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Chris Kelly Union


RichRich
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Good evening UNION FOOTBALL family...most of us will read this because its dealing with UNION. I just read this from a different type of forum...I can say that I am truly shocked about what I have heard about Chris being banned. I UNDERSTAND that there are two sides to every story but I think everything can and should have been worked out dealing with Chris and the situation. Now its not my place to speak of it on here therefore I won't. But from experience and the dedication I personally saw...Chris helped with loading and unloading equipment and coolers, he was a true support to the team. He brought the energy and support some teams only wish they had. I won't stay on this topic no longer at this time about Chris. But if anyone knows him they can tell him he can ROLL with me and my boys to UNION games ANY TIME!!!!

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50 minutes ago, Grapeape said:

@GMan should lock this thread now. The man in question is a fan. This is not a forum to discuss individuals - save that shit for topix or whatever. 

That why two sides  to every story part

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Not sure what’s going on, but I read the petition page on Twitter for the info I’ve collected. Chris is a diehard and loved his Vikings and now his Bears. I’m not sure if there was a sporting event I have attended or played in that was GC vs PV/Union that he wasn’t at. Something is fishy here. 

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If changes need to be made, if incidents occurred with students, why the hell is a guy with developmental issues who, to my knowledge, has NEVER been anything but positive and supportive of all things Union (and Powell Valley, etc..) and didn't do anything wrong getting punished, but the bozo administration is still in place? 

 

It makes ZERO sense. If changes need to be made, start at the damn top, not the bottom. 

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Exactly BigWinners, I have known and been around Chris since I was very young, he used to join in on our back yard whiffle ball/baseball games, and has supported Appalachia, Powell Valley, and now Union with everything in him!!!  

I am sure he has done wrong or said some things he shouldn't have said, but everybody in this world has done that, and made things right and moved on. 

In my high school playing days, I can remember him calling me Mike Piazza, and would say I was one of the bash brothers!! In football, you never had to worry about walking to get water, a towel, or anything from the sidelines.

I have reffed 8th grade, JV football, or youth football, and a kid would get hurt, and Chris would come out and ask the kids name and go off to the side and start praying for the kid!!! Everytime I have seen Chris, he will always shake my hand, and before he left he would say I love ya man.

To me this is a slap in the face to anybody with a disabled or mentally challenged kid, and is a big @$×+ you, we don't care about you type attitude. The behavior that has been allowed to go on is disrespectful, senseless, and down right shameful. What are we teaching the future generations, that it is okay to treat some with disrespect, and just blame it on boys being boys..........I am far from innocent when it comes to doing disrespectful things as a kid, teenager, but I was taught and raised better than to think it was okay to pick on/humiliate someone with a disability, and was disciplined accordingly.

As for Chris supposedly roaming the halls of the school during school hours, I don't know if that is true, and if it is I can understand the administration wanting to stop it, but at 330 he should be welcome to come and volunteer his time and support! He has done it 30+ years and has never asked for anything in return. This whole event disgust me, for Chris, for the community, and the school itself.  The things done to Chris, was set aside and overlooked because Chris was willing to forgive and turn the other cheek.......and in the end he is the one who is being punished because he was mistreated.

Accountability needs to take place for the actions done by the people who made fun of Chris, and vandlized his property. Everybody take a step back, and put yourself in Chris's shoes or Chris's family's shoes, how would you feel, what would you do?

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It's so very sad that people in the South can't stand for one another. People with disabilities...especially mental disabilities...just want to be accepted and a part of something. They give their whole heart and soul when they are passionate about what they are doing. I may not know the whole situation of what has happened here but knowing that people are bashing someone that is mentally challenged is horrible. You should be the ones banned and not participating. This is why the world is getting the way it is. Grow your @$$up and have some respect...one day you could have a horrible change in your life naturally or accidentally and all you want is to be a part of something that you have been for years. Hows it gonna feel when you have to turn and walk away?? Hows it gonna feel when someone ridicules you?? As my grandmother would say..."SHAME ON YOU!!"

