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BEHIND THE STRIPES

The Hairston Family

By Atlanta United FC

August 22^nd, 2025

It started with a soccer ball and tennis court. Now, it’s goal celebrations in another country, wearing the colors of his hometown professional soccer team.

Xavier Hairston loves nothing more than having fun out on the pitch. Well, except scoring goals, of course. It’s a determination he’s built over the years, one that has brought him to Atlanta United Unified stardom as the team’s highest scoring player in its history.

Ahead of the final match of Unified’s 2025 season, a home rematch against Toronto FC Sunday night, Xaiver is as driven as ever. All he can think about is his family watching him from the stands.

“I gotta score a goal,” Xavier said. “I gotta score a goal so they can cheer.”

That pure passion and penchant for scoring comes from influences all over his life, the many people and experiences that have shaped the young man teammates call “X-Man”.

An early start and an everlasting friendship

While many of Atlanta United Unified’s Special Olympics players picked up soccer at young ages, Xavier’s start may be one of the earliest. At age 5 or 6, he said, he was playing indoor soccer, running around and kicking the ball.

It was in first grade when Xavier met Savion Brown, now one of his teammates on the Unified team. They, as many young boys do, spent their days outside. They chose soccer as their main pastime, even with an unconventional training ground.

“We were in the same class [in first grade], and we just been friends ever since,” Xavier said. “We used to be outside at the tennis court, playing soccer on the tennis court. I basically did everything with him, outside all day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.”

Xavier’s mother, Artelida ‘Tia’ Hairston, said Savion would be at their door in the wee hours of the morning asking if Xavier could play. They were inseparable, and the Hairston family even moved into the same living complex as Savion’s family at one point.

Like many others on the Unified team, Xavier found his way to Atlanta United through coach Marty Jelleme, who also coached him at another Special Olympics club North Fulton United. Jelleme asked Xavier if he wanted to play for Atlanta United’s Unified squad, and the rest is history.

Xavier couldn’t resist pitching the idea to Savion, who he influenced to join the team as a partner. All those days on the tennis courts came flooding back as the two reunited out on the pitch for Atlanta United together.

Partners, athletes without intellectual or developmental disabilities, join forces with the Special Olympics athletes to form the squad. Xavier and Savion are the most dynamic of duos. Both scored goals in Atlanta United Unified’s 5-3 win over Toronto FC Unified July 12, the team’s first ever international trip.

But it wasn’t just one goal for Xavier. No, he had a hat trick, which if you ask him, wasn’t enough. He wanted more. That mentality is how he’s become Atlanta United Unified’s all-time leading scorer with 16 goals over his four seasons with the team. His reaction to hearing that information was priceless and so very on brand.

“Wow. My name is on the on the board,” Xavier said. “How many goals, do you know? How many goals?”

Xavier’s diagnosis and determination

With that early experience and desire to simply play the game he loves, it’s no wonder Xavier is a star. But, off the pitch, he had to put in the work in other areas of his life to get to where he is today.

It was when Xavier started school that his mom first became aware that he may be different. Tia already had a son with special needs, Deshawn, so Xavier’s behaviors and tendencies were less obvious at first. The two lived in the same room and spent most of their time together, so Tia thought Xavier was simply mimicking his brother.

When staff at Xavier’s school came to Tia and told her about Xavier’s early struggles, her proactive, motherly instincts kicked in. She had Xavier go through tests which determined he did have intellectual and developmental disabilities. Getting a diagnosis early made all the difference.

“We were able to get services for him early enough,” Tia said. “He was able to get the resources that he needed to be successful.”

Xavier got the help he needed through smaller class settings. It took extra work on his and his family’s part — like when his mom would make him sign up for sports regardless of how he did previously.

Tia said it was tough to see Xavier get made fun of in classes, but she was so impressed with how hard he worked to come out of his shell.

“He worked very hard for it, because it was something he wanted,” Tia said. “That makes me proud, and I see that in him now. He's very strong-willed and competitive, so he's always determined. Number one is the only slot for him, as far as he’s concerned.”

His bond with his older sister, DaZhane ‘Daisy’ Eatmon, most definitely helped him develop his competitive edge and will to try new things. Their dynamic is one that can only truly be understood by listening to their dialogue, those classic sibling back-and-forths forged by years of chicanery, memories and above all love.

Like for many others on the team, Unified was a catalyst for Xavier’s personal growth.

“Definitely his confidence [has grown],” Daisy said. “Before, it was really about having fun for him. Whether he’d win or lose, and he hated to lose, but he still had a good time. But once the team and the coach [gave] him the opportunity to show how good he is, he really started to flourish.”

Xavier has always wanted more, and not just goals. Tia and Daisy couldn’t stop laughing thinking about their road trips when Xavier would ask for a burger at the sight of every single fast-food sign, even if he had one in his hand already.

The laughter in the living room of Xavier’s new apartment was never-ending. It’s exactly where he gets his jovial on-pitch attitude from.

“We are a fun family,” Tia said. “We celebrate. You'll definitely see that come out through him.”

A bright future for X-Man

The celebrations are elaborate, the energy between the lines remarkable. Yet, Xavier’s general demeanor, the person you see when you sit down to talk with him, is much calmer. His family members describe him in so many different, and sometimes oxymoronic, ways: laid-back yet determined, serious yet goofy.

There’s no better window into the person Xavier is than his goal celebrations — of which there have been many.

“When I score, I just run to the corner,” Xavier said. “I try to look for the camera and then do my little celebration. I look at the crowd and then keep on playing.”

That’s his M.O: Work hard to succeed, have your fun celebrating it, then get back to business. They’re all traits he’s picked up from his family and his experiences with Unified.

Xavier’s had some extra special experiences throughout his career. He was an MLS Unified All Star in 2022, traveling to Minnesota to participate in the match and festivities. He reminisced about the memories he made and the free gear he got on that trip.

The routine of an Atlanta United Unified player mirrors that of a First Team player. The team trains weekly, plays in matches at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and even travels to select matches on the First Team plane.

“It feels like I'm them,” Xavier said. “I get to play on the same field as them. We practice at the same training ground. I feel like a professional.”

Jelleme and the rest of the Unified coaching staff foster team chemistry like no other. Xavier rattled off basically the entire roster when asked who he’s closest with on the Unified team. His teammates gave him the nickname “X-Man”, which he adopted and turned into one of his most iconic celebrations to date. During his interview, he sat in front of a painting he has of him celebrating a goal by making his hands into an X.

But it’s more than just intrasquad camaraderie. Atlanta United Unified competed in the 2025 Genuine Cup, a tournament held in Houston for Unified squads from all over the world. Xavier and Co. got to become friends with Special Olympics athletes from clubs like Rangers FC in Scotland, FC Barcelona and more.

“Every time we have a game, I look forward to meeting with people and talking to them,” Xavier said.

Xavier will get one more chance to show what he’s all about in front of his home fans Sunday, Aug. 24 when Atlanta United Unified rematches Toronto FC Unified, this time at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

“It’s definitely surreal. He deserves it,” Daisy said. “Y'all yelling my brother's name. No matter how much I tease him and stuff, saying ‘I don’t know what your number is,’ as soon as I get out there, I’m like, ‘Oh yeah, go number 26!’ … He takes this very seriously. It's so happy to see him do these things. It inspires me too, even as a big sister.”

He’s already planning out his next goal celebration if the moment comes. He’ll do what he always does: put on a show for his family and the rest of the 17s in attendance.