Under a newly installed uptempo spread offense, South Brunswick High School football players have been trained to move quickly, which explains in part their reaction to helping a township resident in need.

Head coach John Viotto recently told his charges about a charity kickball tournament that will benefit Ray Fantel, an inspirational 10-year-old boy living with an incurable and terminal genetic disease.

All proceeds from the fifth-annual tournament, which will be held Sept. 22 at Rowland Park in Cranbury, starting at 9 a.m., will be donated to the training of Fantel’s new service dog.

A black and white Bernese Mountain Dog and Poodle mix, known as a Bernedoodle, the dog, named Bacchus, was recently gifted to Fantel and his family from Highfalutin Furry Babies, a Florida boutique breeder.

“I explained the situation,” said Viotto, who created a participation sign up sheet in advance of telling his players about Fantel’s circumstance. “Within two minutes there were 20 names on the board.”

Several other sports teams at South Brunswick, including boys and girls lacrosse, as well as boys soccer, followed suit, with each joining the football program to bring a combined total of more than 60 student-athletes, who will be separated into five squads, to participate in the charity kickball tournament (a complete list of participants can be found at the bottom of this article).

The Marisa Tufaro Foundation, a nonprofit whose mission is to help children in need throughout the greater Middlesex County area, will sponsor the high school student-athletes, covering their registration fee for the event.

“I think our kids are very responsive to families that are in need and want to be supportive,” South Brunswick Athletics Director Elaine McGrath said. “I’ve found that kids in South Brunswick – and I’ve been here 23 years – have always been willing to step up and help anybody who needs a hand.”

Greater Middlesex Conference Executive Director Frank Noppenberger praised the South Brunswick athletics program, calling it “exemplary.”

“I think it reflects sportsmanship and paying it forward and caring about everyone in their district, not just the athletes,” Noppenberger said. “The athletics program shows it’s a role model for others. I congratulate Elaine and her coaches for caring.”

Fantel, who attends middle school in South Brunswick, was diagnosed at five months of age with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 1, a rare degenerative neuromuscular disease that results in severe muscle weakness and limited mobility.

Infants diagnosed with SMA Type I usually have a life expectancy of two years, but Ray’s boundless optimism and indomitable spirit have helped him defy insurmountable odds. Ray will celebrate his 11th birthday next month.

“Ray is an amazing young man who doesn’t let SMA get in the way of living life to the fullest,” Fantel’s mother, Marcy, said. “SMA has not affected his spirit nor his happiness. We are always amazed at how Ray continues to fight SMA, live with a huge passion for life and touch so many people. He has an amazing attitude, smile and twinkle in his eyes.”

Marcy Fantel said the benevolence of South Brunswick’s football, lacrosse and soccer players means the world to her family.

“We are so excited to welcome and cheer for the high school student-athletes that are participating in this year’s tournament,” Marcy said. “It is heartwarming to see so many young people interested in being a part of Ray’s fifth annual kickball tournament.”

Money previously raised from the annual event, which South Brunswick residents Lynn and Ray Maiorano founded, has helped defray some of Ray’s medical expenses including repairs to his handicap accessible van, an overhead lift system, a wheelchair lift for access to the house and specialized therapies the family’s health insurance provider does not cover.

“It was a success and they offered to hold it annually,” Marcy said of the kickball tournament, at which participants will receive lunch and commemorative T-shirts. “We are hoping more people will want to be part of this fundraiser and have some fun playing kickball while helping Ray.”

A tax-deductible entry fee for each team, which may consist of 10 to 13 players, is $250. For more information or to register, please visit Ray’s website at www.rayfantel.com, email rayamj@yahoo.com or call 732-501-3564. Registration closes Sept. 18.

Ray has never crawled, walked or stood. He cannot sit without support. Ray speaks softly. He works hard to hold his head up. He requires round-the-clock care from nurses and his family. He receives home instruction, as well as physical, occupational and speech therapies. Medical conditions such as a severe cold, which may appear innocuous to healthy individuals, can leave Ray in intensive care. Ray has endured multiple hospitalizations and surgeries.

“The kids see this as a good chance to give back to someone in our community who is affected by such a horrendous disease,” Viotto said. “We want high quality and high character kids in the program. Some (Vikings) are peer leaders or on leadership councils. They are very well rounded. They love to be active in the community. I’m blessed to have these kids.”

South Brunswick boys soccer coach Chris Hayston said his players are participating in the kickball tournament because “they are genuinely good people who recognize how lucky they are to be leading the lives they are.”

“My players are blessed with good health and the opportunity to play a game that others are not able to,” Hayston said. “It is an opportunity for them to give back to the community that supports them and has given them the opportunity to play a game they love. In many ways, Ray and his family’s positive attitude will have more of an impact on our players than our players will have on him.”

Upon learning of the charity event, South Brunswick girls lacrosse coach Sean Edwards said his players responded immediately.

