The University of Akron Athletics
Zips Join with Team IMPACT to add Maverick Westover to Akron Roster for 2016
August 19 | Men's Soccer
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AKRON, Ohio - The University of Akron men's soccer team and head coach Jared Embick announced the signing of Maverick Westover on Friday, Aug. 19. The 11-year-old Akron native, signed a national letter of intent to join the Zips' men's soccer squad this season.
"We are excited about Maverick joining our program this season," Embick commented. "He embodies a lot of characteristics that we look for in an Akron soccer player. The two that stood out most to me were his character and toughness. If those character traits can rub off on our team, we will have a much better chance to achieve our goals this season."
Team IMPACT, an organization that connects children facing chronic or life threatening illnesses to college athletic teams in an effort to improve their quality of life, orchestrated Maverick's recruitment with the Akron men's soccer program.
Maverick deals with Common Variable Immune Deficiency (CVID), which makes him highly susceptible to infection, especially in his lungs, sinuses, and ears.
ABOUT TEAM IMPACT:
Team IMPACT is a 501(c)3 nonprofit whose 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. 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 medial and disease communities. Established in 2011, Team IMPACT has already matched over 700 children with collegiate teams at over 300 institutions in 42 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.
