For the Mohawk Valley Challengers, football is about much more than what happens between the sidelines. It is about having a team, building confidence, making friends, competing and, perhaps most importantly, having a place to belong.

On Saturday, September 19, Human Technologies will once again join the Mohawk Valley Challengers and Utica University Football for the third annual Mohawk Valley Challengers Day at Gaetano Stadium. The event takes place during the Utica University Pioneers’ 1:00 p.m. game against the Hobart College Statesmen, with the Challengers taking center stage at halftime for a flag football matchup against employees from Human Technologies.

For HT, the partnership is a natural extension of its mission. “We’re a not-for-profit, but we consider ourselves a business with a mission,” said Nate Linck, Manager of Marketing & Communications at Human Technologies, during a recent Talk of the Town interview. “That mission is simple. It’s to create employment for people with disabilities.” But the connection goes deeper than employment. “Once you’re here with Human Technologies, we don’t look at disabilities; we look at abilities,” Linck added. “We look at what you can do, and we help unleash that potential within somebody and make them as successful as they possibly can be.”

That same philosophy is at the heart of the Mohawk Valley Challengers. Founded in 2015, the nonprofit flag football and cheerleading program serves children and young adults with disabilities between the ages of 5 and 25. What began with just seven participants has grown to 46 athletes and cheerleaders this season. Under first-year Head Coach Mark Tritten Jr., the Challengers are focused on creating a positive, family-oriented experience that celebrates each athlete’s abilities, builds self-esteem, and gets kids active. And they take their football seriously. The Challengers practice weekly, learn everything from blocking and passing to running plays and pulling flags, and compete throughout the season against local businesses, first responders and community organizations. When asked about the team’s record this season, Tritten’s response was simple: “We’re undefeated.”

The relationship with Utica University Football stretches back even further. Head Coach Blaise Faggiano first learned about the Challengers several years ago and knew he wanted his program to get involved. Each year, Pioneer football players, cheerleaders and members of the dance team spend time with Challenger athletes. Upperclassmen serve as coaches, younger players take the field alongside the Challengers, and the athletes work through football drills before playing together. “When I tell you it is an unbelievable experience to see their athletes with our student-athletes, not just our football players, but dance team and cheerleaders, it’s incredible,” Faggiano said.

Then came the connection with Human Technologies. After seeing an HT commercial and recognizing the natural alignment between the organizations, Faggiano saw an opportunity to bring them together. Mohawk Valley Challengers Day was born, with Human Technologies serving as sponsor and helping turn a Utica University home game into a platform for the Challengers. That exposure matters. Faggiano recalled that after media coverage of one of the Challengers’ early events, several new families discovered the program and additional donations followed. “It’s about letting people know that this group exists,” Faggiano said. “So that if your son or daughter wants to play football or be a cheerleader and have fun and be a part of this great organization, that’s what it’s all about.”

That idea is ultimately what connects all three organizations. The Challengers provide athletes with an opportunity to be part of a team. Utica University gives them a bigger field and a larger audience. Human Technologies works to create opportunities for people with disabilities to discover their potential in the workplace and beyond. And the more people who know those opportunities exist, the more people can experience them. “The more we talk about this, the more opportunities we have for some of these kids to belong to this football team, this organization, to do something they maybe always wanted to do but never had the opportunity to,” Linck said.

On September 19, that opportunity comes with a football, a set of flags, a stadium full of fans and one undefeated Challengers team ready to take on Human Technologies. And while HT plans to put up a fight, Linck is already prepared for the possibility of defeat. “I like to celebrate my losses as much as my wins,” he joked. “I’m looking forward to everyone coming and seeing the halftime game and seeing what we can do against the Challengers.”

Some games are about the final score. This one is about who gets the opportunity to play.

Check out the full Talk of the Town interview to hear more from Human Technologies, Mohawk Valley Challengers Head Coach Mark Tritten Jr. and Utica University Head Football Coach Blaise Faggiano.