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<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\nFor pitcher McKenzie Jones, this responsibility stands as a reminder use her platform every day to support and uplift the next generation\u2014mentally, physically, and spiritually. \u201cIt is important\u202ffor\u202fSerenity\u202fto have us as role models and mentors so she has social opportunities to be around strong women who are not only strong mentally and physically but also spiritually,\u201d McKenzie said. \u201cThis is important because, as a team, we strive to help guide her while also keeping her optimistic and excited about her future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From their official signing day to weekly FaceTime calls, Serenity\u2019s birthday party, and all the special moments in between, the bond between Serenity and the ETBU softball team has been life changing. Serenity isn\u2019t just an honorary teammate\u2014she\u2019s family. \u201cSerenity is a bundle of joy. Since having her join our team last year, it has completely changed our team atmosphere.<\/strong> She\u2019s always keeping us on our toes,\u201d said pitcher Madalyn Melton. \u201cWe go into our time with her with the intention of bringing a smile to her face, but she always blesses us with so much more joy than we could have imagined.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n ETBU Softball Head Coach Janae\u2019 Shirley has seen her team transform since Serenity became a part of it, bringing joy and perspective while deepening their belief in fate. \u201cIt has been such an amazing experience for our team to have\u202fSerenity\u202fbe a part of our program,\u201d she said. \u201cOur team has really loved getting a chance to get to know her better and be surrounded by her joyful spirit.\u202fWe are so thankful God has allowed our paths to cross with\u202fSerenity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Serenity\u2019s presence on the team has been equally transformative to the team\u2019s success on the field as it has been off. When the team won the NCAA Division III National Championship in 2024, it was a historic moment for the university, but what made it even more special was knowing Serenity was cheering them on from home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWinning the National Championship with Serenity on our team made the whole accomplishment mean so much more.<\/strong> Although she wasn’t at the game when we won, we know that she was keeping up with us and cheering us on from home,\u201d Madalyn said. \u201cIt’s really cool to think about the fact that she has the title of \u2018National Champion\u2019 as well.<\/strong> I’m so glad that we were able to share that with her and make the memories that we have so far.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Serenity\u2019s mom, Dawn, echoes this sentiment. The team shows Serenity that they can be competitive and victorious while also showing her that strength, resilience, and joy go hand in hand. \u201cI was proud of Serenity and her teammates when they won the NCAA 2024 Division III Championship,\u201d Dawn said. \u201cAs a parent, it brings me so much joy to see Serenity have a group of girls like the ETBU softball team bring her so much joy.<\/strong> With Serenity\u2019s health condition, the girls bring nothing but joy to Serenity when she\u2019s going through her good days and bad days.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n With Serenity by their side, the ETBU softball team is reminded that sports are more than just wins and losses\u2014they\u2019re about creating a support system that extends beyond the field. \u201cI think Serenity learned from her teammates that practice makes perfect and never give up on your dreams,\u201d said Dawn said. \u201cTeam IMPACT helped in ways that motivated Serenity to stay positive and never give up.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n For McKenzie, Madalyn, and their teammates, they hope their relationship with Serenity will inspire future generations of girls to lead with empathy, faith, and confidence. \u201cBeing women in sports gives us an avenue to help young girls, and we hope to shed light on that through Serenity being a part of our team. We hope to show our love for\u202fSerenity just as Christ loved us through our daily actions and the time we get to spend with her,\u201d McKenzie said. \u201cBy doing this, we hope to set an example for all women in sports to put forth the continuous effort to lift other women and young girls up through the acts of showing love, passion, joy, and faith in all that they do.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBeing a part of Team IMPACT has been such a great reminder to me of what a blessing it is to be able to play this sport,\u201d Madalyn said. \u201cTeam IMPACT has really transformed me into seeing every day on the field as a blessing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n For Dawn, she loves that Serenity now has an entire roster of friends who inspire her every day, just as she inspires them. \u202f\u201cI think women in sports are important for the future because it will inspire other young girls that they can do anything they put their mind to,\u201d Dawn said. \u201cThe girls have taught Serenity so many things<\/strong>,<\/strong> and they also say Serenity has taught them to always be joyful in the midst of obstacles.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n As we celebrate National Girls & Women in Sports Day this February, we are reminded that the impact of sports goes beyond the game itself. It\u2019s about lifting each other up, building lifelong bonds, and making sure that every young girl knows that she is strong, capable, and unstoppable.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" At Team IMPACT, we believe in the power of sports to uplift, inspire, and transform lives. National Girls & Women in Sports Day is a celebration of the resilience, strength, and determination of female athletes everywhere\u2014and we\u2019re celebrating all month long.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":7146,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"mens-teams":[],"class_list":["post-7142","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-announcements"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.teamimpact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Snapinsta.app_438088746_18346952410129870_3324555445396484485_n_1080.jpg?resize=800%2C575&quality=89&ssl=1\")
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