When a door slams shut a window opens.

Senior Maddy Hicks has been an active volleyball player for Rocklin High School since freshman year.

“I would practice every day for three hours during school season and would have games and tournaments on the weekends sometimes,” Maddy explained.  However at tryouts this year, her senior year, she did not make the team.

As a result of not being on the team this year, Maddy dropped volleyball weights as her PE elective. When she looked  through her other PE options, she came across Leadership PE.

Leadership PE is a program where Rocklin High School juniors and seniors can spend their period working with the special needs students while they do their PE. It is the students’ job to interact with them and help them with their activities.

Remembering a past special needs girl Maddy used to babysit, Valerie, she signed up for the class. “I really liked helping her and working with her. It really got me into it so I decided to do leadership PE this year,” Maddy said. This year she is in Benzel’s 3rd period class.

It is clear that Maddy has a real passion for these kids, but one truly has a special connection with her.

“I befriended one specifically; his name is Chris” she said as she pointed him out in the hallways getting pushed in his wheelchair. Cris unfortunately suffers from cerebral palsy. “I’ve gotten better at trying to adapt to what he says and what he wants and the way he will move when he needs help.”

Each person is assigned to a “locker buddy”, and before each class they help their locker buddy get dressed in the locker room. After everybody gets dressed, they head out and walk a few laps followed by taking roll. Every few weeks the group has a different unit, ranging from soccer to volleyball.

“There are a lot of bad days, but there are the good days that make up for it,” Maddy acknowledges.

Overall Maddy not making the volleyball team this year has given her this new amazing  opportunity. She explained that since she felt outcasted for not making the volleyball team, it helps her relate more to these children who go through this struggle every day. Maddy has made these kids feel accepted just like they made her feel accepted. She is clearly happy about the outcome and is looking forward to what the year brings. She explained that, “just being in here this year so far has really impacted me a lot.”