Saint Francis University is known for the tagline "Becoming That Someone." For the last 10 years, the Red Flash men's basketball team has done just that for Jorden "J-Money" McClure after making a connection through Team IMPACT.
 
The relationship started after Jorden's medical team gave the family information and background on Team IMPACT. Once the McClure family said they were interested in working with Team IMPACT, a list of schools was sent to the family, and Saint Francis University was one of those schools.
 
Saint Francis was just not a name on the list for the McClure family. His grandfather and father worked at the university, and his mother and sister are Saint Francis graduates. His sister was a junior when the relationship started. While the family connection was intricate in the selection process, the Saint Francis colors were a great selling point for the then 12-year-old McClure.
 
"They told me their colors and my favorite color was red. I was like, heck yeah, let's do it," said McClure.
 
McClure is affected by Larsen Syndrome, which is a loose joint and connective tissue disorder. It occurs in approximately 1 of 100,000 newborns.
 
The 2013-14 Red Flash men's basketball team sent Jorden and his family emails from the coaches and players so they could get to know each other. The relationship continued to grow, and Jorden came up to campus from his Altoona home to meet the team, where he earned a nickname that has stuck for the last 10 years, so much so that many people do not know that his given name is Jorden.
 
"The guys told us that they all had a nickname, and they introduced themselves with their nicknames. When Earl Brown came up, he said what will we call you? I rattled off a bunch of nicknames that I go by, such as "J" and "Jorden." Earl was sitting there going J… J-Money, there we go. That's your nickname, and everybody agreed."
 
And for the "Casablanca" fans, this was the start of a beautiful friendship between McClure and Saint Francis men's basketball. Sunday, February 11, marks the 10th anniversary of McClure signing a National Letter of Intent with the help of Team IMPACT, a nationwide non-profit organization.
 
Team IMPACT is a unique multiyear program that matches children facing serious illness and disability with college athletic teams nationwide. The mission is to guide children and teams in a mutually beneficial relationship of belonging, empowerment, and resilience. Through this program, the vision is to create a world where every child facing serious illness and disability feels supported by something more significant. Purpose transforms every team.
 
Team IMPACT is a two-year program, but McClure is one of the growing list of success stories, with the relationship lasting longer than the initial two years and will grow into a decade this weekend.
 
"Team IMPACT has only been around for 13 years, so seeing these friendships hit a decade is something worth celebrating," said Team IMPACT's Regional Marketing Manager Katie DePaolo. "As we continue to grow, we continue to see more matches celebrate this milestone, and we're proud Jorden and Saint Francis basketball have formed a truly lifelong friendship."
 
"Seeing these 10-year-plus relationships is truly special," said Elise Keels, the Regional Director of Programs for the Mid-Atlantic. "We want our families entering Team IMPACT to feel like they are part of a family as being part of a college athletic team. Saint Francis basketball is doing exactly that, which is amazing."
 
"Jorden has had as much impact on our program as any player or coach who has been with us during my time as the head coach at Saint Francis," said Saint Francis head coach Rob Krimmel. "His spirit, determination, attitude, commitment, and care have been invaluable to me, the coaches, and all of the players who have competed in a Red Flash uniform since he joined us in 2014." 
 
Along with the school's red color, J-Money picked Saint Francis because it is known for its family atmosphere. To him, each men's basketball player who has come through Saint Francis in the last 10 years is a brother. He has grown from being the player's little brother to now more of a big brother, one of the main reasons the relationship has continued.
 
"I would never want to end the relationship with the basketball team and the coaches because they are my family," said McClure. "The coaches are awesome and great mentors. I have seen them mentor the players about basketball, and I turn those basketball lessons into life lessons."
 
It's a brotherhood for McClure, so you will not get any Tom Smothers "Mom always liked you best" response if asked who his favorite player is because he does not have one. They are all his brothers, and with a family, the love and admiration for each player are the same.
 
As stated, Team IMPACT's mission is to guide children to teams to a mutually beneficial relationship of belonging, empowerment, and resilience. McClure is happiest and thrives just by being around the players or contacting them through text or social media. 
 
"This relationship has helped me with life itself," said McClure. "If I am down in the dumps, the team can pick me back up. It's not that they realize that they pick me back up. Being in their presence and being with them picks me back up."
 
