Brenden Schooler hadn't heard of Team Impact until he arrived in New England.
Fresh off his rookie season, the Patriots safety/special teamer signed up to attend the non-profit's "Game Day Gala" last June with teammates David Andrews and Joshua Uche. Uche, now with the Kansas City Chiefs, was well acquainted with Team Impact's mission thanks to his time at Michigan, where a 15-year-old with several disabilities was matched with the Wolverine football program to be part of the team.
But at the gala, Schooler got to hear from a shy 11-year-old boy named Ryan who suffers from an immune deficiency disorder. By pairing Ryan with the University of Connecticut men's basketball program for the Huskies' 2023 NCAA championship run, Team Impact gave Ryan the experience of a lifetime.
"I think it's awesome for these young individuals, who go through such a hard time, to be able to see people who are in positions of influence use their power and platform to help lift them up," Schooler said of Team Impact.
"Whether they're an equipment manager on a team or the star player, it's about having those young individuals feel like they're part of something bigger than themselves."
The Patriots ties to Team Impact go back to the Boston-based foundation's inception.
Dan Kraft, president of The Kraft Group and son of Patriots chairman and CEO Robert Kraft, helped co-found the non-profit in 2011 with a goal of matching children with serious illness and disability with college sports teams and thus, creating long-term relationships and life-changing experiences for everyone involved.
Team Impact's reach now extends across the nation.
"It's a testament to the Krafts that they put so much into these types of causes because the people being served have dealt with so much, and for (Team Impact) help them make all these new friends and mentors and even just hang out with the sports teams, that really brings people close together," Schooler said. "It was awesome to see and even more special to be a part of."
The Game Day Gala he attended two springs ago inspired Schooler to get involved with Team Impact himself.
Knowing the impact playing sports have had on him, the 2022 undrafted free agent believes young people of all abilities deserve the feeling of being part of a team and all the life lessons that come along with them.
To emphasize that point, Schooler will represent Team Impact this year for the NFL's My Cause My Cleats initiative.
"Individually, you can do great things to help a team, but without your other counterparts doing the same, it's unsuccessful," Schooler said.
"Team Impact allows them to come in and be on a team and part of something bigger than themselves. They don't have to worry about their hardships. That's something medicine can't fix, that feeling being a part of something gives you."
