Men’s Golf Adds 9-Year-Old Manasseh Crum through Team IMPACT

MUNCIE, Ind. -- The Ball State men's golf family grew this week with the addition of 9-year-old Manasseh Crum of Muncie.

The Cardinals formally welcomed Manasseh with a Draft Day celebration Wednesday afternoon, as he signed his official document to join the program.

Manasseh battles Polyarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA). He is part of Team IMPACT, a national non-profit organization that connects children facing serious or chronic illnesses with college athletic teams, forming life-long bonds and life-changing outcomes.

"He's a courageous young man and a caring young man, and those are the exact qualities that we like to see be a part of our program," Ball State head coach Mike Fleck said. "It's been fun having him around, and you can see the guys take an interest in him, which is really cool."

Through Team IMPACT's mission, 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.

Manasseh has already become a part of Ball State's team, attending events and spending time with his new teammates. Now, he is officially a Cardinal.

"I like to be with other people that can help me with how I feel about my arthritis," Manasseh said, "and I really like being able to hang out with other people that are able to do stuff that I might be able to learn to do someday."

Manasseh was joined at the ceremony by his Ball State men's golf teammates, his parents Randall and Jennifer, and his four younger brothers: Cassius, Azariah, Caedmon and Jairus.

The Cardinals are looking forward lots of fun ahead with their new teammate.

Ball State University Athletics

Men’s Golf Adds 9-Year-Old Manasseh Crum through Team IMPACT

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