KENNESAW, Ga. - Kennesaw State baseball welcomed Bobby Baird to the team through the Team IMPACT organization, head coach Ryan Coe announced during a signing event last week.

Bobby lives with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). It is a progressive, terminal, neuromuscular disease and that currently has no cure.

Team IMPACT, a national non-profit organization, has developed a unique multiyear program that matches children facing serious illness and disability with college athletic teams across the country. Based on a clinical model, Team IMPACT guides a symbiotic relationship between teams and children focused on socialization, empowerment, and resilience.

“Being a part of the KSU baseball team has had such a positive impact in Bobby’s life as well as the rest of the family,” Bobby's mother, Beth Baird, said. “Having Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy can make life very isolating - as his friends get stronger and more active, Bobby's disease steals his physical strength and stamina.”

Because of his need for accessibility, visiting with friends has become difficult - especially for someone like Bobby who loves to be a part of things and socialize.

“Since being a part of the KSU team, he now has gamedays to look forward to and has gained confidence as he interacts with his teammates," Beth added. "He loves being able to fist bump some luck to his teammates before home games or post a supportive video for away games. He believes in all of his teammates and is proud of them no matter the outcome. Being part of the baseball team also has given Bobby more common ground with his brother David, who is a sports fanatic. It’s been great for them to be able to bond more over talking about baseball and the Owls.”

DMD progressively degenerates muscles and causes fatigue, but it does not diminish Bobby's spirit or positive attitude.

“He is a true warrior and has faced each loss of skill with a matter-of-fact attitude," Beth said. “The day he could no longer take any steps, he just said, ‘Well, it looks like I’m done walking,’ and he happily rolled off in his wheelchair to go build another LEGO set.”

“As Bobby’s mom, it’s also been great boost for my own mental health,” Beth said. “Seeing Bobby included and bonding with so many great people brings great joy and some happy tears. Our family motto is ‘Keep Moving Forward’ and we do this by giving Bobby as many experiences as we can. Being a part of Team IMPACT and being matched with KSU ranks as one of the best experiences, second only to the day we met Bobby in China and he became a Baird.”

About Team IMPACT
Team IMPACT's unique multiyear program signs children facing serious illness and disability onto college athletic teams across the country. Based on a clinical model, Team IMPACT guides a symbiotic relationship between teams and children focused on socialization, empowerment, and resilience, ensuring everyone involved has the personalized game plan they need to win – effectively building confidence and independence. Founded in 2011, Team IMPACT has matched over 3,000 children with 700+ colleges and universities in all 50 states, impacting more than 75,000 student-athletes. If you know a child or team who may be interested, please visit www.teamimpact.org.