BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian University men's soccer team "signed" 15-year-old Michael Papp of Quakertown to the squad's roster Saturday, September 4 during a Team IMPACT Draft Day.
Michael was diagnosed at age two with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy also known as DMD. DMD is a genetic disorder characterized by progressive muscle degeneration and weakness due to the alterations of a protein called dystrophin that helps keep muscle cells intact. DMD is one of four conditions known as dystrophinopathies. DMD symptom onset is in early childhood, usually between ages 2 and 3. The disease primarily affects boys, but in rare cases it can affect girls.
"While playing our first game since November 5, 2019, and coming away with the overtime win against a very good Dickinson team wasn't exciting enough, we also were able to welcome Michael Papp to the Moravian men's soccer team on Saturday," stated Head Coach Bob Wilkinson. "In a partnership with Team IMPACT, we had Michael's signing day before the game. Michael signed his letter of intent to Moravian with his whole family and our team looking on. It was a very special moment. Michael has made a great impact on our team since we met him last spring. He is upbeat, warm hearted and always glad to give us a few inspiring words before our practices and games. We look forward to having Michael as a part of the team and what we will accomplish in the future."
Team IMPACT is a national nonprofit that connects children facing serious and chronic illnesses with local college athletic teams, forming lifelong bonds and life-changing outcomes. Team IMPACT helps children, like Michael, two be drafted onto local college athletic teams and become an official member of the team to support the child's physical, social, and emotional needs. By being a part of the Moravian University Men's Soccer program, Michael has been at and will continue to attend Greyhounds practices, games, events and more.
Since 2011, Team IMPACT has matched over 2,000 children with more than 700 colleges and universities in 48 states, reaching over 55,000 participating student athletes. The child joins the athletic team and the student athletes join the child's support team – from Draft Day to Graduation. During the journey, the child gains strength, camaraderie, and support while the student athletes experience lessons of courage, resiliency and perspective they can't learn in a classroom. Michael's determination to persevere through adversity has already made him an inspiration to his future Greyhounds teammates.
Saturday's draft day included Michael attending Moravian's 1-0, double-overtime win over Dickinson College to begin the 2021 season, a press conference with him signing his official letter and the Greyhounds revealing a locker for him in the team's locker room.
About Team IMPACT
Team IMPACT is a national nonprofit headquartered in Boston that connects children facing serious or chronic illnesses with college athletic teams, forming lifelong bonds and life-changing outcomes. 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.