“It speaks volumes about their character and willingness to help others,” Edwards said. “I’m proud to coach such a group. I’m sure this event can help Ray, his family, and Bacchus have even more adventures in the future.”

Clifford Higgins, the boys lacrosse coach at South Brunswick, said he and his players believe “what we do off the field is just as important as what we do on the field.”

For that reason, the boys lacrosse team is a microcosm of the entire athletics department at the high school, whose student-athletes across a multitude of sports are actively engaged year-round in the community.

“Whenever we need volunteers for any kind of community service, I simply reach out to my captains and within the same day we have a group of young men ready to help,” said Higgins, whose players are involved in several community initiatives and fundraisers throughout the academic year.

“We preach it all year on how important it is to help others. How it is an obligation to give back. The players are all in when it comes to these services. They understand that being a part of the boys lacrosse program means more than just playing the game. It is something we build into our program. So they know that this is what is expected. After a player participates in a couple of these events they then get why we give back to others.”

“We are looking forward to being a part of this great event. Hopefully it’s one we can continue to be a small piece of.”

Marcy said her son, who uses a power drive wheelchair, wants to become more independent, a goal she hoped Ray could strive toward through the administration of SPINRAZA, the only FDA-approved drug available to treat SMA, but one from which Ray has yet to gain substantial strength.

“Therefore,” Marcy said, “we chose to go down another road and found a Bernedoodle breeder in Florida. The breeder, who has a hearing-impaired daughter, graciously donated a puppy, Bacchus, to Ray to be trained as a service dog.”

“Ray faces a lot of challenges, but his attitude is amazing,” Marcy said. “He goes to a lot of medical appointments and therapies, but he does not complain. Our home is filled with medical equipment, but it does not faze him.”

After birth, Ray received a clean bill of health. However, during a well checkup at the pediatrician five months later, Marcy said Ray seemed “floppy, especially compared to our older son, Ethan (13).

“Everyone assumed he would catch up,” she said. “At that visit, our pediatrician expressed concern with Ray’s low muscle tone and recommended we see a neurologist.”

Marcy said the family consulted with Dr. Richard Finkel, a neurologist and longtime SMA researcher, at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, who soon afterward diagnosed Ray with SMA Type 1.

“We love our boys more than anything,” Marcy said. “As we digested Ray’s diagnosis over the next few months, we vowed to do everything possible for him, to give him the best chance and to make sure he enjoyed life no matter what length of time he has.”

Affecting one in every 6,000 to 10,000 babies worldwide, according to the Cleveland Clinic, SMA causes weakness and wasting in the voluntary muscles. As a result, spinal cord motor neurons begin to shrink and die, preventing a child’s brain from controlling the body’s voluntary muscles, especially those in the arms, legs, head and neck. Consequently, the muscles begin to weaken and waste away, adversely impacting movements such as walking, crawling, swallowing and breathing.

“Ray never says that he cannot stand or walk,” Marcy said. “In fact, he says he will stand and walk someday. We love his attitude and do not tell him he will not be able to walk.

“No one knows what the future holds.”

Following is a complete list of South Brunswick High School student-athletes by sport who will be participating in the charity kickball tournament.

BOYS LACROSSE
Mickey Kurilla
Joe Taikina
Anshul Chettri
Max Lacorte
Ty Trapani
Jack Kaseta
Greg Kurilla
Mike Rubinho
Alex Garback
Brandon Castle
Reese Jenne
Max Beauregard
Chris Oakes

GIRLS LACROSSE
Sean Edwards
Leah Pisack
Ryley O’Brien
Tori Offenburger
Julie Natale
Margot Costello
Larissa Badnar
Ally Shaw
Lyra Bhatnagar
Claudia Zappia
Sophia Sheffmaker
Sofia DeLuca
Sarah Kasziba-O’Rahilly
Bryce Redfield
Amanda Maurer

BOYS SOCCER
Jake Stump
Antonio Iovine
Romir Chatterjee
Robert Farley
Colin Canavan
Jackson Boyler
Adithya Ramkumar
Jaden Man
Swayam Srivistava
Arav Patel
Ryan Polilen
Srijohn Chaudhury
Adityan Tamilsevan
Dayan Safi
Adit Shetty
Pranavan Sriranganathan
Colin Harbison
Aiman Arif

FOOTBALL
Danny O’Grady
Ezequiel Johnson
Giovanni DeLuca
Zach Aamland
Justin Lawson
Majid Howard Baker
Gage Katzenell-Hall
PJ Schneider
Nick Jairdullo
Akil Murugan

FOOTBALL
Matthew Carlson
Amir Brown
AJ Taylor
Damien Downes
Brian Rawls
Omar Abdelaziz
Vince Jairdullo
Reece Waller
Mohammed Kiebre
Dylan Boateng