The campaign to “let Brett Bowden play” isn’t just about a sports rule. It’s about what’s important in sports.
The Brett Bowden Story
If you haven’t heard, Brett Bowden is a 19-year-old high school football player with Down syndrome who loves football, is an inspiration to his team at Hobbton High School in Newton Grove, N.C., and is also the victim of a North Carolina High School Athletic Association age regulation.
I’m happy to say that the Facebook page Let Brett Bowden Play already has 60,493 fans. I’m hoping the “let Brett Bowden Play” campaign will help get what Brett’s mother wishes for – a “‘Brett Bowden’ rule for special needs students who want to play high school sports.”
Inspiration from Brett Bowden
I love the attitude of Brett’s teammates, like Charles Chestnutt, who said:
Brett means the world to me. I promise you. He’s my inspiration. When I come on Friday nights and he leads us out the tunnel, that tells me that it’s time for me to play and do what I got to do for him.
It’s heartwarming to see how many people care about doing the right thing, to see Brett’s love for the game, and to see the tremendous support for what’s really important in sports – character building and qualities like self-confidence that come from striving to do your best.
Of course, I also love seeing support for people with special needs. I’m a fan of Special Olympics, too. Please add your support to “Let Brett Bowden Play” – and be a fan of what’s really important in sports.
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Well, I say it’s always good to start the day off shedding a few tears of happiness. What a WONNNNNNNNDERFUL post Deb! Letting Brett play… this whole campaign… will be a wonderful lesson in life for every single person touched by this young man! Every. Single. One. It oozes with humanity. Thank you for bringing this story to my attention, it’s a great story. I hope he gets to play.
Thanks so much for your very kind comment, Sheila! I just checked and the Let Brett Bowden Play Facebook page now has 63,889 fans! Brett Bowden even had an offer to be part of a professional football team! http://www.wwaytv3.com/2011/08/12/only-3-pro-football-coach-wants-special-athlete-his-team
What a sweet post. I hadn’t heard this story (hasn’t seemed to make it’s way to Australia) but it’s lovely. I really hope they’ll bend the rules! Though it sounds like they will seeing how many supporters there are out there! 🙂 It’s just lovely when so many people get together to make a different in one persons life. Touching.
Thanks so much, Kirsty! The support for Brett Bowden keeps growing, so I’m really hoping for a positive outcome. It is wonderful to see so many people getting together to make a difference. 🙂
Found you through Thought Provoking Thursdays, and this definitely qualifies! Thanks for sharing this story – I hadn’t heard about it, but agree that it is important.
Thanks, Courtney! It’s exciting to see so many people supporting Brett Bowden and others with special needs. The Let Brett Bowden Play FB page now has 64,895 fans. 🙂 There’s now an official petition that I just signed: http://www.change.org/petitions/the-north-carolina-high-school-athletic-association-let-brett-bowden-play-football.