The road to becoming a National Champion hasn’t always been an easy one for 10-year-old Drew. Drew lives with a heart condition called hypoplastic left heart syndrome and additional diagnoses. Before the age of two, Drew had already undergone three open heart surgeries. He now takes daily medications to help manage his conditions, has regular checkups with doctors, and will likely have to have more surgeries as he grows. Though Drew has overcome many obstacles in his 10 years, they’ve never stopped him from being the silly, energetic, strong-willed, friend to everyone that he is.
In August of 2023, Drew was matched with the Indiana football team through Team IMPACT, and it was the start of something special. Drew lives in Westport, IN, which is a bit of a drive to campus in Bloomington. But like most things in his life, distance won’t stop Drew, especially when it comes to being a good teammate.
From the very beginning, Drew has embraced his role with the Hoosiers. Whether he’s running out with the team on game day as the beloved “kickoff kid,” dapping up players with knuckles on the field, or staying connected through the group chat when he can’t be there in person, Drew shows up with pure joy and pride. Football isn’t just something he loves—it’s something he now lives.
And for both Drew and his teammates this season, that hard work and dedication paid off on the biggest stage in the biggest way. This season, Drew and his teammates became National Champions.
Though a National Championship win is never guaranteed, Drew’s confidence that his team would achieve this milestone never wavered. When asked how it feels to officially be a National Champ, Drew’s steadfast belief in his team was on full display. “Good,” he said, “because I knew we would win!”
That confidence feels right at home with Indiana Football. Before the National Championship game, Drew was welcomed onto the field to be right beside his teammates during their warmups. He got to meet Mark Cuban, take selfies with Holly Rowe, and get his teammates pumped up for the biggest game of their lives. Drew’s favorite moments from Game Day are exactly what you’d expect from the MVP of a National Championship team. “Getting on the field and getting to give the guys knuckles!” he said, “And winning!”
For Drew and his family, this match with the Indiana football team has been sprinkled with many “favorite moments.” One of the most unforgettable memories came during the spring game, when Drew scored a touchdown in front of his cheering teammates and crowd. Now, after a few seasons and countless memories together, Drew’s impact goes far beyond that one game-winning play. Football is now a core part of Drew’s identity and of the team culture of the Hoosiers. Back home, he even helps coach his brother’s football team, proudly sharing what he’s learned, passing along the love of the game, and showcasing the confidence and belonging he has found with the Hoosiers.
When asked what he has learned from his teammates, Drew said, “They make me feel strong and showed me how to kick a football!” For Drew’s mom, Ashleigh, watching her son thrive with Indiana Football has been nothing short of incredible. She can see the strength he has gained in himself on display in so much of his daily life. That sense of belonging has made a lasting difference in not only Drew but his entire family. “Drew is more excited and confident to share with his buddies that his teammates are the Hoosiers,” she said. “The team has been such great role models to our boys and have made our whole family feel part of it all.”
When Drew’s teammates, including Heisman winner and starting Hoosiers quarterback, Fernando Mendoza, sent Drew a video personally inviting him to the game, his excitement was immediate and unforgettable. “He would rewatch the video and then ask, ‘They really want me to come to Miami, mom?!’” Ashleigh shared.
For Ashleigh, the National Championship was a perfect culmination of the magic that sparks from this friendship. “Going to the National Championship was a dream come true. Being able to go and watch your favorite team win, it was something we won’t ever forget,” she said. “Being a part of the Indiana Hoosiers football team has been such a blessing. We’ve felt so welcomed and loved from the very start!”
Ashleigh is forever grateful to Team IMPACT for making moments like these possible for her son and her family—moments she says are dreams that have become reality. “Team IMPACT is the best organization to help create memories like these for families who only dreamed moments like this could be possible,” she said. “We feel extremely blessed to be a part of the Team IMPACT family.”
After two years with the Hoosiers, a championship season, and a once-in-a-lifetime trip, Ashleigh’s gratitude runs deep. “Thank you all for this amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience. None of this would be possible without the great organization Team IMPACT is and all its amazing people,” she said. “A lot goes into something like this, and we thank you all. We had the most memorable trip—one that we could ever ask for and more. No amount of thanks could ever express how grateful we are as a family.”
At just 10 years old, Drew may be the youngest champion on the Hoosiers roster, but his impact on his teammates and his commitment to bringing a champion mentality to all he does is something the Indiana Football family will carry for years to come.
