Northern Kentucky University Athletics

Leah Conrad is in her second season with the Norse after signing her National Letter of Intent through Team IMPACT on Jan. 22, 2018. She signed with her sister, Taylor.
 
Team IMPACT is a Boston-headquartered national nonprofit whose mission is to improve the quality of life for children facing serious and chronic illnesses through the power of team. Taylor, age 9, was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, ADHD and epilepsy, while Leah, age 7, has also been diagnosed with epilepsy.
 
"One of the things we're really excited about is being able to echo our entire athletic department's core value of inclusiveness," head coach Liz Hart said during the press conference. "Oftentimes, kids at a young ages who have to miss a great deal of school due to their illnesses find themselves ostracized by peers who may not understand their situation, so we're grateful to be able to provide a welcoming environment with our team. I know Taylor and Leah can bring a lot of energy to our practices and matches!"
 
After their signing, the sisters were presented with their jerseys for the upcoming season. Taylor will wear number 15 for NKU and Leah will don the number 23 jersey. The pair then joined the team in Regents Hall for their first official practice as Norse, though they had also spent time with the team prior to the signing.
 
"It's a bigger support system for them to celebrate the highs and get them through the lows," noted their mother, Jenka Conrad. "Leah counts down the days and even the minutes asking, 'Is it practice time yet?' Taylor just comes into the gym and lights up. She could be having the worst day ever and walk into practice, and everything is better."
 
 
Team IMPACT has more than 1,000 teams waiting to be matched with children, ages 5-16, who have been diagnosed with a serious or chronic illness and who could benefit from becoming a member of the team. If you know a child who may be interested, visit www.goteamimpact.org for more information.