A Friendship Forged Off the Sidelines

By Ellen Shilling
Contributing Writer

When Liam Settlemire, a Mars Area student with Down syndrome, ran onto the field Friday night as an honorary captain, he wasn’t just soaking in the roar of the Fightin’ Planets crowd — he was walking out to celebrate a friendship years in the making.

Liam Settlemire met Ray Chase, now one of four captains on the Mars Area varsity football team, through Danielle Kuba, a paraprofessional at the district who is also Ray’s mother. The two students hit it off immediately after Liam’s class visited the high school, and what started as a passing introduction grew into a real bond. Ray began stopping by Liam’s school to visit, showed up to cheer at his brother Coen’s playoff baseball game, and even swung by on Liam’s birthday.

So when Mars head coach Zachary Benedek asked Danielle whether Liam could serve as an honorary captain for the season’s first home game, the invitation recognized a friendship that had grown well beyond their initial meeting. Liam walked onto the field alongside the team’s captains wearing a shirt bearing Ray’s number, then ran back to the sidelines hand-in-hand with him as the crowd cheered.

“It wasn’t the attention, or the crowd,” Danielle said. “He was just so excited to be on that field with one of his favorite people in the entire world.”

Liam spent the rest of the game in the stands cheering on Ray and the Fightin’ Planets in their matchup against Seneca Valley, staying until the final whistle. For Danielle, the moment capped months of quiet support from the district — including teachers who showed up to the game

on their own time.

“It takes a village, and we are blessed with an amazing one,” she said.

FRIDAY’S GAME

Mars will visit the Aliquippa Quips at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 4, at Aliquippa Junior/Senior High School. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and must be purchased online. No tickets will be sold at the gate.

Those unable to attend may watch the game live online. For more information, contact the Mars Area High School Athletic Office at 724-625-9380.