Sporting 22 Spotlight
Sporting 22 Spotlight highlights the uniqueness of the select individuals who make up the program. This month features Brett Huber, Devon Belew, Jake Hackney, and Jadyn Flores. July featured: David Isaacks, Henry LeGard, Meghan Lewis and Miranda Cory.
Q: How did you hear about Sporting 22?
A: My mom told me about it. And she heard about it from my brother’s teammates.
Q: How did you come up with the idea for your program?
A: After answering the questions in the application, I just thought about it for awhile. And it gave me the opportunity to go out and do what I love, and want to do.
Q: What is your background in soccer?
A: I have been playing since I was 4. I played Varsity Soccer at Blue Valley West, and played for Blue Valley Soccer Club all through high school as well. I am planning to go to Drury University in the fall to play soccer there as well.
Q: Who is your favorite Sporting KC player?
A: Matt Besler, because he went to the same high school as me, and he is fun to talk to.
Q: What is your favorite color and why?
A: I like green, because my room is green.
Q: Do you have any pregame superstitions?
A: I always have to go to the restroom before the game, and retie my shoes, like twice.
Q: What other sports did you play?
A: I only played soccer in high school, but before that I played a little volleyball and softball.
Q: What would you do for a Klondike bar?
A: Bungee jump off of a hot air balloon!
Jake Hackney
Q: How did you hear about Sporting 22?
A: We were looking around online for random scholarships and we saw that Sporting KC had a program and sounded like an interesting opportunity.
Q: After hearing about Sporting 22, how did you come up with the idea for your program?
A: I figured I would try to come up with a way to introduce kids to soccer that maybe don’t have as much exposure to it. I wanted to try to show them skills as well as fitness stuff you need to have to play the game. I chose to work with these groups because some are less privileged and they don’t have always these opportunities to do these types of camps.
Q: What is your background in soccer?
A: I have played since I was 3. I played competitive up until now. I played six years at KCFC, this past year at Rush, few years in there is when I played with an independent competitive team. And I played four years varsity soccer at Blue Valley HS. I am going to be playing at Benedictine this fall.
Q: Who is your favorite Sporting KC player?
A: Matt Besler, because he is a local guy and played for the same competitive coach as me. (My coach at KCFC)
Q: What is your favorite color?
A: Green, probably because it is less liked than all the other colors.
Q: What number do you wear and why?
A: I wear 14, but for no specific reason. I don’t care that much.
Q: Do you plan to wear 14 next year at Benedictine?
A: If it’s available, I’ll take it, if not it’s ok.
Q: What other sports did you play?
A: I played basketball until 8th grade and baseball until freshman year.
Q: Do you have any pregame superstitions?
A: If we arere playing in a tournament, and we win our first game, I don’t wash my socks until we lose.
Devon Belew
Q: How did you hear about Sporting 22?
A: My junior year of high school, a family friend and classmate, a senior at the time, David Zdvorak, had applied and gotten the scholarship and told me about it, so I thought it sounded interesting and like something I would like to do.
Q: How did you come up with the idea for your program?
A: My mom and I sat down and talked about it, and I have been in the KC area for 14 years now, so I knew I wanted to do something locally. I have been in the Park Hill school district for 14 years as well so I thought it might be nice if I did something with them. I wanted to help them out so I decided to do it with the Park Hill Early Childhood Education Center.
Q: What is your background in soccer?
A: I have been playing ever since I was in Pre-K. I played other sports but this was always my interest. I Played rec until age 12 when I started playing competitive, and played ever since, including winning a state title. I played four years of high school soccer; including three years on the varsity team where I earned all state my senior year. I plan to play soccer in college at Case Western Reserve in Ohio this fall.
Q: Who is your favorite Sporting Kansas City player?
A: Chance Myers or Seth Sinovic, both outside backs. I think Chance and I have similar playing styles, and we all three share the same position.
Q: What is your favorite color?
A: This was is easy. Blue, because my last name is Belew, when I was younger it was easy.
Q: What number do you wear and why?
A: I wore 3 for awhile, but when I got to high school someone already had it so I switched to 6 which I have worn ever since in high school and club, and hope to wear 6 at school also.
Q: Do you have any pregame superstitions?
A: I don’t tie my shoes until right before kick-off. During the pre-game speech minutes before we take the field I tie my shoes, I just like to make sure they are extra tight.
Q: What would you do for a Klondike bar?
A: Honest answer, I probably wouldn’t do anything, I don’t like them.
Brett Huber
Q: We know you were involved in the program last year, but how did you initially hear about Sporting 22?
A: One of my friends plays for the Juniors, Daniel Hare, and he told me about it, and did it last year as well.
Q: You are doing the same program as last year, how did you initially come up with the idea for your program?
A: I have volunteered for awhile at the Upper Room, a place for kids to learn how to read and I first reached out to them and they gave me the contact info for this group.
Q: What is your background in soccer?
A: I have been playing as long as I can remember. I played club for KCFC and I played high school as well.
Q: Who is your favorite soccer player of all time?
