The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Soccer for a Cure: A Bond That Has Stretched Past the Playing Surface
8/29/2018 11:06:00 AM | Men's Soccer
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Sometimes the hope that someone is looking for comes from an unexpected source.
That was the case for the Mackley family as their son, Thomas, received hope, and a forever bond, from a chance meeting at the UAB men's soccer team's visit to Children's of Alabama for the 2017 Soccer for a Cure Classic.
"Soccer for a Cure is something that we have done since I got to UAB and long before," former UAB defender Chandler Stroupe said. "The first time I saw Thomas, he was in a wagon looking a little shy. I went over and he hopped out and we started passing the ball around. From there, it kicked off and we hit it off."
Thomas has Pan-Dissachardase Deficiency as well as Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia. Pan-Dissachardase Deficiency, a genetic disorder that he inherited from his dad, Chris Mackley, is a condition where someone does not have the enzymes needed to breakdown complex sugars into simple ones. It causes severe stomach pains and forces one's body to shut down faster than normal.
Primary Ciliary Disease, also a genetic disorder, affects Thomas' lungs making him not be able to clear anything out and can turn a simple cough or cold into an upper respiratory disease or even pneumonia.
"Thomas was hospitalized last fall at Children's for about a week because of some stomach problems," Chris Mackley said. "I just so happened to see a flyer for a soccer event so we took it upon ourselves to come."
The initial meeting between Chandler and Thomas took place on a Saturday and by Monday Thomas, his mom and his dad were in the stands to cheer on the Blazers in their game against Missouri State.
And of course they were there to see their favorite player Chandler.
"The first game I saw him I wasn't expecting him to be there," Stroupe said. "But sure enough it was him and that pumped me up. After the game, I was able to bring him on the field and pass the ball around. After that, it never stopped."
The new connection brought the Mackleys to the Blazers' seven remaining home games, where once again, Thomas found himself on the field surrounded by the entire team.
"At first it was kind of weird because we were wondering why college kids would want to hang out with a three-year old," Thomas' mom, Ashly Mackley, said. "It was cool to see them want to play with him and to have them accept Thomas as one of their own was awesome."
Thomas was in the stands to see Chandler play his final game for UAB, but the bond and friendship did not end after the last game.
The new best friends went trick-or-treating, met up whenever the Mackleys were in town for doctor appointments and Chandler even made trip to Oxford, Ala., to visit Thomas at his house for a night of wrestling in the living room and some intense Xbox matches.
"Thomas has some social problems with making friends, but that did not hold him back from making a connection with Chandler," Chris Mackley said. "Chandler surprised Ashly and I with wanting to hang out with a three-year-old, but now I don't even know how to describe the bond. It's like Thomas has a big brother."
As for the initial meeting, the Mackleys owe a big thank you to Charlie Corbitt who started Soccer for a Cure in 2008. Corbitt's son, Chip, played for UAB in 1992 and as a cancer survivor himself, Charlie felt compelled to combine his love for soccer and his desire to make a difference into one thing.
"UAB head coach Mike Getman was the primary motivator for this,"Corbitt said.
Each year, Soccer for a Cure brings three other teams from across the country to Birmingham. The teams play games on Friday and Sunday, but the highlight of the weekend is the hospital visit on Saturday.
"We take two or three players and a couple of coaches from all of the teams to Children's on Saturday," Corbitt said. "The kids love it and the guys get to interact with the patients."
"This is another experience that you can give to the young men while they are here," UAB assistant coach Joel Wallace said. "Yes we recruit them to be on our team, but our players come here to gain life experiences as well."
Entering its 11th year, Soccer for a Cure has made an impact that stretches past the playing surface.
"My son Kevin is on the UAB soccer team and he has gone on the hospital visit a few times and each time he walks away talking about the strength that he sees in the kids he meets," Wallace said. "Just the little bit that we can give the kids gives them some excitement, laughter, hope and joy. The young men that join us will get the experience like Chandler got, like my son got, and like so many from other universities have gotten."
"This event is bigger than Thomas," Ashly Mackley said. "To be able to share what we got with Chandler and for someone else to benefit by this event would be awesome."
The 2018 Soccer for a Cure Classic is set for Aug. 31-Sept. 2. Memphis and Coastal Carolina begin the tournament on Friday at 4:30 p.m. followed by UAB and Farleigh Dickinson with the nightcap at 7 p.m.
On Saturday, the teams, along with UAB's biggest fans, the Mackleys, will make the annual trip to Children's of Alabama.
The event wraps up on Sunday as Memphis takes on Farleigh Dickinson at 11 a.m. and Coastal Carolina plays UAB in the finale at 1:30 p.m. All games will take place at UAB's BBVA Compass Field.
Donations will be taken up through the entirety of the tournament or fans can donate online on the Soccer for a Cure website.
Tickets to the event are available online or at uabsports.com. Fans can receive access to all of the tournament games, as well as every home men's soccer, women's soccer, women's basketball, volleyball, baseball and softball game for the entire 2018-19 season by purchasing a Gold Card. Contact the UAB Ticket Office website, or call them at (205) 975-UAB1, for more details.