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1 hour ago, UNION#ATW said:

I don't have all the details yet..THEY HAVE REVERSED THIER DECISION CHRIS BEING APART OF UNION SPORTS.. THIS IS GREAT NEWS FOR CHRIS!!!

Not knowing all the details either... but still if I was his sister who made the Facebook post, I'd tell whoever to stick it where the sun don't shine.  I'll go somewhere where I am wanted.  But I am sure Chris probably wants to serve Union with all he has in him, and I suppose that's ok as well.

edit:  Well it looks like the sister has forgave as well, so all's well that ends well I suppose.

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Thought this needed to be shared...

*UPDATE ON Chris Kelly* 

 Please Read and Share

Today my mother and I met with Dr. Goforth at Union Highschool.

Dr. Goforth is the new principal at Union High School and therefore called us today to have a meeting regarding the recent decision of Union High School to limit Chris's participation in sports and school functions. Dr. Goforth, has been the principal for only 3 days and therefore was not responsible for past decisions made in regard to Chris over this past year. However, it was decided today by Dr. Goforth that Chris WILL be allowed to participate in after school functions, including sports where Chris wants to participate and where coaches will allow him to participate. Chris will not be present during school hours, and this is understandable and accepted fully by our family as we understand the school setting and safety and security concerns within.

We would like to express our gratitude towards the community for the love they have shown towards our family and towards Chris. We want to thank you for your displays of support towards Chris in signing petitions, commenting, and sharing and getting the word out in order to allow Chris to participate in sporting events with Union High School, as this is his life. Your actions, love, and persistence truly shown through with what an asset Chris serves within his role at Union High School; and this was recognized by Dr. Goforth today. We would like to thank God for always providing within our situations and allowing for Chris's heart to be mended and his position to be reinstated within the sports teams of Union High School. Last, we would like to extend our appreciate to Dr. Goforth for his decision to allow Chris to be apart of sports teams and to serve in his multiple capacities within Union High School Athletics.

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Saw this today. It was shared by a cousin of mine who attends Gate City and is friends with people from Union.  

I am pretty sure the deal with the Chris guy was made to cover up some very disturbing issues which occurred on a sports team of which a video was made as well?  That is of course what is being told by my cousin who is very good friends with people close to the basketball team at Union.  According to her, pretty much everyone out there knows what happened but nobody out there has the guts to admit it happened or take responsibility for it.  

Pretty sad sad if you ask me. 

If you want to know what happened don’t ask me. Ask the Union peeps.  I have thrown up enough in my mouth already just hearing of it.  

Here is the post I read today though.  Pretty sad.  I have seen him at many games. To say he is a fan and supporter is an understatement. 

 

The decision made today by Union High School is honestly a disgraceful representation of the community of Big Stone Gap, Virginia; Today I stand ashamed of this decision as an Alumni of the first graduating class of Union High School and as Chris’s sister. 

Today we were informed by the new administration of Union High School that Chris Kelly will no longer be allowed to participate in school events at Union High School; nor will be allowed to assist with sports functions. This was only due to “changes being made within the school”. As many of you know many events have taken place over the past few years where Chris was targeted and bullied by students, of which were forgiven and put to the side because of our belief in forgiveness and that kids learn lessons from mistakes. But today, I am disheartened to know that due to administration failing to run a school properly that the victim is now punished as we never pushed any type of punishment towards those who wronged Chris. 

