SAN ANTONIO ­– The St. Mary's University Softball team is thrilled to announced the signing of Lucia Gonzalez to the team through a partnership with Team IMPACT.
 
Gonzalez is an 11-year-old from San Antonio who is bravely fighting through her second bout with a rare cancer, synovial sarcoma, and has remained positive and funny throughout. She loves her pets, two dogs and a cat, and her family, and is excited to learn more about softball with the Rattlers.
 
"You are a fighter," teammate Aly Garcia said to Lucia. "And the true winner here, even on the days when being brave feels hard. Today, you're becoming our teammate, and that means you have all of us here beside you. You don't have to be strong every moment because that's what our teammates are here for, just like you're here for us. We can't wait to share laughs, make memories, and help you, cheering you on."
 
Lucia's first official act as a member of the St. Mary's softball team was to take part in media day, getting pictures taken alone and with her teammates as they laughed and listened to music.
 
St. Mary's has partnered with Team IMPACT for three years, partnering children with baseball, men's basketball and softball and hopes to continue for years to come.
 
About Team IMPACT
Team IMPACT's unique multi-year program signs children facing serious illness and disability onto college athletic teams across the country. Based on a clinical model, Team IMPACT guides a symbiotic relationship between teams and children focused on socialization, empowerment, and resilience, ensuring everyone involved has the personalized game plan they need to win, effectively building confidence and independence. Founded in 2011, Team IMPACT has matched more than 4,000 children with 750+ colleges and universities in all 50 states, impacting more than 75,000 student-athletes. If you know a child or team who may be interested, please visit www.teamimpact.org.