Mountaineers Making an IMPACT
January 25, 2018 01:12 PM | Men's Swimming & Diving, Women's Swimming & Diving
There are always opportunities for one to make an impact on someone else's life. At West Virginia University, the men's and women's swimming and diving teams have recognized this and are getting involved.
The Mountaineer swimmers and divers have partnered with Team IMPACT, a nonprofit, Boston-based organization, whose mission is to improve the quality of life for children facing chronic illnesses through the power of a team. Essentially, the group connects kids with local teams to form bonds with life-changing possibilities.
Through Team IMPACT, the Mountaineers were introduced to Wyatt DeWitt, a 5-year-old from Terra Alta, West Virginia. Wyatt is battling spina bifida – a birth defect involving the back and spinal cord that makes it difficult to walk. But that hasn't stopped him from enjoying fun activities and growing up like any other child.
It hasn't taken long for Wyatt's personality to make an impact at the WVU Natatorium, either.
Wyatt and his family will be in attendance on Saturday, Jan. 27, when the Mountaineers play host to their final meet of the season. Along with supporting WVU, Wyatt will receive an official welcome into the Mountaineer swimming and diving family, with help from Team IMPACT's "Draft Day" ceremony.
"When (WVU Outreach Coordinator) Donnie (Tucker) asked me if our program would be interested in working with Team IMPACT, I knew immediately this was a great opportunity for us," WVU coach Vic Riggs said. "After (Team IMPACT Mid-Atlantic Relationship Manager) Sam (Spall) explained Team IMPACT to me and our leadership team of Alex (Pampalone), Morgan (Carr), Jake (Armstrong) and Ryan (Kelly), we got started right away, and we were introduced to Wyatt earlier this month. What a special day for everyone involved. We are excited to welcome Wyatt to our program and look forward to our team's future with him."
Since 2011, Team IMPACT has matched more than 1,300 kids with local colleges and universities around the country. The goal is always to create feelings such as self-confidence, optimism and sense of belonging, among others. However, these unique relationships often play a big role on a student-athlete's life, too. Sam Spall, Team IMPACT's Mid-Atlantic Relationship Manager, says the program's bonds go a long way in terms of impacting an entire team.
"Through our program, we're obviously hoping to be able to help these kids, but at the same time, we want to be able to provide these student-athletes with a prospective on life that they won't be able to learn in a classroom," Spall said. "We like to think of it as a win-win for everyone involved."
Team IMPACT operates on a referral basis, which means it works to find a team that would be a good match after getting to know a child's family that's interested in getting involved. In Wyatt's case, communication between the nonprofit and the WVU athletic department, including Outreach Coordinator Donnie Tucker, effectively set up a partnership with the Mountaineer swimming and diving program.
One of the big ways the organization works with collegiate programs is through the creation of a leadership team. Included in that are student-athletes who get the chance to work first-hand with kids, welcoming them to a new group of supporters.
The Mountaineer leadership team was also the first group that took Wyatt for a dip in the pool upon his arrival on campus a few weeks ago.
"My experience with Wyatt has been amazing," sophomore Ryan Kelly said. "He has such a bright personality that rubbed off on me as soon as he came on the pool deck. We had so much fun in the pool, and he gave us joy that lasted long after he left. Being able to work with Team IMPACT is such a great opportunity for this program. Wyatt will be a constant reminder of how grateful we are to be a part of this awesome team and aid in the positive training environment."
For WVU swimming and diving, making a difference outside of the pool is a major pillar of the program's identity. The Mountaineers are excited to welcome Wyatt into their special family, where support is never far from reach.
Everyone involved in Team IMPACT's partnerships strives to incorporate an atmosphere for kids to thrive. It's that type of encouragement that can really assist in achieving the mission of helping children everywhere in need.
"Every parent that signs their child up for this program is doing so because they want to increase their child's support network," Spall said. "They want their child to know that whatever they may be going through, they aren't going through it alone. There are other people thinking about them out there."
The Mountaineers will be in action on Saturday, Jan. 27, as the men's and women's teams face Villanova. The women also will take on Big 12 foe Iowa State at the Senior Day meet. Diving begins at 9:45 a.m. ET, while swimming commences at 11 a.m. at the WVU Natatorium.