At one time, half of the football team took turns coming to our home, vandalizing our property, harassing Chris, calling him the “R” word, a word that we do not use in our home to define those with special needs. They filmed him falling down, yelled at him, and teased him. They ridiculed him; their punishment was simply running extra at practice. Chris forgave these boys; boys that he had watched grow from the time of Parks and Recs sports. Administration at the time, had the “boys will be boys” mentality because these were football stars and they were headed to state. As a family, we did not press charges although the opportunity was present as our property suffered damage, we had multiple calls to local law enforcement agents, and even went so far as to have the County Sheriff’s department mount cameras at our home to catch who was harassing and towards the end trying to enter our home. We never publicized this behavior, nor did we press the issue as the boys were at risk for losing scholarships and grants towards their education if we did. We chose not to act in a way that would jeopardize the lives and futures of young athletes and simply accepted apologies and moved forward. Many other events have occurred that led to more trips to the school to obtain apologies and attempt to have administration be more apt to correcting bullying within the school, not only for Chris’s sake, but for the sake of others with disabilities that could be placed in the same situation. 

I have to ask, what are we doing as a school and as a community in allowing people to treat others poorly. Instead of correcting the ills at hand within the system and enforcing discipline and teaching young people and preparing them in life on how to treat others, we take those that are defenseless and victims out of the picture to guard the reputations and guard against bullying from occurring. Instead of taking people with special needs out of the equation, why not equip students with the opportunity to learn to work with, appreciate, love, and support those with special needs; because I’m here to tell you, as a sister of someone with special needs, you won’t find more dedication or love within the hearts of those we call “special”. Instead, Union High School has set a precedent that if their students choose to treat others poorly, it will be the “others” that is taken out of the equation so that it doesn’t happen further. This is not how life works in the real world; the entire purpose of school is to teach young individuals to be adults, how to treat others, how to conduct themselves, and how to respect, love, and appreciate people from all different walks of life. 

It is a sad day when a community member who has dedicated their life to serving others within multiple sports programs; someone who has watched our children within the community grow from parks and rec sports programs to high school programs and served them throughout their lifetimes be told that they can partake in this no longer. It is shameful that someone who has required no pay, no glory, no honors, just simply a thank you is told that they can no longer spend their time doing what they love to do: serve others and see them succeed. You see, Chris is different, he isn’t like other people, he is special. He is special in a way that he doesn’t participate and serve in order to be praised and glorified; he serves because he loves others and he wants to see them win and love sports and he wants to see them be able to do things with their lives. He gets joy out of seeing your children win, and he’s there for them win, lose, or draw. The man who has mopped sweat off the floors, cleaned the gym, helped with fundraising, washed uniforms, carried water bottles, and did the job that most others would not humble themselves to do is punished because a school system has failed their students and community in their inability to safely and effectively run a school. 

Chris’s heart was broken today. He is confused, and sad; as he does not understand. You see, because Chris only understands love towards others, and helping others; he doesn’t understand why people treat others bad or choose to not respect others; he doesn’t understand that the world is cruel and that’s what makes him special; he sees through a different set of eyes, and if more people had this perspective on life, the world would be a much happier, more fulfilled place.  

So if you miss seeing Union’s number one fan this season; if you hear one less voice in the crowd, and see one less smile on the sideline, please understand that it was not our family’s choice; but the choice of Union High School.

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5 hours ago, NewUnionFan said:

It's so very sad that people in the South can't stand for one another. People with disabilities...especially mental disabilities...just want to be accepted and a part of something. They give their whole heart and soul when they are passionate about what they are doing. I may not know the whole situation of what has happened here but knowing that people are bashing someone that is mentally challenged is horrible. You should be the ones banned and not participating. This is why the world is getting the way it is. Grow your @$$up and have some respect...one day you could have a horrible change in your life naturally or accidentally and all you want is to be a part of something that you have been for years. Hows it gonna feel when you have to turn and walk away?? Hows it gonna feel when someone ridicules you?? As my grandmother would say..."SHAME ON YOU!!"

Wtf this has nothing to do with being from the the South.  You made your post unreadable from the get go

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16 hours ago, The U Bear said:

he is . his son plays in wise

Oh geeze is it Crabtree?  Don't worry he never sticks around long.  Dude got busted on the old lpd forum for acting like someone else.

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