Ferris State Soccer "Signs" 10-year Old Superstar Morgan Franklin Thru Team IMPACT Program
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Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University women's soccer team not only posted back-to-back shutout wins at FSU's Top Taggart Field last weekend, but the Bulldogs also made a big impact in the community as FSU announced the signing of 10-year old superstar Morgan Franklin thru the Team Impact program.
A Muskegon native, Morgan was diagnosed in 2015 with Linear Morphea, an extremely rare disease that causes lesions to grow on her skin. The disease impacts the underlying structures such as muscle and bone, which affects mobility.
Thru the Team Impact program, children such as Morgan are paired with collegiate athletic teams and spend time being exposed to many of the same valuable experiences as student-athletes.
Team IMPACT's mission is to improve the quality of life for children facing life-threatening and chronic illnesses through the power of team. Team IMPACT children are drafted on to college athletic teams, local to where they live and, in effect, become official members of the team from Draft Day through to Graduation.
As part of the weekend activities, Morgan was officially signed as a member of the Bulldog women's soccer squad by head coach Andy McCaslin and FSU team members in a press conference at the Ewigleben Sports Complex.
"We officially added Morgan and her family to our team and we are so excited about this," said McCaslin. "She's such an inspiration to us and she loves Bulldog soccer so she's officially part of our team now. Our student-athletes are really taking her under their wing and it's been a great relationship having her involved."
Along with being signed by the Bulldogs, Ferris State student-athletes also held a special fundraiser for Morgan to help raise funds to support her medical needs. Proceeds from special bracelet sales will help benefit her family and donations are also being accepted.
Team IMPACT is a non-profit organization from Massachusetts whose mission is to pair children with severe diseases with college athletic teams. Through this partnership, the children gain strength and a sense of camaraderie, and are exposed to many of the valuable experiences that student-athletes regularly have.
After being signed to a team at a college near their home in the Team IMPACT program, the young children are invited to various team activities such as games and practices and they forge a relationship that often continues for the duration of the child's treatment and beyond.
For additional information or to donate in honor of Morgan, please contact FSU head coach Andy McCaslin via email at: AndyMcCaslin@ferris.edu.
ABOUT MORGAN:
Morgan is 10 years old and from Muskegon, Mich. She was diagnosed with Linear Morphea in March of 2015. Linear Morphea is an extremely rare disease that causes lesions to grow on her skin. It can also affect not just the skin but the underlying structures such as muscle and bone. Morgan has deep lesions and can lose mobility. Currently, she's having trouble with her right hand thumb and ankle. She sees a dermatologist and goes once a month for steroid infusions. She suffers from back pain and stomach pain as well. It's a very rare skin disorder, so doctors have trouble explaining it. Morgan is homeschooled because of her very weak immune system and she has trouble sitting in hard chairs. She plays soccer and loves it, but some days it can be too painful for her to play. With all that Morgan battles through, she truly epitomizes what it means to be a fighter and is sure to be a huge inspiration to all of her new teammates!
According to Morgan, her favorite foods are Mexican Food, Grilled Chicken, Salads, and BWW's Queso. Her favorite color is lime green and favorite numbers are 94 and 3. Her favorite movies are Frozen and Inside Out and favorite TV show is the Big Bang Theory. Her favorite books are Ivy and Bean, Boxcar Children, and Dork Diaries. Her favorite athlete is Alex Morgan. Morgan enjoys painting rocks for her business Morgan's Creations and spending time with family and cooking.
Morgan and her family have two Chihuahuas named Anna and Maple. Morgan also has a brother named William!
ABOUT TEAM IMPACT:
At Team IMPACT, they envision a future where the lives of children facing the hardships associated with adverse issues and events will have access to collegiate team-based support in order to significantly enhance their quality of life in a number of ways, including; socially, psychologically, physically and academically. Team IMPACT also strives to provide collegiate teams with increased levels of awareness, sympathy and support for the medical and disease communities. Established in 2011, Team IMPACT has already matched over 700 children with collegiate teams, at over 300 institutions in 44 states, improving the quality of life of hundreds of courageous children and touching the lives of over 21,000 student athletes. For more information, please visit: www.goteamimpact.org.