UW makes a heartwarming basketball signing
Seven-year-old Ford Parks joins head coach Mike Hopkins and the rest of the Husky men’s basketball team.
Signing a player to the Husky men’s basketball team is always a special occasion. But the event that occurred Oct. 18 was a huge deal, and beyond heartwarming to boot. Seven-year-old Ford Parks signed with the UW as an honorary Husky, and he will be able to participate in all team activities, practices and games for the next two years. “Today is a really special day, because we get to welcome a new member of our Husky family,” Head Coach Mike Hopkins announced. “Our program is built around toughness, grittiness and togetherness. Ford is 7, and he’s already overcome more adversity than most people do their whole lives.”
Ford, who has a rare genetic disorder, was connected with the UW through Team IMPACT, a Boston-based nonprofit that matches children who have chronic and serious illnesses with college athletic teams in all 50 states.
In the past five years, Team IMPACT has matched children across the UW’s softball, women’s basketball and men’s soccer programs. More information is available at www.teamimpact.org.