Pairing kids dealing with chronic illnesses with college athletes makes everyone’s world bigger.
When it comes to college-level athletics, says SCU men’s rowing team captain JT Winston ’22, it’s easy to become singularly focused on performance metrics.
But through his work with Team IMPACT, a program that pairs children with chronic illnesses with college athletes, Winston says he’s learned “that athletics is about much more than training and competition.”
Two years ago, the program matched Santa Clara with two children, both rowing and men’s basketball participated.
Since then, men’s water polo and soccer, and women’s basketball have also paired with kids. The rowing team’s match, 8-year-old Joey, “contributes greatly to team unity and morale,” Winston says. “College athletics can act as a platform for positive outreach and inspiration…it’s been a tremendous privilege to work with Joey and welcome him into our community.”
