Sparks Notes: September 21, 2008

“Live in the Moment, Play in the Moment.”

The University of Connecticut Women’s Lacrosse team has joined the likes of 42 other NCAA teams in the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation.  Inspired by the Northwestern Women’s Lacrosse Team’s adoption of Jaclyn Murphy in 2005, the foundation works to raise awareness and funding for the research of pediatric brain tumors.  Following the Murphy family’s creation of the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation, college teams across the country have made children suffering from pediatric brain tumors honorary team members in a mutual effort towards support and friendship.

Of the 38 teams involved in the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation, ten are college women’s lacrosse programs.  UConn joins Georgetown University as Big East representatives in the foundation.  A 2004 graduate of Northwestern and two-year assistant coach at UMass, UConn’s first-year head coach Angela McMahon has developed close ties with the program and has helped extend its reach here to UConn.  "I feel very fortunate to be involved with the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation, the Murphy Family, and all the participating families.  It is important to keep life in perspective in college athletics, and meeting amazing people like our team adoptee, Kelsey Hawkins, gives our players a great sense of humility.  Working with the Friends of Jaclyn has been a fantastic experience, and one that I hope spreads through all of the NCAA."

McMahon’s involvement helped foster our participation in a monumental day for the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation, its First Annual 5k race.  Held on September 21, 2008 at Amherst College in Massachusetts, the race included nine college teams, from UConn, UMass, Amherst, Mt. Holyoke College, as well as local citizens.  In addition to the 5 kilometer cross country course, participants could opt to enjoy a One Mile Fun Walk.  Prior to the race, a pep rally was held in Amherst College’s gymnasium, where a collection of speakers discussed the background of the foundation and motivated the participants.  Denis Murphy, Jaclyn’s father and founder of the foundation, spoke to the sentiments of its goals.  “Watching a child suffer is absolute torture, but you student-athletes give parents like me a gift. This foundation is about love, support and friendship—not about which teams are adopting which kids. We’re here to say ‘thank you’.”

Fittingly, we were formally introduced to our new lacrosse sister and her family at the 5k event. Kelsey Hawkins, a nineteen-year-old recent high school graduate of Simsbury High School in Connecticut, is the latest addition to the Husky squad.  “The day of the race when I met the team was kind of overwhelming, but really exciting,” she says. Diagnosed early in life with a brain tumor, Kelsey has endured a difficult childhood full of doctor visits and surgeries.  “It’s wonderful knowing there’s a group thinking of her and being supportive,” Kelsey’s mom said.  “To make this connection at this time has been a real blessing.” 

The beauty of the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation is in its reciprocal nature, as we feel truly grateful to embrace Kelsey as a teammate. The resilience and spirit both Kelsey and her family possess is admirable and inspiring and her immediate love and support of our team has been refreshing and touching.  We have enjoyed her bright outlook even on a rainy day, as she made it out with her umbrella to watch an inter-squad scrimmage, donned in both blue and white, cheering for both sides.  The relationship between our team and the Hawkins family has just begun, but we are looking forward to furthering this new bond.  All the while, however, we will continue to follow the Friends of Jaclyn mantra, “Live in the Moment, Play in the Moment.”

Photos from the Friends of Jaclyn Race