Cassidy Dubree, a Warren East High School junior who has overcome the effects of cystic fibrosis to participate on the WEHS soccer team, is one of only 18 Kentucky student-athletes selected for the first-ever Tom Leach All-Resilient Team. The team members all have overcome adversity to participate in sports. They will be honored during a ceremony at the Kentucky High School Athletic Directors Association annual convention April 28 at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium in Louisville.
“Before you can win or lose a game or a match, you have to be able to compete in it, and these kids have demonstrated amazing resiliency in the setbacks they have had to overcome,” says Leach, the radio voice of the Kentucky Wildcats. “At their best, athletic performances lift up our spirits. We are so excited to be able to honor these young people and to learn about some truly inspirational stories.”
Dubree’s story certainly meets the inspirational criteria. Diagnosed with cystic fibrosis (CF) at age 4, she still played sports as a youngster but had to give up softball in seventh grade. Then, during her freshman year at WEHS, Dubree’s health problems went from serious to life-threatening. She missed almost the entire school year, spending much of it at Vanderbilt University Hospital and not earning any credits. “I tried coming back to school a few times but couldn’t,” recalls Dubree, who three times suffered a collapsed lung.
WEHS students, spearheaded by the baseball and softball teams, held a benefit for Dubree that raised $30,000 toward her medical expenses. “At first I didn’t like all the attention,” she says. “It was scary that everyone was there (at the benefit) for me.”
Finally able to return to school full-time last fall, Dubree decided to try playing soccer. “I wanted to do a high school sport,” she says. “Soccer was something I could do just for fun.”
Because she didn’t earn any credits as a freshman, Dubree needed a medical waiver in order to play sports. WEHS Athletic Director Jonathan Vincent gathered all the necessary paperwork, including letters from doctors and school administrators, and finally got the waiver from the Kentucky High School Athletics Association. “There were a lot of steps to go through,” Vincent says, “but all the hard work was worth it. Just seeing her play was inspiring.”
WEHS soccer coach Darren Waldo says Dubree is an example of what high school athletics should be. “It was important to me that she was able to participate,” he says. “I think all public school kids should have the opportunity to play if they want to.”
Waldo recalls that Dubree made the most of her time on the field, nearly scoring a goal in one game. “She came really close to scoring a goal,” he says. “It was an awesome experience to see her come off the field frustrated because she almost scored.”
That frustration has turned to determination for Dubree, who says scoring a goal is on her to-do list for next season. Another goal is to graduate on time, despite missing a full year of classes. She is taking classes online to catch up and is already looking forward to life after high school.
“I want to go to college and go into the medical field,” says Dubree, who is making mostly A’s in her classes this year. “I would like to be a doctor or a nurse, maybe because I already know so much about it.”
