Kacey Wernli and Tracey Fontenot stepped into the small waiting room at Methodist Children's Outpatient Clinic where they both were working as physical therapists in 2001. Two eager patients broke into smiles and nine-year-old Diana (Didi) spoke first, “Kacey, can we do dance therapy today?” Excited to join in the fun, eight-year-old Anna quickly chimed in, “Tracey, can we do therapy with Didi?”
This is the moment Kacey and Tracey recall when they think back to how it all began. The girls were most excited to be together! The parents were grateful that their child's dreams were being heard even if it was during their therapy time. Kacey and Tracey immediately saw how motivated they were to perform a sport together with friends.
Over lunch that day, Kacey and Tracey hammered out the basics. Why can’t all kids be athletes? What would that look like? How can we get started? By March 2001, with the help of Diana’s mom, Peggy Neal, the seed of Kinetic Kids was planted.
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“I think the most rewarding part of that day was watching parents, who normally have to help their child during recreational activities, sitting on the bleachers talking to other parents who are journeying down the same path,” recalls Kacey. Tracey also remembers watching children, who were rarely selected to be on a team, jumping up and down on first base and being chased in the outfield by the first two volunteers, Tracey’s husband and Kacey’s sister. “The smiles on their faces and confidence in their hearts still brings tears to my eyes. We knew we had something special," she said. |
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Of course, the t-ballers thought they were just playing a game, but Tracey and Kacey had incorporated therapy at every turn. For example, the distance from third base to home is the “showdown” where kids strut their best walk, trot, run or slide. On that first day, one athlete took 10 steps by themselves covering over 20 feet for the first time. There is no doubt that the fans cheering, the teammates yelling and the high-fives made a difference! |
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Twenty years later, Kinetic Kids now packs baseball fields, basketball courts, gymnastics floors, swimming pools, running tracks, theatre stages, and more all across San Antonio. But we remember our roots. We are grateful to those who inspired Kacey and Tracey to ask the question, “If not now, then when?” We are grateful for each child who has walked and rolled on the Kinetic Kids path over the last 20 years. And we are grateful to all the parents, athletes, therapists, board members, staff members, volunteers, physicians, and community members who continue to help us get kids with special needs OFF the sidelines and INTO the game.
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