For the second spring in a row, the Team IMPACT community from around the Boston area came together for Team IMPACT Boston College Field Day at Alumni Stadium. More than 300 children, family members, student-athletes, and volunteers from Boston College, Babson, Bentley, Brandeis, Boston University, Emerson, Endicott, Harvard, Northeastern, Stonehill, Tufts, UMass Lowell, and Roger Williams enjoyed a day of games, activities, friendly competition, and fun to celebrate Team IMPACT’s life-changing work in the Boston area.
The event kicked off with a welcome tunnel, where hundreds of student-athletes from Boston College and other participating schools lined the field as Team IMPACT kids and families ran through to high-fives and cheers from the crowd. Boston College’s Senior Associate Athletics Director for Internal Operations and Senior Woman Administrator Reshauna Cobb opened the event, acknowledging the 31 all-time matches on BC’s campus in the past 13 years and encouraging teams not yet involved to sign up. “We are proud to see so many Boston College student-athletes, coaches, and staff members here today to support Team IMPACT and the amazing families involved in the organization,” she said. “To the families here today, we are excited to welcome you to our campus and thank you for being part of our family.”
Ryan Irwin, Team IMPACT’s Regional Executive Director for the Northeast, thanked BC for hosting the event, giving a special shoutout to the Team IMPACT Fellows on campus. “Annabelle, Lily, Sarah, and Peyton…without their hard work, this event would not be possible,” he said. “Through the power of team, kids and student-athletes accept, motivate, and inspire one another; and our goal is to change the lives of even more student-athletes and families across the country.”
The idea to host a Boston College Field Day sprouted from the minds of BC’s Team IMPACT Fellows Annabelle Hasselbeck (women’s lacrosse), Lily Flynn (cross country), Sarah Flynn (cross country), and Peyton Minyard (women’s volleyball) last spring when they were brainstorming ways to connect Team IMPACT families and teams across the city. From coast to coast, Fellows like Annabelle, Lily, Sarah, and Peyton are changing the game for families and kids in their communities with events like Team IMPACT Boston College Field Day. “Team IMPACT Field Day is important because it reminds student-athletes that your time on campus is so much bigger than what happens on the field,” Annabelle said. “It gives student-athletes the opportunity to use their platform as athletes to bring joy, create relationships, and serve others.”
After posing for a group photo, the field day fun officially began. Event sponsors ’47, Cabot Popcorn, Coca-Cola, Crazy Dough Pizza, Franklin Sports, Shack Shack, and Wegmans helped provide snacks, drinks, and fun. Team IMPACT and Boston College hosted stands for face-painting, friendship bracelet making, a sensory station, painting and coloring, inflatable bounce houses, and more. BC student-athletes even braved the cool spring weather in a dunk tank, bringing smiles to the faces of all those who watched.
Since 2011, Team IMPACT has matched 31 kids to teams at Boston College, including 15 active matches on the men’s golf, men’s and women’s soccer, co-ed skiing, football, field hockey, softball, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, men’s ice hockey, and women’s volleyball teams. In spring of 2021, Boston College became an official campus partner of Team IMPACT, further establishing this long-lasting partnership and demonstrating BC’s dedication to the community and changing the lives of children facing serious illness and disability. Events like Team IMPACT Boston College Field Day emphasize the power of team, the dedication of our Fellows and student-athletes, and the community of support and belonging that is fostered through Team IMPACT.
