WATERFORD, Wis. — The Waterford freshman boys football team is having a season marked by inclusion, and it all started with a Facebook post.
Ten-year-old Aiden Dahl loves football but cannot play tackle football because of his severe cognitive delays, according to his mother, Trisha Dahl. But now, he's wearing No. 11 as an honorary member of Waterford JV 2 team.
Watch this video to hear more:
Trisha Dahl posted in the Waterford Moms Facebook page asking if anyone had a spare jersey and helmet so Aiden could play catch in the backyard.
"He just wants a jersey with his name on it like his classmates, a football jersey," Trisha Dahl said.
What happened next went far beyond what she expected.
"What happened was, Waterford showed up for him," Trisha said. "And all of a sudden, that evening, he was on the JV 2 football team."
It happened last Thursday, Sept. 24.
Hilary Sieben, president of the Waterford Wolverines Football Parent Association, said within minutes of Trisha posting, she received texts and messages from Waterford residents wanting to help.
"In a community like this, we're all one big family. We all look after each other," she said.
Within hours, Aiden Dahl found himself at the center of the team huddle, leading the end-of-game handshakes, helping with water bottles and playing catch with the team.
"I'm so happy I joined the Wolverines," Aiden Dahl said.
He was fitted with a jersey and helmet, and soon he will even have a jersey with his name on it.
When he thinks about that day, he remembers feeling "happy."
For his new teammates, Aiden Dahl's presence made an impression that goes beyond the game.
"We'd go off to the sideline and Aiden would be smiling and walk up to us, so that would brighten my mood if I had any bad plays," Dayton Hartmann said.
"It was kind of cool realizing OK, this is what we gotta do, this is the type of game that we'll play," CJ Mingus said about learning of Aiden Dahl's participation.
For Trisha Dahl, watching the team embrace her son is something she doesn't take for granted.
"To see the kids be excited to see him there, it's not something that we get to see very often with him," Trisha Dahlsaid.
Sieben, who's a parent of a high school football player herself, said she's proud to see these boys step up too.
"To make one child feel included is what's important," Sieben said.
Waterford JV 2 head coach Shawn Schneiker said this is what football is supposed to be about.
"It naturally teaches other lessons than just competition," Schneiker said.
Easton Valenti, a Waterford freshman, described what Aiden Dahl's inclusion has meant to the team.
"Everyone was just together, and we all felt like one team," Valenti said.
Aiden Dahl said he plans to be right alongside the team for the remainder of the season.
"Our whole family is still floating on cloud nine from this," Trisha said.
—————
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
