LEWISTON, Maine -- The Bates College volleyball team has signed seven-year-old McKenzie as the newest member of its squad during a Team IMPACT Signing Day celebration on Thursday, Dec. 8 in Alumni Gymnasium.
"We are so happy to welcome McKenzie to our team," said Amanda Power (Scottsdale, Ariz.), a first-year member of the Bobcats' volleyball roster. "She always brings so much energy, humor, and sass to our team, and we are so grateful to have her join us!"
McKenzie lives with her mother, Krystye, in Norway, Maine. A youngster with a terrific energy and imagination, McKenzie uses the words "funny" and "brave" to describe herself. Her teacher is her role model, and if she could have just one superpower it would be to fly.
"McKenzie is a strong, little warrior who has been through so much more in her young life than most adults will ever deal with," said mom Krystye. "She was diagnosed at six weeks old with a very rare and terminal form of muscular dystrophy called infantile pompe disease (IPD)."
The Team IMPACT Signing Day celebration took place during a special "press conference" in McKenzie's honor. She signed her National Letter of Intent (NLI) before being presented her official Bates volleyball jersey (with name emblazoned on the back) by head coach Emily Hayes. The Alumni Gym lobby area was jam-packed for the event as all in attendance enjoyed some popcorn and pizza in celebration.
Later in the evening, McKenzie and her family were recognized at center court during the Bates women's basketball home game vs. Bowdoin College as the capacity crowd provided McKenzie a thunderous round of applause for her big moment.
"Through Team IMPACT, 'Kenzie' will be a honorary player of the Bates woman's volleyball team and spend the next year-and-a-half forming a once in a lifetime relationship with some amazing women," added Krystye. "This wonderful partnership and experience will give 'Kenzie' the confidence to face her daily struggles; it will allow her to build strong female relationships and teach her that being part of a team is all about support, love, and friendships. I'm so excited to watch this relationship grow and see what is in store in the months ahead!"
McKenzie looks forward to spending time with her new friends. "I can't wait to have so much fun with my team ... Go Bobcats!"
About Team IMPACT
Team IMPACT is the only U.S. nonprofit that tackles the emotional trauma and social isolation experienced by children facing serious and chronic illnesses by matching them with a college athletic team. Our two-year therapeutic program complements a child's medical treatments, allowing the child to develop relationships and skills that help them complete the full circle of healing. Through participation in Team IMPACT's clinically informed program, children experience a true sense of belonging, resulting in increased empowerment, normalization, health promotion, and resilience. Families feel connected and supported as their child achieves individualized goals, while experiencing the joy of team camaraderie and inclusion; and student-athletes gain perspective and inspiration, as well as lessons in adversity and resilience.
Founded in 2011, Team IMPACT has matched more than 2,200 children with 700+ colleges and universities in 49 states, impacting more than 60,000 student-athletes.
Team IMPACT has more than 1,200 teams across the country waiting to be matched with children, ages 5-16, who have been diagnosed with a life-threatening or chronic illness and who could benefit from becoming a member of the team. If you know a child who may be interested, please visit www.teamimpact.org for more information.
