Illinois State Football Signs 12-year-old Cooper Burnette Through Team Impact

NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State head coach Brock Spack announced the newest addition to his program on Thursday, with the signing of 12-year-old Cooper Burnette through Team IMPACT.

Cooper, who is battling cystic fibrosis, officially signed with the team at a press conference held at Hancock Stadium. He will participate in many activities with the Illinois State Football program over the next two years, including games, practices, and other team events. 

"We are extremely excited to have Cooper as part of the Illinois State football program," ISU head coach Brock Spack said. "It's been a pleasure to get to know Cooper and his family throughout the past couple months, and we all look forward to having him around the building much more in the future. Cooper is your everyday 12-year-old loves sports and spending time with his friends and family. We hope he will enjoy his time with our program and have a lot of fun with the things we have planned for him over the next two years."

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. 

Illinois State Athletics has a long history with Team IMPACT dating back to 2019, when then eight-year-old Coen Frambes signed on to be a part of coach Melinda Fischer's softball program. Most recently, Illinois State men's basketball head coach Ryan Pedon signed Benjamin Elementary School second grader Ty Andracke to be part of his program in December of 2022.

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.

Media Contact for Team IMPACT: Katie DePaolo, kdepaolo@teamimpact.org

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