Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Women's Hockey Adopts Nyla as Part of Team Impact
February 05, 2014 | Women's Ice Hockey
PRINCETON, N.J. (2/8/14) – The Princeton wommen's hockey team "adopted" six-year-old Nyla last week as part of the team's involvement with Team IMPACT.
Team IMPACT is a non-profit chartered to improve the quality of life for children facing life-threatening illnesses. Core to our model is harnessing the power of teamwork by matching these courageous kids with college athletic teams. Team IMPACT children are drafted onto local college athletic teams and, to the greatest extent possible, become an official member of the team for the duration of their treatment and beyond.
This past Saturday, the Tigers formally inducted Nyla as a member of the Princeton women's hockey team. Six-year-old Nyla, who suffers from a rare brain condition, was given her Official Visit itinerary with a full day of activities with the team.
Nyla went with the team to pre-game meal at Whitman College and was given a tour of Hobey Baker Rink. She created and decorated signs to hold up for the game with her new teammates, namely senior captain Rose Alleva and sophomore Karen McDonald who have taken a lead on the project.
“With the support of her new hockey teammates, she will be given the boost she needs to keep fighting,” Alleva said. “She doesn't have any siblings so she can't wait to join the team and gain 23 big sisters.”
Her formal induction into the team began with head coach Jeff Kampersal announcing Nyla as the newest member of the team and presenting her with her own Princeton hockey jersey. Nyla was abe to sit in her very own stall, decorated by the team.
After participating in pre-game huddles in the locker room and getting fist bumps by the players on the way to the ice, Nyla took her seat and cheered on her new sisters as the Tigers defeated Dartmouth 3-2.