A: Steven Gerrard because he is a great leader and captain.
Q: What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
A: Mint Chocolate Chip
Q: What number do you wear and why?
A: 13 I liked the superstition that surrounds the number, and wearing it broke that.
Q: What other sports did you play?
A: I played basketball and baseball, and pretty much everything, but I quit everything and just played soccer in high school.
Q: What would you do for a Klondike bar?
A: Play Kei Kamara one on one.
July:
David Isaacks
Q: How did you hear about Sporting 22?
A: One of my teammates, Garrett Brown, did it last year and said it was a great program
Q: How did you come up with you’re the idea for your program?
A: I was really late in turning in my application because it took me so long to come up with an idea. I was at my quarterly check up with my doctor and he commented that a lot of kids with cystic fibrosis are not getting enough exercise. What a lot of people don’t realize is that exercise is a good form of treatment for CF patients and I thought it would be perfect. I always was very active when I was younger and had an attitude that it couldn’t stop me from being outside and kicking the soccer ball around.
Q: What is your background in soccer?
A: I played rec for the Blue Springs Soccer Association starting when I was about 3 or 4. Then when I was 8 years old I started playing competitive and just started to move up from there. I played for the Sporting Juniors as a developmental player with the Blue Valley Newcastle Team. I plan to play soccer next year at the University of Rhode Island.
Q: Who is your favorite soccer player of all time?
A: Ronaldinho because he has fun playing and he never gives up. I like the attitude and try to incorporate it into my style of playing
Q: What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
A: Crazy Cookie Dough. It is served where I work at Custard’s Last Stand. It is multi-colored cake batter ice cream with cookie dough. It is so good.
Q: What number do you wear and why?
A: 17 because it is a prime number.
Q: Do you plan to wear 17 at Rhode Island?
A: I would like to but may have to fight a few seniors for it.
Q: Do you have any pregame superstitions?
A: Before I warm up I like to listen to “Remember the Name” by Fort Minor. That’s my song.
Henry LeGard
Q: How did you hear about Sporting 22?
A: I was on the Sporting KC website looking for some more information for season ticket holders. (My family has season tickets.) I came across it on the website and it sounded interesting. I am into things like that, and I am very interested in helping in the community.
Q: How did you come up with the idea for your program?
A: I had been working for the Upper Room program tutoring students there as well as working at Operation Breakthrough so the idea came to me pretty quickly.
Q: What is your background in soccer?
A: I started at age 4 playing rec and played until I was in the 3rd grade when I switched to premiere. I played for the KC Strikers until I was in 8th grade. I got burnt out so I quit and started to focus on tennis. But when Sporting KC came up I became interested again in soccer and have been following the team ever since.
Q: Who is your favorite soccer player of all time?
A: I like Landon Donavan probably. Mostly because of his determination and his clutch factor, like when he scored that goal in the 91st minute of the World Cup game.
Q: What is your favorite ice cream?
A: Cake batter with cookie dough and brownies from ColdStone.
Q: What is your favorite color and why?
A: I like blue. I always have. I have blue eyes. I wear blue almost every day.
Q: What would you do for a Klondike bar?
A: I am not a big fan of them so maybe pay a dollar or do a couple push-ups.
Meghan Lewis
Q: How did you hear about Sporting 22? 
A: Through my parents. And one of the student’s from last year, Daniel Hare, played soccer with my brother and he told us about it.
Q: What is your background in soccer?
A: I have been playing since third grade. I have played premiere for KC Strikers, KCFC and Kansas City Soccer Club. I also played for my school team, St. Teresa’s Academy.
Q: Who is your favorite soccer player of all time?
A: My favorite guy player is Christiano Ranaldo because he is a really attractive guy and I like Real Madrid. But I also like Alex Morgan, because she loves pink, headbands, and sports.
Q: What number do you wear and why?
A: I wear number 2 because my older brother wore it when he played soccer.
Q: Do you have any pregame superstitions?
A: I always have to listen to music or I feel off.
Q: What would you do for a Klondike bar?
A: I don’t think I have had one, so I don’t know if I’d like it. But maybe profess my love for Christiano Ronaldo.
Miranda Cory
Q: How did you hear about Sporting 22?
A: My dad was browsing the Sporting KC website and came across it and told me about it.
Q: How did you come up with you’re the idea for your program?
A: I came up with it right away because girls don’t really get the chance to play soccer in the city that I am from so I want to be able to get them exposed to the sport and let them get the chance since there is no varsity girls soccer team at the high school.
Q: What is your background in soccer?
A: I started playing in 2001 and have been playing non-stop since then. I have been part of the Olympic Development Program for three years and right now I play for Sporting Blue Valley.
Q: Who is your favorite Sporting KC player?
A: Jimmy Nielsen
Q: What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
A: Strawberry
Q: What number do you wear and why?
A: #2 because it was the smallest jersey.
Q: What is your favorite color?
A: Purple and Yellow
Q: You are going to be a Senior this year, do you have any idea what you want to do after high school?
A: I am thinking about going to either Emporia or Ft. Hayes to play soccer.