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Salem players come out in force to watch Nicolas Walch's choir performance
Nicolas Walch (18) can't help smiling when he's around Salem friends -- on the football team or in choir. (Photo: SALEM ATHLETICS)
Nicolas Walch has autism. He doesn’t let it keep him from pursuing his dreams, such as playing football or singing Broadway tunes in a confident, baritone voice.
The Salem High School freshman just finished his football season as a wide receiver and defensive back on the Rocks’ junior varsity squad.
Perhaps more impressive was Walch’s performance Oct. 17 during the Plymouth-Canton Educational Park choir concert in the Salem auditorium — as well as how his football family came out to lend loud, enthusiastic cheers.
“That was player-led,” Salem football coach Kurt Britnell said. “It’s family here, that’s the big thing. We supported one of our brothers. And that’s what we did.
“We had 35 or 40 players and coaches there to support him in his choir endeavor. That’s what it’s about. He’s put in the time and we’re just supporting him.”
And how did Walch perform during the concert as part of Parksmen, a beginning level men’s choir for students from all three high schools at P-CEP?
“He’s pretty good; he shocked me,” Salem senior quarterback Ryan Young said. “He shocked us. He came out and did it with a smile on his face.”
Senior lineman Alex Howie said it was all about being there for a friend and a teammate.
“It was just us coming together as family,” Howie said. “He’s been here every day, every workout in the summer. Every practice, every two a day. He’s worked as hard as anybody else, with a smile, too.
“He comes here with a great attitude. So it’s only right that we go support him.”
How did a football team then on the cusp of playing in its first state playoff game in 26 years find the time to go to a concert?
“During the day, (Salem assistant principal for athletics and activities director) Brian Samulski came to me and let me know the football team wanted to come to the concert and asked if we could save seats in the balcony,” P-CEP choir director Jennifer Neumann said. “We did, they came and, after each song that Nick’s choir sang, you could hear them applauding loudly and saying Nick’s name.
“Nick was very proud. You could see it on his face that that meant a lot to him.”
You’d never guess
Walch, whose parents are Jennifer and Michael Walch, was born with autism spectrum disorder. Neumann said no one could ever guess the teen has the developmental disorder.
“Nicolas is highly functional. He can talk, he communicates well,” Neumann said. “He fits in well with the group. He sings well. He is really interested in Broadway, he’s seen lots of shows in Detroit, at Meadowbrook Theatre and he’s very excited to see 'Love Never Dies,' a musical in Detroit.
“He’s sung for the class on his own, during our talent show days in class. Songs from musicals and things like that. He has a very strong interest in musical theater, in addition to just choir music and football.”
Neumann added that the Salem football team’s exuberant show of support for Walch was unique and a pretty big deal.
The P-CEP choir, including Nicolas Walch, performs Oct. 17 at Salem High School. (Photo: SUBMITTED PHOTO)
“I’ve been here 17 years as the choir director and I can’t say for absolute certainty,” she said. “I’m not always aware of who is in the audience during a concert, because I’m on stage. But this is the first time ... that a full team was there to support a teammate who is in choir.”
The following day in Parksmen class, Walch mentioned that the football team was at the concert.
“The choir’s obviously on the stage, they’re not interacting with the audience much,” Neumann said. “So some of the choir members did not realize that. He told the class about it and they were all kind of high-fiving him and really proud of him that way.”
Brings people together
According to Neumann, it is a goal of the P-CEP special education department to make sure students with autism or other developmental disorders have the chance to grow and bond with other students through choir programs.
“It’s a class during the day where they are next to people they otherwise might not have another class with,” Neumann said. “We have seniors and freshmen in the same room, athletes and non-athletic students in the same room.
“In terms of having somebody that’s autism spectrum in there, I’ve seen it really, really work wonders in terms of helping them figure out how to communicate, artistically, and really feel good about it. Everybody loves music, to some degree.
“So giving them a chance to sing and study music, find out more about how to create it and perform it with excellence has really done great things for many autistic students in the choir program over the years.”
Great things indeed, like a heartfelt standing ovation that Nicolas Walch will never forget — regardless of how many touchdowns he scores during the rest of his Salem career.
