Rodney Brett Bowden is 19 and has Down Syndrome. He is a junior at Hobbton High School in Newton Grove, North Carolina.

Brett loves to play football, draw, play video games, and of course be a normal 19 year old boy. He has the personality and attitude that everyone wants and needs. Everyone loves Brett with all of their hearts.

He has been playing on the varsity team for Hobbton every since he was a freshman. This year Brett was very excited about playing, he had already started practicing and bonding with the team. Brett calls his teammates "his brothers."

This young boy is very passionate about this game of football and it's not like Brett even plays, he just enjoys warming up with the team, practicing, putting on that number 11 jersey and pads. This is what he looks forward to when school starts.

Now that football has started, The North Carolina High School Association has told the coaches and our family that Brett is not allowed to play because he is 19 years old. Everyone is heartbroken by what they have told us. We are trying to fight this because everyone in the community believes that there are ways around the rules!