Kansas City's Gold Medal Athletes
Meet five local teen athletes who excel in sports and give back to the community.
Jordan McPike
Around the age that most kids are learning to write their names and pedal a tricycle, Jordan McPike followed in her sisters’ footsteps and put on her first pair of ice skates. She has been hooked ever since.
Today Jordan is a busy 17-year-old with an impressive ice skating resume. She was recently awarded the gold level designation in US Figure Skating’s 2014 Graduating Seniors Program and passed a series of tests called “moves in the field” to become a US Figure Skating gold medalist.
Jordan has also brought home four medals from the Midwestern and Pacific Coast Synchronized Skating Sectionals, along with silver and pewter medals from the US National Synchronized Skating Championships.
Hard work and dedication have earned Jordan these honors and more, but she is not content reaping the rewards without giving back.
Jordan says, “Ultimately, all of our talents and gifts are wasted if we are not using them to help others learn to use theirs. That’s what I call true success: being an inspiration to others!”
The energetic teenager passes her love of skating on to others through coaching. In 2010, Jordan and her two older sisters, Jessika and Jennifer, started their own synchronized skating teams out of the Independence Events Center called Team Amore’. The sisters love to see other skaters working together.
“I am so happy that through Team Amore’ I am able to give back to my community an uplifting synchronized skating organization that offers lifelong friends, constant encouragement and, most importantly, a family and support system to skaters of all ages,” Jordan says.
The skater credits her family for being her biggest cheerleaders, both on and off the rink. She says her mom has sacrificed a lot over the years. “She has driven me to all of my practices, helped me find the best coaches, bought my custom skates and, most importantly, has instilled within me an unstoppable drive and determination for my sport that I am now able to pass on to others,” she says.
Jordan says her sisters have helped her improve by offering healthy competition and encouragement along the way, and her two coaches, Jessika and Katie, have helped her reach her goal of becoming a USFSA gold medalist in moves.
During rare downtime, Jordan enjoys photography, making videos, spending time with family and friends, dancing and stretching. This month you’ll find her watching Olympic figure skating events, especially the ice dancing competitions.
Jordan’s advice for other teens?
“Strive to be an inspiration for others in your sports, activities and your everyday life … Be a teen that parents would want their kids to look up to!”
Addy Ruby
Toddlers are generally active, but most of them probably don’t climb stair rails, jump and tumble on sofa cushions and swing on low tree branches from the time they can walk.
Addy Ruby did all of these things, and she also pretended bleachers were balance beams while at her older sisters’ recreational gymnastics classes.
“That is how I got invited to a tiny tot class. My parents say that I was always very active,” explains Addy.
Now 16, Addy is a competitive USA Gymnastics level 10 gymnast with a host of awards and achievements she has earned over the years.
In 2009, she represented Kansas at the National Judges Cup (level 7), won all around at the IGI Chicago Style Gymnastics Meet (level 7) and won all around at Great West Gym Fest (level 8). In 2010, Addy placed first on beam at regionals in level 8, and the following year she won state at level 9. Last season she qualified to compete at level 10 regionals.
This year Addy’s goal is to qualify and place well in Level 10 Junior Olympic Nationals.
The Olathe East High School junior says that juggling school and gymnastics is all she has ever known.
“My routine since kindergarten has always been school, practice, homework, bed. During competition season, I have to stay caught up and complete work ahead in school for days that I miss when we travel. My family is a great support to me in this area. We stick to routine and strive for balance.”
Addy enjoys volunteering when she is able. She has worked at Harvesters and Catholic Charities, participated in the Knights of Columbus Tootsie Roll Drive and been a bell ringer for the Salvation Army.
This active teen also has participated in Race for the Cure and other breast cancer events. “I have a new awareness about this disease, following my mom’s diagnosis of breast cancer during my freshman year of high school,” she says.
Addy praises her mom, dad, two sisters, brother-in-law, grandparents, extended family and friends for supporting her in everything she does.
“I appreciate all the hard work and time they invest in me and my sport,” she acknowledges. “My family also helps me spiritually in my faith, and always helps me keep things in perspective.”
In her spare time, the teen likes to relax, watch movies, hang out with friends, shop and spend time with her family.
After graduating from high school, Addy plans to attend an NCAA Division 1 college to continue competing in gymnastics and to study nutrition/dietetics or sports psychology.
She advises other teens, “Don’t give up on your dreams. Let your faith be bigger than your fear!”
Christian Cardin
Many athletes start playing their game when they are young, and Christian Cardin is no exception. At the tender age of 4, he began ice skating and, shortly afterward, tried hockey. Eleven years later, he is still playing.
Christian explains his love of hockey: “When I first started skating, I liked the fast pace of the game and the thrill and freedom of skating.”
The Blue Valley Northwest High School sophomore plays for the Kansas City Jets, made up of local high school students who compete against teams from Iowa and Nebraska. Their season runs from September to March, with games on most weekends.
KC Jets coach Gary Emmons says, “This is my first year coaching Christian. He originally played defense, and I moved him to forward. He has exceeded all expectations at forward and has adjusted very well to the position. Early in the season, he scored a couple of big goals for us.”
