Tustin, Irvine police remember Beckman student with memorial soccer game

If Kelsey Harris were there, she would have yelled to the player who drifted offsides for the third time to watch his position.

If she were watching, Kelsey may have groaned along with the crowd when a cross kick that had a chance at turning into a score missed its mark, and cheered when her teammate blasted one past the goal keeper.

If she were watching the students at Beckman High take on the Tustin and Irvine police departments in a soccer match, she would have loved every second of it, her family said.

“She would want to play,” said her dad, Frank Harris. “She loved to play.”

Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC

The second annual Kelsey Harris Memorial Cup on May 1 honored the athletic and determined teen who in April 2014 lost her battle with Lafora disease, a rare and almost always fatal neurodegenerative disorder.

Tustin Police Officer Chuck Mitchell partnered with Beckman High School to host the game after he learned the school had lost one of its students — a tall and lanky goal keeper named Kelsey.

Before that day, Mitchell had never heard of Lafora.

A community soccer game with the Tustin Police Department had long been a project Mitchell wanted to organize.

After learning Kelsey’s story, Mitchell’s project had a cause: remembering the girl friends and teachers called driven, competitive and playful.

When Kelsey wanted to do something, she did it. If she didn’t know how, she learned.

Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC

Kelsey, previously an honor and advanced placement student, insisted on staying in school even though Lafora would eventually compromise her physical and cognitive abilities.

Special education teacher Misty Moon supported Kelsey through her final months at Beckman and said even as the disease progressed, Kelsey wanted to do things on her own.

“She just would not quit,” said Moon. “Even if something was difficult, she wanted to get it done. She wanted to be here.”

Moon watched from the sidelines Friday, May 1, remembering the student who inspired the afternoon game.

“This is fun, and Kelsey loved fun. She would have loved this,” Moon said. “Even a year later, she is greatly missed.”

Although all in good fun and for a good cause, this year’s game was much different than the inaugural soccer match.

Last year’s game ended in a 6-6 tie, and some players said it felt like more of an exhibition game.

This year, though, the competition was on. Each team wanted the Kelsey Harris Memorial Cup.

In the end, Beckman students edged out the police departments 3-1, with Beckman’s two final goals coming in with just minutes left in the second half.

“It was really competitive. I think everyone was taking the game a little more seriously this year,” Frank Harris said. “The police did not want to get shut out by high school students. Although, it isn’t really fair —- three of these players have signed to D-1 schools.”

Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC

This year’s fundraising, like the game, also was more aggressive.

Last year’s effort brought in $600 for Lafora research. This year, the departments and school raised more than $1,000 for the cause.

Mitchell said he hoped people would be inspired to spread the word about Lafora research.

“Lafora just grabbed her so quick and so hard we want to get the word out about this disease,” Mitchell said. “When somebody asks ‘Who is Kelsey? What’s Lafora?’ Take a minute to educate them.”

The Tustin and Irvine police soccer team gathers with the Beckman soccer team and the Harris family after playing a Kelsey Harris Memorial soccer game at Beckman High to raise money and awareness for Lafora research.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC

The Tustin and Irvine police soccer team gather with the Harris family (white shirts) after playing a Kelsey Harris Memorial soccer game at Beckman High to raise money and awareness for Lafora research.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC

The Beckman soccer team holds the Kelsey Harris Memorial Cup after defeating the the Tustin and Irvine police departments in a soccer game at Beckman High to raise money and awareness for Lafora research.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC

Beckman High plays personnel from the Tustin and Irvine police departments for a Kelsey Harris Memorial soccer game to raise money and awareness Lafora research.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC

Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC

Tustin Sgt. Andrew Birozy, left, was named MVP for the police departments’ soccer team. Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC

Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC

Tustin Police Chief Charles Celano watches his officers and other personnel from Tustin and Irvine PD in a Kelsey Harris Memorial soccer game to raise money and awareness for Lafora research.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC

Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC

Frank Harris, father of Kelsey Harris who died last April from Lafora Disease, thanks everyone at half time who came to a Kelsey Harris Memorial soccer game at Beckman High to raise money and awareness for Lafora research.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC