BOSTON, MA – MARCH 4: The Boston University Terriers host the 2017 Hockey East Women’s Championship during NCAA women’s hockey at Walter Brown Arena on March 4, 2017 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Rich Gagnon)
As most of you know, Kayla became a member of the UVM Women’s Hockey team last year through Team Impact. Team Impact takes children with illnesses and places them on a local sports team. Kayla’s involvement with the UVM hockey players and being part of their team has been life changing. As we sat in Walter Brown Arena a couple of weeks ago and watched her team play an unbelievable game against BC, I reminded her that her team might lose and that means the season will be over. As BC scored during the second overtime, I looked over and saw Kayla sobbing. She truly felt what her team was feeling — pure sadness.
I can’t imagine what it must feel like to be a parent of a team member and see your child’s heart break because they lost. All the women on that team played with so much strength and dignity! To lose was heartbreaking. And then to look at Kayla and see her sadness was devastating. Kayla loves life and is so happy. She never cries and is never sad. But to see her connection to this team, to watch her feel the team’s loss was touching because she feels like she belongs.
I want to personally thank Team Impact and UVM athletics for putting this together for Kayla. Team Impact has allowed Kayla to increase her independence, improve her confidence, and develop meaningful relationships with people. The connections she has made to UVM have been incredible. Her teammates, parents of her teammates, the coaches, the facility workers, the food vendors, and the athletic department staff have all been accommodating, accepting, and wonderful to Kayla and our family.
The entire way back to the hotel, and on our drive back to Vermont, Kayla kept asking how her team was doing. “Do you think they are back? Do you think they are still sad? I wish they had won so we could go see them play today. Will I ever see Madi again? What about Bridget, Sarah, Rachael, Cassidy, Victoria, & Casey? Will they come back?” I tried to answer the questions as best as I could and just tried to remind her that her teammates stick together no matter where they end up.
Kayla’s response: “I just love them so much mom, and it’s sad to see them go.”