It’s back to baseball season, as the Ichabod Crane Middle School modified team is gearing up for its first games of the season.

Coach Bob Hanna said the team is starting off strong.

What You Need To Know

  • Kyle Stickles returned to the baseball field after being diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer in 2020

  • He went through months in the hospital receiving chemotherapy after he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, had surgery to remove five inches of bone and had to relearn how to walk

  • As a lifelong Jets fan, he says support from fans all over the country helped him through his toughest days

  • The teen will be announcing the first-round NFL Draft pick for the New York Jets through Make-A-Wish

“We only had one game so far, but we won it 12-6,” Hanna said. “So we’re looking forward to the rest of the season.”

Kyle Stickles is strapping on his glove for his big return. The 13-year-old just got the medical clearance from his doctors to get back into the outfield.

“The team has really rallied around him and made it a home for him,” Hanna said. “So it’s really good to see him back out on the field.”

It was baseball season three years ago when everything came to a stop. In 2020, the world shut down as it battled a pandemic. But, it was also a time when Stickles began his own battle.

He was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer. He went through months in the hospital receiving chemotherapy and had surgery to remove five inches of bone. Then in 2021, he took his first steps toward recovery.

“That’s all he really wants is to be a normal kid again,” said his mom, Jamie Stickles.

Today, running the bases are some of the biggest strides of Kyle’s journey. 

“And I haven’t been playing baseball in a while, and I’ve really been wanting to play again,” Kyle said. “So it feels great.”

Hanna said Kyle returned back to practice ready to put in the work for the season.

“He’s been dealing with things that no other kid has to deal with,” Hanna said. “So he’s very resilient about it and doesn’t complain about anything.”

But it’s his passion for sports that helped him through the toughest days. The reminders of that fight can be seen in every corner of his bedroom. The New York Jets football team, Jets fans and sports fans across the country sent Kyle mementos of encouragement during his battle with cancer.

His lifelong love for the Jets is going to be on full display on Thursday, as Kyle will be announcing the first-round pick for the team during the 2023 NFL Draft. It’s an opportunity he received through Make-A-Wish.

“Anybody who knows him knows this is a perfectly Kyle wish,” Jamie said.

“Probably someone on offense,” Kyle said with a laugh when asked if he had any insight on who the Jets may be choosing.

But, no matter who the Jets select this year, he has the support of his fellow fans and teammates behind him -- just has he has throughout his entire journey.

“Absolutely I’ll be watching the draft and seeing where he’s at there. So hopefully he picks a winner,” laughed Hanna.

For more information on Kyle’s journey, you can follow his support Facebook page Kyle Strong.