Downs. The nonprofit provides new parents baskets, educates the medical field on the delivery of a Down syndrome diagnosis, provides scholarship and support for the Bridge Program at Nichols University, and more.
“They do so many great things throughout the year to celebrate the Down syndrome community and are committed to creating awareness and making this world a better place for them,” Adams said.
Teams can enter the tournament by contacting Adams via email, text or Facebook. The cost is $250. Teams are matched with a member of the Down syndrome community as their team captain, or some teams come with their own.
“They hang out together, some of the team captains will play with the team, and some decide to just cheer them on from the sidelines,” Adams said. “We do ask that teams understand this is a family friendly event and the main goal is to have fun and create awareness, but I must say, it’s gets very competitive.”
Event organizers will serve pastalaya, jambalaya, hamburgers, hot dogs, nachos and pulled pork sandwiches at the event. A DJ will play music. The event will feature a kids’ corner with games and crafts. Salon Stylush will add glitter and fun hairstyles to any interested attendees.
“We also have a very big raffle that takes place throughout the day where we raffle off no less than 50 items ranging from wine baskets to jambalaya pots, to a Disney trip and everything in between,” Adams said. “It’s just a really great day!”
This year’s event will also include a car show. Nathan and Heather Sutton brought the idea to Adams.
“We have a lot of parishioners with some pretty cool cars, there is a lot of excitement about this,” Adams said.
Last year, the tournament had 14 sponsors and raised over $20,000. About 500 people attended the event.
“This year we are hoping, of course, to get more sponsors and items donated, the sky is the limit,” Adams said. “However, we are grateful and appreciative of all the support we receive, so anything that we get is appreciated.”
Adams said the tournament is a fun day full of awareness.
“Yes, it’s people playing kickball with music, food, and a car show, but when you see connections being made between the individuals with Down syndrome and their families and our participants it’s really something special,” Adams said. “I receive emails and messages for weeks and months after the events with notes of how they want to follow up with their team captains, and I get return teams requesting their captains again.”
Adams said her family is proud to host a Down syndrome event, held in St. Charles Parish, that supports the Down syndrome community in the River Parishes.
“There are people of different disabilities, all ethnicities, all ages, and just a huge variety of different personalities that all come together for something that is bigger than us all,” Adams said. “It’s a whole lot of love and acceptance being shown across all the differences that try and separate us in this world.”
Adams said each year she stops, just for a moment, to look around and take it all in.
“It brings me to tears, happy tears,” she said. “It’s one of the reasons I continue to do this year after year.”
Adams can be reached at 504-415-0663 or at kickball.teamcole@gmail.com.
