Maggie Medlin loves two things above almost everything else: baby dolls and basketball. At 10 years old, she has a vivid imagination, an easy love for her little brother, George, and a joy that’s contagious to everyone around her. Maggie was born with Kabuki Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder her parents, Michael and Miriam Medlin, had never even heard of before her diagnosis. Today, it shows up mainly through developmental and cognitive delays, but Maggie has never let that slow down her spirit. She’s a student at Magnolia Speech School, where she’s blossomed over the past two years, and this past season, she was a member of an MRY basketball team coached by Kelsey Welch and Katie Braddy.

For most families, signing a kid up for a recreational basketball team is a simple decision. For the Medlins, it’s never quite that simple. "There is the question of how your child will react," Miriam Medlin said, "but really more than that, the question of how others will react to your child. When youth sports are added to the equation, that feeling has really been amplified for me personally."

Maggie first played through Upward the year before, and it was there that Miriam first noticed Welch, coaching on an opposing team. During one game, both teams paused play so Maggie could have a chance to score. It’s a moment the Medlins have never forgotten. When Upward wasn’t offered the following year, the family nearly didn’t sign up for basketball at all. Christian mission had been a big part of why Upward felt safe to them, but Broadmoor’s involvement with MRY gave them the confidence to try it out.

When they saw Welch paired with Braddy, a friend Miriam had known since her own high school days in the Mississippi Baptist All-State Youth Choir, she felt her prayers were being answered. "I was really praying when I saw the two of them listed as a coaching pair that we would somehow end up on their team," Miriam said. They did. And what followed was, in her words, "a Godsend."

For Welch, saying yes to the season was never a hard call. “Volunteering to coach this past season was an easy decision for me,” she said. “I love basketball, and I love helping others improve in their skills while providing a fun and encouraging atmosphere.” Welch has coached in Upward for years, first alongside her younger sister and more recently with her oldest daughter’s team, and she brought that same spirit of encouragement to Maggie's team.

Welch and Braddy created an environment in which Maggie could belong like any other member of the team. She looked forward to practice and games every week, and the coaches noticed something the box score never would. “Coach Katie and I witnessed several instances throughout the season where teammates would encourage Maggie on the court, whether directing her to run to the other side of the court to help on offense, or trying to get the ball to her,” Welch said. “I'm not sure if others noticed or not, but we did.”

Then came the halftime free throws. During the second game of the season, the referee asked if both teams were willing to let every player shoot at halftime, an option Welch didn’t even realize was available for their age group. She said yes without hesitation, if it meant every player, including Maggie, would get a turn.

“Maggie shot and made her free throw that night, and the gym erupted in cheers,” Welch said. “That was such a special moment for Maggie and our team.”

The coaches later learned that their age group technically wasn’t supposed to shoot free throws at halftime at all, but they advocated keeping the tradition going, and MRY graciously allowed it for the rest of the season. “I imagine many other coaches would not have even considered asking,” Medlin said. “This is just a small kindness that we will always remember, and it really made the whole experience more memorable for Maggie.”

The team, a group of determined little third graders, made it all the way to the semifinals. But for Miriam, the win was something bigger than the scoreboard. "I was reminded of how good it is for typical children to be involved in things side by side with kids of different abilities," she said. "It was refreshing for my spirit in many ways, especially in getting to watch Maggie do what she loves."

Watching Welch and Braddy balance coaching with their own young children by their sides, with jobs, homework, and everything else motherhood requires, left a lasting impression on Medlin. “I really loved getting to watch Kelsey and Katie using their God-given gifts and talents. It was inspiring for me. I'm so thankful to now call both of them friends.”

For Welch, the season was a reminder of what ministry can look like beyond the church walls.“Ministry is not limited to what happens in the church building. The Church was meant to live out faith and do ministry in the community and in the world. This year was a great opportunity to partner with the community’s basketball program and minister to the community by serving others, building relationships, and encouraging others.”

For any family walking a similar road, Miriam Medlin has simple encouragement: be brave and give it a try. "The Lord has provided good people along our way, and we are thankful for the new friendships. There is a huge need for opportunities like this in our community, where all children are welcome. It is a ministry not only to the child, but to their family."