For more information on the UAB men's soccer team follow the Blazers on Twitter (@UAB_MSoc) or on Instagram (UAB_MSoc).
That was the case for the Mackley family as their son, Thomas, received hope, and a forever bond, from a chance meeting at the UAB men's soccer team's visit to Children's of Alabama for the 2017 Soccer for a Cure Classic.
"Soccer for a Cure is something that we have done since I got to UAB and long before," former UAB defender Chandler Stroupe said. "The first time I saw Thomas, he was in a wagon looking a little shy. I went over and he hopped out and we started passing the ball around. From there, it kicked off and we hit it off."
Thomas has Pan-Dissachardase Deficiency as well as Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia. Pan-Dissachardase Deficiency, a genetic disorder that he inherited from his dad, Chris Mackley, is a condition where someone does not have the enzymes needed to breakdown complex sugars into simple ones. It causes severe stomach pains and forces one's body to shut down faster than normal.
Primary Ciliary Disease, also a genetic disorder, affects Thomas' lungs making him not be able to clear anything out and can turn a simple cough or cold into an upper respiratory disease or even pneumonia.
"Thomas was hospitalized last fall at Children's for about a week because of some stomach problems," Chris Mackley said. "I just so happened to see a flyer for a soccer event so we took it upon ourselves to come."
The initial meeting between Chandler and Thomas took place on a Saturday and by Monday Thomas, his mom and his dad were in the stands to cheer on the Blazers in their game against Missouri State.
And of course they were there to see their favorite player Chandler.
"The first game I saw him I wasn't expecting him to be there," Stroupe said. "But sure enough it was him and that pumped me up. After the game, I was able to bring him on the field and pass the ball around. After that, it never stopped."
The new connection brought the Mackleys to the Blazers' seven remaining home games, where once again, Thomas found himself on the field surrounded by the entire team.
"At first it was kind of weird because we were wondering why college kids would want to hang out with a three-year old," Thomas' mom, Ashly Mackley, said. "It was cool to see them want to play with him and to have them accept Thomas as one of their own was awesome."
Thomas was in the stands to see Chandler play his final game for UAB, but the bond and friendship did not end after the last game.
The new best friends went trick-or-treating, met up whenever the Mackleys were in town for doctor appointments and Chandler even made trip to Oxford, Ala., to visit Thomas at his house for a night of wrestling in the living room and some intense Xbox matches.
"Thomas has some social problems with making friends, but that did not hold him back from making a connection with Chandler," Chris Mackley said. "Chandler surprised Ashly and I with wanting to hang out with a three-year-old, but now I don't even know how to describe the bond. It's like Thomas has a big brother."
As for the initial meeting, the Mackleys owe a big thank you to Charlie Corbitt who started Soccer for a Cure in 2008. Corbitt's son, Chip, played for UAB in 1992 and as a cancer survivor himself, Charlie felt compelled to combine his love for soccer and his desire to make a difference into one thing.
"UAB head coach Mike Getman was the primary motivator for this,"Corbitt said.
Each year, Soccer for a Cure brings three other teams from across the country to Birmingham. The teams play games on Friday and Sunday, but the highlight of the weekend is the hospital visit on Saturday.
"We take two or three players and a couple of coaches from all of the teams to Children's on Saturday," Corbitt said. "The kids love it and the guys get to interact with the patients."
"This is another experience that you can give to the young men while they are here," UAB assistant coach Joel Wallace said. "Yes we recruit them to be on our team, but our players come here to gain life experiences as well."
Entering its 11th year, Soccer for a Cure has made an impact that stretches past the playing surface.
"My son Kevin is on the UAB soccer team and he has gone on the hospital visit a few times and each time he walks away talking about the strength that he sees in the kids he meets," Wallace said. "Just the little bit that we can give the kids gives them some excitement, laughter, hope and joy. The young men that join us will get the experience like Chandler got, like my son got, and like so many from other universities have gotten."
"This event is bigger than Thomas," Ashly Mackley said. "To be able to share what we got with Chandler and for someone else to benefit by this event would be awesome."
The 2018 Soccer for a Cure Classic is set for Aug. 31-Sept. 2. Memphis and Coastal Carolina begin the tournament on Friday at 4:30 p.m. followed by UAB and Farleigh Dickinson with the nightcap at 7 p.m.
On Saturday, the teams, along with UAB's biggest fans, the Mackleys, will make the annual trip to Children's of Alabama.
The event wraps up on Sunday as Memphis takes on Farleigh Dickinson at 11 a.m. and Coastal Carolina plays UAB in the finale at 1:30 p.m. All games will take place at UAB's BBVA Compass Field.
Donations will be taken up through the entirety of the tournament or fans can donate online on the Soccer for a Cure website.
Tickets to the event are available online or at uabsports.com. Fans can receive access to all of the tournament games, as well as every home men's soccer, women's soccer, women's basketball, volleyball, baseball and softball game for the entire 2018-19 season by purchasing a Gold Card. Contact the UAB Ticket Office website, or call them at (205) 975-UAB1, for more details.
For more information on the UAB men's soccer team follow the Blazers on Twitter (@UAB_MSoc) or on Instagram (UAB_MSoc).
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