The Mountaineer swimmers and divers have partnered with Team IMPACT, a nonprofit, Boston-based organization, whose mission is to improve the quality of life for children facing chronic illnesses through the power of a team. Essentially, the group connects kids with local teams to form bonds with life-changing possibilities.
Through Team IMPACT, the Mountaineers were introduced to Wyatt DeWitt, a 5-year-old from Terra Alta, West Virginia. Wyatt is battling spina bifida – a birth defect involving the back and spinal cord that makes it difficult to walk. But that hasn't stopped him from enjoying fun activities and growing up like any other child.
It hasn't taken long for Wyatt's personality to make an impact at the WVU Natatorium, either.
Wyatt and his family will be in attendance on Saturday, Jan. 27, when the Mountaineers play host to their final meet of the season. Along with supporting WVU, Wyatt will receive an official welcome into the Mountaineer swimming and diving family, with help from Team IMPACT's "Draft Day" ceremony.
"When (WVU Outreach Coordinator) Donnie (Tucker) asked me if our program would be interested in working with Team IMPACT, I knew immediately this was a great opportunity for us," WVU coach Vic Riggs said. "After (Team IMPACT Mid-Atlantic Relationship Manager) Sam (Spall) explained Team IMPACT to me and our leadership team of Alex (Pampalone), Morgan (Carr), Jake (Armstrong) and Ryan (Kelly), we got started right away, and we were introduced to Wyatt earlier this month. What a special day for everyone involved. We are excited to welcome Wyatt to our program and look forward to our team's future with him."
Since 2011, Team IMPACT has matched more than 1,300 kids with local colleges and universities around the country. The goal is always to create feelings such as self-confidence, optimism and sense of belonging, among others. However, these unique relationships often play a big role on a student-athlete's life, too. Sam Spall, Team IMPACT's Mid-Atlantic Relationship Manager, says the program's bonds go a long way in terms of impacting an entire team.
"Through our program, we're obviously hoping to be able to help these kids, but at the same time, we want to be able to provide these student-athletes with a prospective on life that they won't be able to learn in a classroom," Spall said. "We like to think of it as a win-win for everyone involved."
Team IMPACT operates on a referral basis, which means it works to find a team that would be a good match after getting to know a child's family that's interested in getting involved. In Wyatt's case, communication between the nonprofit and the WVU athletic department, including Outreach Coordinator Donnie Tucker, effectively set up a partnership with the Mountaineer swimming and diving program.
One of the big ways the organization works with collegiate programs is through the creation of a leadership team. Included in that are student-athletes who get the chance to work first-hand with kids, welcoming them to a new group of supporters.
The Mountaineer leadership team was also the first group that took Wyatt for a dip in the pool upon his arrival on campus a few weeks ago.
"My experience with Wyatt has been amazing," sophomore Ryan Kelly said. "He has such a bright personality that rubbed off on me as soon as he came on the pool deck. We had so much fun in the pool, and he gave us joy that lasted long after he left. Being able to work with Team IMPACT is such a great opportunity for this program. Wyatt will be a constant reminder of how grateful we are to be a part of this awesome team and aid in the positive training environment."
For WVU swimming and diving, making a difference outside of the pool is a major pillar of the program's identity. The Mountaineers are excited to welcome Wyatt into their special family, where support is never far from reach.
Everyone involved in Team IMPACT's partnerships strives to incorporate an atmosphere for kids to thrive. It's that type of encouragement that can really assist in achieving the mission of helping children everywhere in need.
"Every parent that signs their child up for this program is doing so because they want to increase their child's support network," Spall said. "They want their child to know that whatever they may be going through, they aren't going through it alone. There are other people thinking about them out there."
The Mountaineers will be in action on Saturday, Jan. 27, as the men's and women's teams face Villanova. The women also will take on Big 12 foe Iowa State at the Senior Day meet. Diving begins at 9:45 a.m. ET, while swimming commences at 11 a.m. at the WVU Natatorium.
Players Mentioned
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