A team of Dallas ISD students is headed to the World Futsal Championships next month thanks to hard work and a major source of inspiration.
The team of sixth graders from the Alex W. Spence Talented/Gifted Academy has dedicated their season to Diana Brothers, their coach's wife, who is battling breast cancer.
"She's like a second mom. She's always been there for us," said 11-year-old Karen Benitez "It's given us more inspiration because we knew we were playing for her and she's there to support us."
Brothers was diagnosed with breast cancer a month before the girls' qualifying tournament.
She was too sick to go to the first few games, but mustered enough strength to make it to the final match.
The team won 9-1, qualifying for the World Futsal Championships next month in Florida. Futsal is a form of indoor soccer.
"It was unbelievable. It made me cry because it's something that sixth-graders are doing," she said. "As soon as they found out that I had cancer they were kind of disappointed. Some of the girls had a couple of tears about it and they wanted to do something for me."
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Scott Brothers said the girls have helped his wife make it through six rounds of chemotherapy. As she prepares for major surgery just a few days before the tournament, he knows his team is thinking about her too.
"They know her. They call her mom and they said, 'Hey, we are going to win for you and we are going to dedicate all this for you,'" Scott said. "It hits you right here. It hits you right in the heart."
Because of her surgery Diana will not be able to make the trip to Florida, but she will be there in spirit and rooting the team on from North Texas.
"I hope they win. I hope they win," she said.
The team is raising money to pay for the trip to the tournament. If you would like to donate click here.
