BOSTON, Mass. -- The Simmons College softball team drafted nine-year-old Kailyn Hewitt from Brockton, Mass. as an official member of its team in a partnership with Team IMPACT this afternoon at the Holmes Sports Center on the college's residential campus.

Hewitt signed a letter of intent to join the Sharks and will attend Simmons practices, games, team dinners, events and more. She was joined by Head Coach Brook Capello, team advocate Molly Hennessy, her Mother and Father as well as her younger Brother. Hewitt and her family celebrated her signing with a pizza party and a movie with the Sharks in their team lockerroom. 

"We couldn't be more proud to welcome Kailyn Hewitt as the newest member of the Simmons Softball team," said Capello. "It was a special day and we are excited for what she will bring to the team."

Hewitt was presented with a number of gifts, including a glove, cap, water bottle, signed ball from the team and her own official team jersey and will wear number 88. She will also be featured on the Simmons Athletics official website, athletics.simmons.edu, on the team's roster page with her own bio page and will also have her own locker in the Sharks' lockerroom. 

The Brockton resident was diagnosed with anaplastic ependymoma, a rapidly growing type of brain cancer rarely found in children on August 23, 2013. She has been a symbol of courage over the last four and a half years and is an inspiration to her new teammates.

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 35,000 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.