The Framingham State men’s ice hockey program signed 8-year-old Robert “Robbie” Brassard of Natick, Mass. in partnership with Team IMPACT Friday afternoon on the FSU campus. Brassard, who has been courageously fighting Leukemia since 2012, plans on joining the team during games, practices and other team events throughout the year.

Rams head coach Mike Bailey shared his excitement on the big day saying, “Robbie brings a ton of energy and enthusiasm to our team. We are lucky to have him in our locker room as he is a great teammate who always leaves you with a smile.”

Working closest with Robbie will be the Rams team advocates Jack Sheehan (Norwood, Mass.), Walker Hamilton (Anchorage, AK) and Ryan Paul (Morgan, VT). Sheehan shared his excitement for Robbie joining the program saying “Robbie inspires us in so many ways. He comes to our events ready to get involved and lifts the mood wherever he goes. His energy and excitement are contagious.”

Hamilton added “Robbie’s a stud… one of the best kids I know. When he walks into the locker room everyone notices. It’s our pleasure having him around and looking forward to seeing him around more often.” Paul shared his admiration for Robbie saying “Robbie has one of the strongest wills, he is strong enough to persevere and overcome any obstacle that presents itself to him. He really gives us inspiration and we look forward to seeing a lot more of him in the future.”

Team IMPACT is a national nonprofit headquartered in Boston, MA that connects children facing serious or chronic illnesses with college athletic teams, forming life-long bonds and life-changing outcomes. Since 2011, Team IMPACT has matched more than 1,400 children with more than 500 colleges and universities in 47 states, reaching over 50,000 participating student-athletes. The child joins the athletic team and the student-athletes join the child’s support team. Throughout the journey, the child gains strength, camaraderie and support while the student-athletes experience lessons of courage, resiliency and perspective they can’t learn in a classroom.