TOPEKA (KSNT) – Washburn Rural Unified athletes are signing contracts with Major League Soccer (MLS) Club Sporting Kansas City.

Sophomores Conner Schonlaw and Gentry Scheid, and senior Cohen Nimz traveled to Compass Minerals National Performance Center Tuesday as part of the MLS Unified Exchange Program. The athletes got the chance to attend Sporting’s practice and meet the players.

They also signed their own contracts, making them official Sporting Kansas City athletes, and capped their day with a “Media Hype Shoot” and a meal prepared in the team kitchen.

“The hype shoot,” Nimz said, “that was pretty fun. Getting to do media day type stuff, that was a blast.”

Scheid on the other hand is all business when it comes to the team. Immediately after his signing, 27 News asked what he’s looking forward to most about the upcoming away match. He only needed one word to describe what he’s going to do: “win,” Scheid said.

The Unified team will travel alongside Sporting KC to their June 1 away match against Minnesota United. Immediately following the MLS match, the clubs’ Unified teams will face off. In September, the Minnesota teams will travel to Kansas City for a rematch.

Kristen Nett with Special Olympics Kansas said she hopes programs like this one will help Unified sports grow even more.

“They get to be treated like a player,” Nett said. “They get to do the signing, get to be in the locker rooms, get to play on the field. We’re just hoping that students will be able to see that and next year continue to grow the team even bigger.”

The goal, no pun intended, behind the program is to promote inclusion in sports. The Sporting KC defender and Unified ambassador said that’s what soccer is all about.

“I think it’s one of the things that really brings out the true aspect of soccer as a sport,” Rindov said. “It’s something that everyone should be involved in and everyone should be given the opportunity to be involved in.”

Despite making it big time, there’s no doubt the now professional athletes have maintained their humility. After going pro, Schonlaw wanted everyone to know he couldn’t have made it alone.

“I just want to thank my parents and my brother for supporting me,” he said.

For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.