Christian’s teams have won quite a few awards along the way. He has been on several teams through the years that have won out-of-state tournaments and one year he played on a team that was nationally ranked.
Traveling many weekends requires the 15-year-old to miss some school days, but Christian has a good system to keep up with his studies.
“I try to look ahead to what my upcoming assignments are going to be and I also stay in contact with my teachers about my schedule if I am going to miss school,” he says.
On top of his hectic hockey schedule, Christian stays active in his community, too. Through his church, he has participated in mission trips with his youth group, led small group discussions for younger teens going through confirmation and served as an usher. For the past three years, he has been a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Christian plays the cello and he assists at a music studio to help other cellists learn their instrument.
“I enjoy giving because it helps me appreciate the opportunities that I have been given and it makes me feel good knowing that I am able to help others in my community who are less fortunate,” he says.
Emmons acknowledges that the teen has a good head on his shoulders. “Christian is a good kid. He’s not like a lot of teenagers. He’s not rowdy or loud and he keeps to himself.”
Christian is grateful for both of his parents, who have sacrificed and supported him through the years.
“They have always helped me to see the bigger picture in life,” he remarks.
Kelly O’Connor
After watching her brother swim and managing the boys swim team at her high school, Kelly O’Connor realized she wasn’t content being on the sidelines. She says the coaches convinced her to start swimming, too.
Now a senior at Shawnee Mission South High School, Kelly has been swimming competitively for four years. She competes for her school in the spring and for Brookridge Golf and Fitness in the summer.
Along the way, she has earned her numerals in high school swimming, was awarded the Bruce Bove award and was selected to be the senior girls swim team captain at her school.
Her coach at Brookridge Golf and Fitness, Chris Copeland, has a lot of praise for the swimmer.
“Kelly has all the attributes that make coaching so enriching. She has physical limitations in her ability to be a top performer in the water, but her team spirit and enthusiasm to support all the other swimmers and divers are unmatched,” Copeland says. “Kelly has her own time/performance goals and works extremely hard in practice to achieve them.”
Copeland sums up her feeling about Kelly: “When I consider how much she has accomplished during her high school years, how much she is loved by so many and her willingness to be the best she can be, I can only say how lucky I am to have the opportunity to know her and her amazing family.”
The 18-year-old also stays busy out of the water. She is in the National Honor Society at her school and does volunteer work through that organization and though her church.
“Giving back is important, because people have done so much to help me in my life that it is such a wonderful feeling to do the same for others,” Kelly says.
In the few moments of spare time she has, the teen enjoys hanging out with her family, friends and dogs. She also likes to read, bake and shop.
After graduation, she plans to attend the University of Kansas. She hopes to go into broadcast journalism.
Kelly credits several people for supporting her in all her endeavors.
“My coaches, Bruce Bove and Chris Copeland, have always been supportive of me, not only in swimming but in all my other activities, as well. I have had several teachers throughout the years who have encouraged me to stretch beyond my limitations. My family and friends are also always there to cheer me on.”
Kelly would like to tell other young people, “Don’t let limitations stop you from doing the things you love. The only disability in life is a bad attitude!”
Isaac McAfee
Watching his older sister play basketball while their dad served as a coach sparked Isaac McAfee’s interest in the game at a young age. He played a lot of driveway ball, and when he was in fifth grade, his parents signed him up for a recreational league.
Now 18 years old, Isaac has several years of basketball under his belt, including playing for KC Metro Mavericks in junior high, with his dad as the head coach. In high school, Isaac joined the Christ Prep Academy team and played varsity ball by the time he was 16.
Isaac played power forward and wing throughout high school. He won a trophy or medal nearly every year, “mainly because our team was one of the best in the league,” he says. Last year he received the honorable mention award at the conference tournament.
A senior who has been homeschooled his entire life, Isaac is ineligible to play basketball this year due to Kansas State High School Activities Association rules, so he took a position as Christ Prep Academy’s assistant coach, under head coach Sean McClintock.
His dad, Charles McAfee, shares a story about Isaac: “We always played one-on-one and I would win 99 percent of the time. As Isaac grew in height and skill, the games became closer and closer. Now the tide has turned, and he wins 99 percent of the time. A father’s goal is to teach his children to be better than himself. Goal accomplished!”
For the past several years Isaac also has played baseball, starting with a youth league in Olathe and now with RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities).
In addition to playing sports year-round, Isaac also gives back to his community. He hosts a weekly book club at the library for boys ages 11 to 15, volunteered a year’s worth of Saturdays at a local pet hospital (where he is now employed) and has helped at Harvesters. He looks forward to more service opportunities through the Eta Sigma Alpha National Homeschool Honor Society.
He says his reasons for giving back are simple. “It’s important to me because I know it’s the right thing to do and it’s fun, too.”
Isaac credits his teammates, parents, sisters, extended family and friends for supporting him over the years.
During downtime, the teen likes to read, play video games, hang out with friends and family, and make items from duct tape. He plans to go to Kansas State University to study veterinary medicine.
Isaac has a few words of advice for other teens: “Work hard and never quit, even when it gets tough. If you try hard enough, you can do almost anything.”
Tisha Foley of Belton admires the drive and determination in these young athletes. She wishes them the best in their future endeavors.