Team IMPACT is Looking for Kids to Partner with College Sports Teams

Team IMPACT is a non-profit organization based out of Quincy, Massachusetts that pairs children who have serious or chronic illnesses with college sports teams across the country. To date, they have matched over 1,400 kids with athletic teams at 500 colleges in 48 states. Team IMPACT currently has over 1,200 college teams that are ready and waiting to “draft” a new kid to their team.

Founded in 2011 by a group of Tufts University alumni, including Board Co-Chairs Dan Kraft and Jay Calnan, Team IMPACT’s mission is to allow children to gain strength and support by forming life-long relationships with collegiate teams and their athletes. Once a child is paired with a team, they have their official “Draft Day” where they sign a letter of intent and officially join the program.

Each team plans their individual Draft Day which can consist of press conferences, handing out an official team jersey, receiving a locker in the locker room, and being announced before the start of a game. From there, Team IMPACT works with each child and their family over the next two+ years to ensure the highest quality experience—for the child, the family and the student-athletes. Upon completion of the program, each child has a graduation ceremony where their accomplishments are celebrated and the impact they have made on the team is shared.

Mary Callaghan is the Director of Marketing and Communications for Team IMPACT and she is very excited to find new kids looking to join the program. “College sports teams, athletic departments and coaches across the country have embraced our mission and are enthusiastic about joining our program. They realize that it is not only a wonderful way to help these children and their families, but also a great bonding experience for their teams. The courage and determination that the kids have is overwhelming and it rubs off on the players and coaches when they are around.”

Families with children from age 5 to 15 are welcome to apply using the form on Team IMPACT’s website. There are over 40 qualifying conditions Team IMPACT accepts including: cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis, neuromuscular disorders and spina bifida. If your child or someone you know may be interested in joining Team IMPACT visit their website at www.goteamimpact.org or call them at (617) 801-0248.

Check out the video below to learn more about Team IMPACT: