WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A CHAMPION
"WE WOULD NOT HAVE WON THE CHAMPIONSHIP HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR JP."
- FRED QUARTLEBAUM "COACH Q", DIRECTOR OF BASKETBALL OPERATIONS,
UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS MEN'S BASKETBALL
We have seen through our program that the champion mindset provides confidence to our matches and gives student-athletes an elevated perspective of what it means to be resilient. Our matches and their teams define what it means to be a champion uniquely through their Team IMPACT experience; uplifing each other, leaving long-lasting impact, finding greater purpose, and persevering through life's challenges. The championship experience showcases this mindset along with all of the values, perspectives, and bonds gained through our program. Team IMPACT kids are true members of the team, and because of this, should have an opportunity to experience a championship with their teammates.
2023 CHAMPIONSHIP HIGHLIGHTS
Many of our matched children and teams make it to major tournaments, whether that be March Madness, Bowl Games, or Championship games. In 2023 and early 2024, with support from our generous community, Team IMPACT was able to send 24 matched children and families on the road with their teams to NCAA Postseason Tournaments and Football Bowl Games. Six of our matched children and their teams won! Even more extraordinary is the fact that 181 of our teams and matches got to experience championship play across all divisions together. Championship competition is a unique opportunity to provide a very special moment for children and teams alike.
It is a place where the power of our program and the meaningful relationships between a child and their team really get to shine. The kids are a massive part in their team’s most intense, exciting, and magical career moments. Even more incredible is the journey it took to get to those moments and how Team IMPACT matches influence the "champion mindset" of each team they are connected with. Your support has helped kids share these special moments with their teams, empowering them to find joy again, and has given an extra spark to student-athletes during prime competition in their careers.
Thank you for making these magical,
once-in-a-lifetime experiences possible!
MARCH MADNESS
The 2023 NCAA March Madness Basketball Tournament brought 28 Team IMPACT matched teams (between DI, DII and DIII) to the competition. With help from our donors, we were able to send three matches to the Tournament. Rylan matched with UConn, Jace, matched with the University of Houston, and Brennon, matched with the University of Miami – all kids cheered on their teams from the sidelines of the Sweet Sixteen.
But the fun didn’t end there. Rylan was able to go on to the NCAA Championship game to watch UConn win! And in the midst of all the excitement, the Huskies Coach, Dan Hurley, and the entire team brought Rylan down to join in the celebration as they thanked him for being there to support the team and their historic victory.
NCAA WOMEN'S FIELD HOCKEY
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
As the UNC Tar Heels got ready for their Championship match-up this past November, so did Emma, their Team IMPACT match. She was there for one of the most historic wins the team has seen to date, led by Coach Erin Matson who the youngest college coach to win a National Championship! Team IMPACT Fellow Dorrit Eisenbeis called Emma a “fierce spark” for her and her teammates on their journey to the title.
“I cannot imagine a better TEAM IMPACT experience than Emma has had. She is a national champion! But even before the NCAA tournament, the UNC Women’s Field Hockey Program provided Emma a championship experience.”
- Dr. Patrick A. Thompson, MD, Professor of Pediatrics, Fellowship Director, Division of Hematology-Oncology UNC
COLLEGE FOOTBALL BOWL GAMES
& NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
This year marked a historic College Football Bowl season, with Team IMPACT matched teams competing in nearly half of the 43 scheduled bowl games. From Birmingham to Detroit, Charlotte to San Antonio, Boston to Tucson, Orlando to LA, and onto the National Championship, our families supported their teams from the stadium and from home. During these games, more than six million college football viewers and fans learned about Team IMPACT’s work through TV features, newspaper articles, and online pieces showcasing these incredible relationships. When Michigan took the field against Alabama in the Rose Bowl, there were not one but two Team IMPACT families cheering them on in the crowd. Both Noah, who is matched with the football team, and Vara, who is matched with the dance team, made the trip out to watch Michigan make history. But they didn’t stop there. Thousands of fans joined the Wolverines at the Championship game in Houston for the big win, but the most special team member Noah was by their side to watch them beat Washington.
BEANPOT TOURNAMENT
TD Garden, host of the annual Beanpot hockey tournament, welcomed four Team IMPACT families at the 2023 championship games. For the first time in tournament history, all four teams participating were actively matched with Team IMPACT. Though Northeastern came out on top, all four children – Simon with Northeastern, Parker with Harvard, Josh with Boston College, and Logan with Boston University — had an incredible afternoon and evening. Before the puck dropped on the consolation game, all four families enjoyed a tour of the Bruins locker room, followed by front row-seats for warm-ups. Boston College, Boston University, Harvard, and Northeastern players all suited up adorning a Team IMPACT decal on their helmet, celebrating their commitment to our program and community. This tournament was not just about hockey or trophies, but about teamwork and resilience between the teams and the Team IMPACT teammates. Simon, Parker, Josh, and Logan experienced a behind the scenes look at TD Garden and deepened their relationship with the athletes and families not only on their teams but across the tournament. The relationships and memories from the tournament will surely last a lifetime.
"The Beanpot experience encapsulated what we envision Team IMPACT being for Parker. Sitting alongside his Harvard teammates, Parker experienced the high of a win in the last couple seconds of overtime and the low of defeat that came down to a shoot-out. Sports, like life, can be a bumpy road. It can be painful and disappointing. As parents, we feel an important part of Parker’s journey with Harvard Hockey and Team IMPACT is to have the experience of going through not just the highs, but the emotional lows. Seeing these players pick themselves up and move forward to focus on the next games gave Parker an important perspective that includes perseverance and dedication.”
- Michelle, mom of Parker, matched with Harvard University ice hockey team
MORE NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
Additionally, three other Team IMPACT matches won NCAA National Championships this year. Jordan who is matched with St. Olaf College Men’s Soccer team, and Kingston, matched with UCLA Men’s Volleyball celebrated national victories. Quinnipiac Men’s Hockey celebrated their National Championship while honoring and carrying the memory of their Team IMPACT teammate Michael with them who passed away in 2021. While serious illness and disability continue to affect so many families across the nation, we hope that Team IMPACT can bring excitement and offer awe-inspiring moments as our kids continue to be part of championship teams.
"My time with Team IMPACT has taught me that a champion is not just a winner in a competition but also a winner in the hearts and minds of those they touch with their compassion and dedication.”
- ALEX ABAUER, UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA BASEBALL
