{"id":83333,"date":"2020-03-18T09:07:50","date_gmt":"2020-03-18T13:07:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/?p=83333"},"modified":"2020-03-27T11:01:46","modified_gmt":"2020-03-27T15:01:46","slug":"putting-the-impact-in-team","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/2020\/03\/18\/putting-the-impact-in-team\/","title":{"rendered":"Putting the impact in team"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>

Nine-year-old Jesse Burns signed with the Wright State baseball team through a partnership with Team Impact, which matches children who have serious and chronic conditions with college athletic teams.<\/p><\/div>\n

By Alan Hieber \u201916<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

W<\/span>hat might seem a simple gesture to some can often make a great impact on someone\u2019s life. Team Impact, a nonprofit organization that partners with Wright State University\u2019s baseball and golf teams, recently made that level of positive contribution to a pair of Dayton-area families. Team Impact is a national organization that matches children who have serious and chronic conditions with local college athletic teams. The children sign a letter of intent as if they were a high school recruit and participate in practices, games, and team outings.<\/p>\n

Jesse Burns, 9<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

Jesse Burns of Beavercreek is a 9-year-old with cerebral palsy. He signed with the baseball team in fall 2019 after having gotten to know the players and coaches.<\/p>\n

Jesse being paired with Wright State was a natural choice.<\/p>\n

Jesse\u2019s mother Elizabeth Burns \u201904, \u201915, an intervention specialist, holds a bachelor\u2019s degree and master\u2019s degree in education from Wright State. His father Jeremy Burns \u201902, \u201904, also an alumnus, earned degrees in electrical engineering.<\/p>\n

Prior to his signing ceremony, Jesse was given a special lanyard, similar to a media pass, with his name printed on it.<\/p>\n

Then it was time for his big day.<\/p>\n

Jesse rolled onto the Nischwitz Stadium turf in his power wheelchair to a table set up for him to sign his commitment document.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey did a signing as if he were a high school athlete committing to the team. It was really sweet, and they gave him a lot of official team gear,\u201d Elizabeth said. \u201cThen he got to lead the team in a chant at home plate, and they had a pizza party.\u201d<\/p>\n

Elizabeth said Wright State coach Alex Sogard and Jesse have formed a special bond.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s nice for [Jesse] to have another adult male mentor and somebody who sees the good parts in him, because not everyone is very accepting when people are different,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Sogard said Jesse has been an inspiration to everyone involved with the team.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we found out about Team Impact, we were really excited about the possibility of making a difference with a local kid who is a huge baseball fan,\u201d Sogard said. \u201cFrom the moment we met Jesse, we knew he would be a great fit with our guys.\u201d<\/p>\n

Baseball fans might have to reassess their level of passion after meeting Jesse. When the avid Toronto Blue Jays fan watches and listens to games, he gears up in style with a bat and helmet. His mother describes Jesse\u2019s fascination with the game as an \u201cobsession.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has MLB TV, and we\u2019re still watching baseball games from the past season,\u201d Elizabeth said.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Individuals with disabilities and their advocates can feel like outcasts due to their differences from others. If any of that existed when Jesse began interacting with the players, it quickly vanished, Elizabeth said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve really enjoyed watching some of the players go from being a little nervous about being around Jesse to being really comfortable in talking to him,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s also been great to see Jesse\u2019s confidence and see him know that he\u2019s an important part of the team. He isn\u2019t scared to just go and hang out with the guys, and he knows that he fits in.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s nice that this is a group of people who just embrace who Jesse is with his love for baseball and not discarding him because he\u2019s in a wheelchair or can\u2019t talk.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite the vocal limitations that exist for Jesse, a simple facial expression can speak volumes about his feelings, as junior Raider first baseman Zane Harris has observed.<\/p>\n

\u201cSeeing [Jesse\u2019s] smile when he is around baseball is priceless,\u201d Harris said. \u201cHe\u2019s so happy to be a part of the team and be with the guys. We all love Jesse and can\u2019t wait to have him by our side this season.\u201d<\/p>\n

Elizabeth has also witnessed a few other indicators of friendship.<\/p>\n

\u201cJesse asks to go to see his friends at the baseball field via sign language or his communication device,\u201d she said. \u201cThe fact he calls them his friends is a big deal. He cries when we say no or have to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n

Junior pitcher Daniel Kreuzer said Jesse\u2019s demeanor is what people remember after meeting him.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe energy Jesse carries with him wherever he goes is unmatched. For someone living with his condition, there is adversity,\u201d Kreuzer said. \u201cJesse has done what every player on our team strives to do not only in baseball, but also in life. He is very much a Raider with the way he lives his life. It is an honor to be his teammate.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Eleven-year-old James \u201cJ.J.\u201d Hill signed with the Wright State golf team in front of thousands at a men\u2019s basketball home game at the Nutter Center.<\/p><\/div>\n

James \u201cJ.J.\u201d Hill, 11<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

Getting connected with his Raider family also seemed like destiny for James \u201cJ.J.\u201d Hill, an 11-year-old with Type 1 diabetes. Austin Sipe \u201918, a member of the golf team from 2013 to 2017, has the same physical challenges and has discussed them during speaking appearances at local tournaments.<\/p>\n

This understanding of Sipe\u2019s Type 1 diabetes led to Wright State\u2019s golfers sharing common ground with James.<\/p>\n

\u201cCoach [Brian] Arlinghaus knows more about the disease because he\u2019s dealt with it through Austin, and some of the guys that are familiar with Austin also know,\u201d James\u2019 mother Carly said. \u201cIt makes James feel a lot more comfortable that when he has to check his blood sugar and get insulin, they understand.\u201d<\/p>\n

The spotlight was on James last January in front of thousands attending a Wright State men\u2019s basketball home game. His face glowed as he put pen to paper while seated with his mother and Arlinghaus at a table set up at midcourt with his golf teammates standing in uniform behind him.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, he was so excited. There were TV cameras and cheering fans,\u201d Carly said. \u201cHe had all of the team there behind him to support him. He had talked about it for months leading up to it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The sometimes-shy young man has had a boost of confidence in conversing with his newfound friends and has been built up much like the Legos he plays with. He also has an affinity for using “The Avengers” as an ice breaker, his mother noted.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been a lot of fun getting to know J.J. and see him come out of his shell around the team,\u201d Arlinghaus said. \u201cWhen we first met him, he was a little shy and apprehensive, but as he got to know the guys, he really opened up. Now he\u2019s a complete chatterbox when we\u2019re together.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce he gets started on Legos or ‘The Avengers’\u2014look out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Senior golfer Austin Schoonmaker said getting to know James has taken some time.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe always has the biggest smile on his face when he is with us, which is awesome to see, especially when he is watching us in our events,\u201d he said. \u201cJ.J. has certainly meshed well with everyone on the team. I am truly thankful for Team Impact to have set us up with such a wonderful person and teammate.\u201d<\/p>\n

James is also working on his own golf skills\u2014for now, using a putter.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s learning to like golf. We let him putt, but we don\u2019t let him do much else because we don\u2019t trust him with the golf club yet,\u201d Carly said with a chuckle.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Spending time with the golf team has helped James \u201cJ.J.\u201d Hill learn the sport and build his confidence.<\/p><\/div>\n

The 2019 spring golf season was one of coronation for the Raiders as the team captured its first Horizon League tournament championship and NCAA regional tournament appearance since 2004. This meant the obligatory awarding of rings for the conference title.<\/p>\n

It also meant that memento being given to James.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were going to surprise him, but Coach Arlinghaus measured his finger and he said, \u2018Mom, I\u2019m getting a ring of some sort,\u2019\u201d Carly said. \u201cHe knew.\u201d<\/p>\n

Above all, Team Impact has provided a supportive peer group for James that helps him overcome his shyness. Some golf team members even attended a recent birthday party for him, an emotional moment for his mother.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey gave my son a group of friends that he didn\u2019t have. He has people to connect with,\u201d she said. \u201cWhen he\u2019s having a bad day, I can message any one of them, and they\u2019ll call or FaceTime, and as soon as he sees their faces, he lights up. They have busy schedules, but they still always find time for J.J.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust watching him get to have those friends makes me want to cry.\u201d<\/p>\n

For more information on Team Impact, visit goteamimpact.org<\/a>. For more information on the baseball team, golf team, and Wright State athletics, visit wsuraiders.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This article was originally published in the spring 2020 issue of the Wright State Magazine. Find more stories at wright.edu\/alumnimag<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Two local boys make a lasting impact on the Wright State baseball and golf teams. Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":83349,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[733,4309,2798,725,4827,715],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-83333","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alumni","category-alumni-association","category-athletics","category-home-news-sidebar","category-magazine","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83333","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/23"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=83333"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83333\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":84133,"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83333\/revisions\/84133"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/83349"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=83333"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=83333"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=83333"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}