Sometimes, it is just that simple to be there for your brother. In many ways, McClure is doing the same thing for the team.
 
"He doesn't realize how he impacts the players on the team," said Ronnie Drinnon in an NEC-produced video in 2015. "We impact him, but there is another level to it because he is impacting us too."
 
McClure's impact is on display thanks to a quote he created 10 years ago. The quote has evolved, but one word that has become the team's mantra is "Believe."
 
"Jorden has a smile that will light up a room," said Brown in that 2015 NEC video. "There was a half that we were down. Everybody is in a negative mood, and nothing positive is happening in the locker room. You see him come and go, "Come on, guys, believe." It was all he kept saying, and he even brought it into the huddle: "One-two-three believe."
 
"It's such a simple word, but it brought so much to the team," said Stephon Whyatt in that NEC video. "Through anything...if we're having a hard time in practice or a game, we look over and see Jorden. And if you go to him, he'll (say) 'just believe, just be strong, don't let them see you sweat. Just go out and do what you gotta do.'" 
 
The word believe is something that his family instilled in him growing up. They wanted him to believe that he could overcome obstacles in life and with his health, and he did. The doctors said that he would not be able to breathe on his own or hold his head up without assistance, both things that he can do on his own.
 
"As coaches, getting players to BELIEVE in themselves and each other is at the core of what we try to do every day," said Krimmel. "J-Money is responsible for bringing that word and that focus into our program. I will be forever grateful for all that he has done and continues to do for Saint Francis men's basketball."
 
He will tell you being in a family with a military background, the word can't is not in his vocabulary. If you can't do something, you do not believe in yourself.
 
The quote started: "Believe, do your best and don't let them see you sweat." In the last 10 years, McClure has changed it and added more to it that now the quote is, "Believe, do your best, never give up, believe in yourself and believe in each other, fight until the end and leave everything out on the court. Play the hardest you ever had. Go Red Flash." 
 
Each part of the quote has a personal meaning for McClure. 
 
"Do your best. I carry that through life and believe I can do my best in everything," said McClure. "It's who I am. I never give up, and I believe in myself. Believing in each other is me believing in my family, and Saint Francis is an extended family. You have to play every second of the game until that buzzer sounds because the other team can come back, and once the buzzer sounds, you can relax."
 
McClure knows that he will never be able to play a sport, but through his relationship with Saint Francis, he can reach a level that most can only dream of.
 
"I'm not able to play a sport, but look at where I am with Saint Francis," said McClure. "I can go to practices and games, hang out with the guys, and be a part of the team. I am living vicariously through those guys. If it's a win, I'm on cloud nine with those guys. If it's a loss, I feel it for the guys."
 
The first 10 years of this brotherhood have been a thrilling ride for McClure, and he is so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the Red Flash family. 
 
He points to meeting the initial Red Flash team 10 years ago, the day he signed his National Letter of Intent, watching the Keith Braxton buzzer beater at Wagner in the 2017 NEC Semifinals on television, and being at the 2019 NEC Championship Game in Loretto. He described the DeGol Arena as electric that night, and the place was so crowded that he had little room to maneuver his wheelchair.
 
"Jorden has become part of that tagline 'become that someone,'" said Keels. "Jorden's done exactly that. He's become that someone for the team. Over the years, all these different classes of student-athletes have also become that to him and his family. That's exactly meeting the mission and vision of Team IMPACT, so we are honored to see this relationship lasting and what they brought to each other's lives. They are setting an example across the country of what the magic of Team IMPACT can do. Thank you to Jorden, his family, the team, the coaching staff, and everyone who has made it possible."
 
As they say, here is to the next 10 years. 
 
A special note from Jorden "J-Money" McClure
   
About Team IMPACT 
Team IMPACT's unique multiyear program signs children facing serious illness and disability onto college athletic teams nationwide. Based on a clinical model, Team IMPACT guides a symbiotic relationship between teams and children focused on socialization, empowerment, and resilience. It ensures everyone involved has a personalized game plan to win, effectively building confidence and independence. Founded in 2011, Team IMPACT has matched over 3,000 children with 750+ colleges and universities in all 50 states, impacting over 75,000 student-athletes. If you know a child or team who may be interested, please visit www.teamimpact.org.