Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
9-year-old Austin Willis meets team members at Manuel Rivero Hall
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The Lincoln University Lions baseball players welcomed 9-year-old Austin Willis to their team at a signing ceremony on Sunday at the Manuel Rivero Hall.
Austin, who lives in Smyrna, Delaware, suffered a traumatic brain injury in 2017 and has been engaged in a courageous recovery process since then.
One thing the boy loves is baseball, and the team obliged his passion by signing him to the team and regaling him with several other exciting gifts.
This event came about because the team and Coach Anthony Pla joined with the Boston-headquartered national nonprofit Team Impact, whose mission is to improve the quality of life for children facing serious and chronic illnesses through the power of team.
At mid-afternoon, Austin arrived at the gym lounge with his two younger brothers and his mother, Ashley.
As they took their place at the head table facing the team members, Pla engaged Austin in a special draft day ceremony that had him signing a contract and putting on a Lions baseball cap and jersey.
He also was treated to some other perks.
They included a birthday party the team held for him last week and the promise that he would accompany the team to the Phillies game this week (at which the Lincoln chorus is scheduled to sing the “Star Spangled Banner”).
As Austin signed the contract, Pla advised him that by this signing, he was invited to attend all the Lincoln games and events as well as wear the jersey and cap.
The boy was badly hurt in the accident last year, and Coach Pla said doctors gave him difficult odds for recovery. But his mom, Ashley, said he is responding well to physical therapy and is getting around with a walker.
As he faced the team in the audience, he easily answered questions their questions and accompanied the information with a broad smile.
He likes the Phillies best, he said. He likes the shortstop position best and would like to bat ninth on a team, he added.
After the ceremony, there were photo opportunities with the team as well as with individual members.
And then there was another big surprise.
The team took him back to the locker room and designated for him his own locker. Delighted, he reached over to touch it as we was hoisted in the arms of Lions pitcher Rolando Alvarez.
Pla was delighted as well.
“Today was one of the greatest days in my 16 years as a collegiate coach and I can’t be more proud of my team for putting out the welcome mat for him. This has truly been an amazing experience so far and we are looking forward to the relationship that we will build over the next two years thanks to Team IMPACT,” he said.
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. Since 2011, Team IMPACT has matched more than 1,200 children with more than 450 colleges and universities in 46 states, reaching over 35,000 participating student-athletes. The child joins the athletic team and the student-athletes join the child’s support team. Throughout the journey, the child gains strength, camaraderie and support while the studentathletes experience lessons of courage, resiliency and perspective they can’t learn in a classroom.