Colorado's Tad Boyle presents Blake Moraska with his #47 jersey
Photo by: Tyler Davis
Blake Moraska Joins Buffs Through Team IMPACT
February 22, 2024 | Men's Basketball
BOULDER – Colorado men's basketball partnered with Team IMPACT to add a new player to its roster here Thursday, signing 12-year-old Blake Moraska as the newest member of the Buffaloes.
With the whole team watching, Blake officially became a part of the black and gold for life when he signed his National Letter of Intent. He was joined by mom and dad, Alison and Albert, sister Aria and brother Arleigh as he chose to wear No. 47 for the Buffs.
"First off, we've had our eye on you and your family for a long time Blake," said head coach Tad Boyle, expressing his excitement ahead of the signing. "It's a great day to be a Buff. It's a great day to join our Buff family and we welcome you with open arms."
Team IMPACT paired Blake with the Buffaloes in November 2023 and it has been a perfect match so far as he is a die-hard CU fan and makes it to almost every game. Team IMPACT's unique multiyear program signs children facing serious illness and disability onto college athletic teams across the country, impacting more than 3,000 children and 75,000 student-athletes since 2011. The impact was definitely felt in the building when Blake signed that paper and held up that No. 47 Buffs jersey.
"Blake's been around for a little bit," Boyle said. "He's come to some pregame meals. He's been to some games. So today's a day we can commemorate everything with signing you to a letter of intent so congratulations and welcome to the Buff family."
Blake is currently in seventh grade at Southern Hills Middle School. He loves sports, being outside canoeing and fishing, and he also enjoys playing video games as well. When he was a baby, he was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis which has resulted in frequent medical appointments, ongoing medications, and multiple surgeries during his lifetime.
Despite the troubles that Blake and his family have had to endure, they have fought to stay positive each and every day and look forward to lifelong friendships with the Buffs through Team IMPACT.
"It's an absolute honor for us to become part of the team especially for Blake," Alison Moraska said. "We've been to practically all of your games so far and what we definitely see is the amount of hard work and perseverance and dedication that you guys show every single game.
"To me that just represents what we also see in Blake when he faces his everyday challenges just to get out the door and live a normal life. So we're hoping that we can form a really great relationship with you guys and we can inspire each other just to be the best that we can."
It appears that the relationships have already begun and Blake has already impacted the team as KJ Simpson exclaimed, "We love you, Blake!" after the signing was made official. Blake's story serves as an inspiration to not only the Buffs but to the entire Boulder community and will continue to touch the lives of many others.
With the whole team watching, Blake officially became a part of the black and gold for life when he signed his National Letter of Intent. He was joined by mom and dad, Alison and Albert, sister Aria and brother Arleigh as he chose to wear No. 47 for the Buffs.
"First off, we've had our eye on you and your family for a long time Blake," said head coach Tad Boyle, expressing his excitement ahead of the signing. "It's a great day to be a Buff. It's a great day to join our Buff family and we welcome you with open arms."
Team IMPACT paired Blake with the Buffaloes in November 2023 and it has been a perfect match so far as he is a die-hard CU fan and makes it to almost every game. Team IMPACT's unique multiyear program signs children facing serious illness and disability onto college athletic teams across the country, impacting more than 3,000 children and 75,000 student-athletes since 2011. The impact was definitely felt in the building when Blake signed that paper and held up that No. 47 Buffs jersey.
"Blake's been around for a little bit," Boyle said. "He's come to some pregame meals. He's been to some games. So today's a day we can commemorate everything with signing you to a letter of intent so congratulations and welcome to the Buff family."
Blake is currently in seventh grade at Southern Hills Middle School. He loves sports, being outside canoeing and fishing, and he also enjoys playing video games as well. When he was a baby, he was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis which has resulted in frequent medical appointments, ongoing medications, and multiple surgeries during his lifetime.
Despite the troubles that Blake and his family have had to endure, they have fought to stay positive each and every day and look forward to lifelong friendships with the Buffs through Team IMPACT.
"It's an absolute honor for us to become part of the team especially for Blake," Alison Moraska said. "We've been to practically all of your games so far and what we definitely see is the amount of hard work and perseverance and dedication that you guys show every single game.
"To me that just represents what we also see in Blake when he faces his everyday challenges just to get out the door and live a normal life. So we're hoping that we can form a really great relationship with you guys and we can inspire each other just to be the best that we can."
It appears that the relationships have already begun and Blake has already impacted the team as KJ Simpson exclaimed, "We love you, Blake!" after the signing was made official. Blake's story serves as an inspiration to not only the Buffs but to the entire Boulder community and will continue to touch the lives of many others.