U.S. Women’s Amputee Soccer Players Reunite for the 17th Annual Steps for Sarcoma Walk
On Sunday, September 20, 2026, members of the U.S. Women’s National Amputee Soccer Team, past and present, reunited in Columbus, Ohio, to participate in the 17th annual Steps for Sarcoma walk benefiting The Ohio State University.
Taking place during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, the gathering was both deeply personal and powerful. The U.S. Women’s National Amputee Soccer program has long been defined by resilience, with its roster spanning past and present players who are cancer survivors and thrivers. Across the squad are athletes who have faced complex battles with osteosarcoma, metastatic giant cell tumor of the bone, and life-altering hemipelvectomy surgeries:
Tracy Danzey: Osteosarcoma and hemipelvectomy survivor
Sydney Coblentz: Osteosarcoma survivor
Sarah Evans: Osteosarcoma and hemipelvectomy survivor
Christina Kreil: Metastatic giant cell tumor of bone thriver
Jenny Gray: Osteosarcoma survivor
LaQuinta "Q" Haynes: Osteosarcoma survivor
For Sydney Coblentz, the weekend carried an extraordinary personal milestone: marking 20 years cancer-free. While reaching two decades in remission is a victory to celebrate, Sydney shared how cancer continues to ripple through daily life long after treatment ends. The long-term physical, mental, and emotional impacts remain, but through the sport and the American Amputee Soccer Association (AASA), a sisterhood was forged that understands the silent complexities of survivorship.
Central to the weekend was honoring the life and memory of Melissa Kendall, who recently passed away. As a trailblazer and member of the first U.S. Women’s National Amputee Soccer Team, Melissa helped pave the way for amputee soccer in the United States, and her spirit remains at the heart of this squad.
Gratitude goes out to LaQuinta Haynes for organizing the reunion, as well as to Hope Hollow for generously hosting the team. The essential support and sanctuary Hope Hollow provides to families actively undergoing cancer treatment made this meaningful gathering possible.
Whether competing on the international stage or walking side by side to advance sarcoma research, these women embody resilience, community, and the promise that no one fights alone.
