The newest Sporting Kansas City player joined his teammates for the first time on Saturday as the club put the finishing touches on preparation ahead of an important match against Real Salt Lake Sunday (5 pm ET | FS1 - Full TV & Streaming info) at Children’s Mercy Park.
Kalen Ricketson, an 18-year-old from Stillwater, Okla. who has been battling osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer, since his diagnosis in December, 2015, signed with SKC on Wednesday.
On Saturday morning, Ricketson, who has undergone 13 surgeries over the last three years, started his day at Pinnacle Training Facility meeting captain Matt Besler before a team breakfast.
Ricketson put pen to paper on his contract, posing with coach Peter Vermes.
He then made his way to the training pitch, where he showed off his juggling skills and showed how crafty he is from the penalty spot, with a successful conversion down the middle.
Indeed, as it shows on the SKC roster, Ricketson fit right in.
On Sunday, he will don his No. 24 jersey for the club’s annual Childhood Cancer Awareness Match as part of MLS WORKS’ league-wide Kick Childhood Cancer campaign.
