KATY – Athletes with slightly different physical capabilities often have more passion for their sport. For Naila Crow, her Down syndrome is only seen as an aspect of her life, and she learns differently than other athletes.
Naila lives in Katy and this past summer, her parents, Ben and Irma, started taking her to soccer classes after hearing how much Naila’s cousin enjoyed the facility and the coaches. Naila and Coach Eric Diaz instantly connected on their love of kicking the soccer ball around, and Coach Eric has been extremely patient when working with her.
“It’s one thing for an organization to let you in, but it’s different for them to accept her, if that makes sense,” said Irma Crow.
“And be patient and get the level of communication that she needs,” said Ben Crow.
“And genuinely care, right?” Irma said. “I think it’s a beautiful facility, but at the end of the day, having a human being who’s so genuine and he’s so mindful, and he genuinely wants to learn, he’ll be like asking me all these questions about how her brain kind of works and how he can help her and what he should and shouldn’t do and genuinely takes the time.”
“It’s a beautiful thing, I think I’ve been put on her to, on this earth to bless people through the sport of soccer,” said Coach Eric. “It’s been an amazing journey; we’ve had the whole summer, we’ve been working, and just to see the progress, for me, that’s what’s most important with all our athletes that we work with.”
Coach Eric and Naila plan to continue weekly soccer classes to improve her skills and help her score more goals.