Curry College Men's Hockey Signs Brayden Gero Through Team IMPACT

Curry College men’s ice hockey head coach Peter Roundy recently announced a new team member, signing 17-year-old Brayden Gero through Team IMPACT.

At birth, Brayden was diagnosed with Down Syndrome. He was officially introduced at a signing day press conference on Wednesday, September 21 inside the Curry College Athletics Lounge. He will participate in many activities with the team including games, practices, and other team events.

View the Signing Day Photo Gallery

“It’s been awesome having Brayden as a part of our team,” said Curry junior forward George Vonakis. “He’s so comfortable with us already, he keeps us in line, he encourages us every step of the way, and we’re really lucky to have him here. I can’t wait to have an awesome season with Brayden on the team.”

Team IMPACT, a national non-profit organization, has developed a unique multiyear program that matches children facing serious illness and disability with college athletic teams across the country. Based on a clinical model, Team IMPACT guides a symbiotic relationship between teams and children focused on socialization, empowerment, and resilience.

“Brayden's ability to connect with our student-athletes is amazing. When we met him for the first time last spring, we were immediately struck by his positive attitude, outgoing personality and how much fun he is to be around,” said Roundy. “Brayden approaches each day with great enthusiasm, and we know he will bring that spirit to our team. We are thrilled to officially welcome Brayden to our Curry Hockey family."

“Team IMPACT is excited to see Brayden officially join the Colonels,” said Danielle Hardee, Regional Director of Programs, Northeast at Team IMPACT. “We are proud to work alongside Curry College, their athletic department, and coaching staff to create lifelong bonds and life-changing outcomes between student-athletes and their Team IMPACT teammates.”

Curry College has worked with Team IMPACT for the past 10 years, matching 16 children across its baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, football, men’s ice hockey, women’s lacrosse, men’s and women’s soccer, softball, and volleyball teams. 

About Team IMPACT

Team IMPACT’s unique multiyear program signs children facing serious illness and disability onto college athletic teams across the country. Based on a clinical model, Team IMPACT guides a symbiotic relationship between teams and children focused on socialization, empowerment, and resilience, ensuring everyone involved has the personalized game plan they need to win – effectively building confidence and independence. Founded in 2011, Team IMPACT has matched more than 2,300 children with 700+ colleges and universities in 49 states, impacting more than 60,000 student-athletes. If you know a child or team who may be interested, please visit www.teamimpact.org.