High School Football Team Gives Opponent With Autism A Thrilling Touchdown

By: NBC Newschannel | NBC4i.com
Published: October 04, 2010

MENOMONIE, Wis. --
Menomonie, Wisconsin high school senior Sam Kolden has been a member of the Indians football team since the 8th grade.

He also has autism.

So when Menomonie's coach asked Superior to let Kolden catch a pass in a game that the Spartans were trailing 46-14, the answer was clear.

"There was no indecision whatsoever," Superior head coach Bob DeMeyer said. "The guys in the huddle with me just chimed in and said, 'Let's do it, Coach.'"

Kolden caught the ball in the left flat near his team's 34-yard-line, still a long ways from the Superior end zone.

Then, Kolden sprinted 66 yards down the field all the way to pay dirt, scoring the first, and likely only, touchdown of his high school career, a touchdown that was worth much more than the six points it put on the scoreboard.

"It was amazing," Kolden said.

"That had to be the highlight of anybody's life, seeing that happen," Superior senior defensive back Jimmy Lamoreaux said. "The aura in the whole stadium changed after that happened. It was their homecoming, and the kid deserved it. Definitely."

It was a selfless act of sportsmanship, moving past the X's and O's, the wins and losses, to achieve something greater than the game.

"At the time it was just the right thing to do," DeMeyer said, "and even more so afterwards when we realized the impact it had on Sam and his team and his community."

To return the gesture, the Indians took a knee on the ensuing two-point conversion, and Sam was awarded something quite rare in the Menomonie football program, a game ball.