[email protected]
Twitter: @TimSmith_Sports
Source: http://www.hometownlife.com/story/s...upports-autistic-teammates-concert/807801001/
Salem players come out in force to watch Nicolas Walch's choir performance
Nicolas Walch (18) can't help smiling when he's around Salem friends -- on the football team or in choir. (Photo: SALEM ATHLETICS)
Nicolas Walch has autism. He doesn’t let it keep him from pursuing his dreams, such as playing football or singing Broadway tunes in a confident, baritone voice.
The Salem High School freshman just finished his football season as a wide receiver and defensive back on the Rocks’ junior varsity squad.
Perhaps more impressive was Walch’s performance Oct. 17 during the Plymouth-Canton Educational Park choir concert in the Salem auditorium — as well as how his football family came out to lend loud, enthusiastic cheers.
“That was player-led,” Salem football coach Kurt Britnell said. “It’s family here, that’s the big thing. We supported one of our brothers. And that’s what we did.
“We had 35 or 40 players and coaches there to support him in his choir endeavor. That’s what it’s about. He’s put in the time and we’re just supporting him.”
And how did Walch perform during the concert as part of Parksmen, a beginning level men’s choir for students from all three high schools at P-CEP?
“He’s pretty good; he shocked me,” Salem senior quarterback Ryan Young said. “He shocked us. He came out and did it with a smile on his face.”
Senior lineman Alex Howie said it was all about being there for a friend and a teammate.
“It was just us coming together as family,” Howie said. “He’s been here every day, every workout in the summer. Every practice, every two a day. He’s worked as hard as anybody else, with a smile, too.
“He comes here with a great attitude. So it’s only right that we go support him.”
How did a football team then on the cusp of playing in its first state playoff game in 26 years find the time to go to a concert?
“During the day, (Salem assistant principal for athletics and activities director) Brian Samulski came to me and let me know the football team wanted to come to the concert and asked if we could save seats in the balcony,” P-CEP choir director Jennifer Neumann said. “We did, they came and, after each song that Nick’s choir sang, you could hear them applauding loudly and saying Nick’s name.
“Nick was very proud. You could see it on his face that that meant a lot to him.”
You’d never guess
Walch, whose parents are Jennifer and Michael Walch, was born with autism spectrum disorder. Neumann said no one could ever guess the teen has the developmental disorder.
“Nicolas is highly functional. He can talk, he communicates well,” Neumann said. “He fits in well with the group. He sings well. He is really interested in Broadway, he’s seen lots of shows in Detroit, at Meadowbrook Theatre and he’s very excited to see 'Love Never Dies,' a musical in Detroit.
“He’s sung for the class on his own, during our talent show days in class. Songs from musicals and things like that. He has a very strong interest in musical theater, in addition to just choir music and football.”
Neumann added that the Salem football team’s exuberant show of support for Walch was unique and a pretty big deal.
The P-CEP choir, including Nicolas Walch, performs Oct. 17 at Salem High School. (Photo: SUBMITTED PHOTO)
“I’ve been here 17 years as the choir director and I can’t say for absolute certainty,” she said. “I’m not always aware of who is in the audience during a concert, because I’m on stage. But this is the first time ... that a full team was there to support a teammate who is in choir.”
The following day in Parksmen class, Walch mentioned that the football team was at the concert.
“The choir’s obviously on the stage, they’re not interacting with the audience much,” Neumann said. “So some of the choir members did not realize that. He told the class about it and they were all kind of high-fiving him and really proud of him that way.”
Brings people together
According to Neumann, it is a goal of the P-CEP special education department to make sure students with autism or other developmental disorders have the chance to grow and bond with other students through choir programs.
“It’s a class during the day where they are next to people they otherwise might not have another class with,” Neumann said. “We have seniors and freshmen in the same room, athletes and non-athletic students in the same room.
“In terms of having somebody that’s autism spectrum in there, I’ve seen it really, really work wonders in terms of helping them figure out how to communicate, artistically, and really feel good about it. Everybody loves music, to some degree.
“So giving them a chance to sing and study music, find out more about how to create it and perform it with excellence has really done great things for many autistic students in the choir program over the years.”
Great things indeed, like a heartfelt standing ovation that Nicolas Walch will never forget — regardless of how many touchdowns he scores during the rest of his Salem career.
[email protected]
Twitter: @TimSmith_Sports
Source: http://www.hometownlife.com/story/s...upports-autistic-teammates-concert/807801001/
