Photo by: Miles Marteal
Men’s Basketball Signs 15-Year-Old Omar Singhateh
9.11.21 | Men's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA - Temple Men's Basketball celebrated a momentous signing today as 15-year-old Omar Singhateh officially became an Owl. A member of the Team Impact program, Omar signed his letter in front of the Temple Basketball team and his parents and younger brother in the program's film room.
"This is a wonderful day for our program as we get to add a high quality, high caliber individual to our team." said Temple head coach Aaron McKie. "I want to welcome Omar to out Temple family. You embody our core values that we live by every day. That is hard work, toughness, commitment and consistency.
Your hard work in the classroom - you excel every day, every week, every year and that is important. Your toughness. Your ability to endure the circumstances you face every day and come out of it on the other side with that million dollar smile. Your commitment and consistency of being a good kid every day is how we try and go about our every day lives."
Omar, who lives with sickle cell, a condition that affects his red blood cells, resides in Philadelphia with his parents and three brothers. He was matched with the Temple men's basketball team in September of 2020, and since then, he and his teammates have been communicating virtually.
Today's signing day serves as a symbolic kick-off of the two-year relationship between a Team IMPACT child and their team. Due to COVID, Omar's signing day with the Owls was not possible until now. Having just returned from a summer visiting family in Africa, Omar is looking forward to connecting with his Temple teammates in person during the upcoming year.
Team IMPACT is the only U.S. nonprofit that tackles the emotional trauma and social isolation experienced by children facing serious and chronic illnesses by matching them with a college athletic team. Our two-year therapeutic program complements a child's medical treatments, allowing the child to develop relationships and skills that help them complete the full circle of healing.
Through participation in Team IMPACT's clinically informed program, children experience a true sense of belonging, resulting in increased empowerment, normalization, health promotion, and resilience. Families feel connected and supported as their child achieves individualized goals, while experiencing the joy of team camaraderie and inclusion; and student athletes gain perspective and inspiration, as well as lessons in adversity and resilience.
Founded in 2011, Team IMPACT has matched more than 2,100 children with 700+ colleges and universities in 49 states, impacting more than 60,000 student athletes.
Learn more at: www.teamimpact.org.
"This is a wonderful day for our program as we get to add a high quality, high caliber individual to our team." said Temple head coach Aaron McKie. "I want to welcome Omar to out Temple family. You embody our core values that we live by every day. That is hard work, toughness, commitment and consistency.
Your hard work in the classroom - you excel every day, every week, every year and that is important. Your toughness. Your ability to endure the circumstances you face every day and come out of it on the other side with that million dollar smile. Your commitment and consistency of being a good kid every day is how we try and go about our every day lives."
Omar, who lives with sickle cell, a condition that affects his red blood cells, resides in Philadelphia with his parents and three brothers. He was matched with the Temple men's basketball team in September of 2020, and since then, he and his teammates have been communicating virtually.
Today's signing day serves as a symbolic kick-off of the two-year relationship between a Team IMPACT child and their team. Due to COVID, Omar's signing day with the Owls was not possible until now. Having just returned from a summer visiting family in Africa, Omar is looking forward to connecting with his Temple teammates in person during the upcoming year.
Team IMPACT is the only U.S. nonprofit that tackles the emotional trauma and social isolation experienced by children facing serious and chronic illnesses by matching them with a college athletic team. Our two-year therapeutic program complements a child's medical treatments, allowing the child to develop relationships and skills that help them complete the full circle of healing.
Through participation in Team IMPACT's clinically informed program, children experience a true sense of belonging, resulting in increased empowerment, normalization, health promotion, and resilience. Families feel connected and supported as their child achieves individualized goals, while experiencing the joy of team camaraderie and inclusion; and student athletes gain perspective and inspiration, as well as lessons in adversity and resilience.
Founded in 2011, Team IMPACT has matched more than 2,100 children with 700+ colleges and universities in 49 states, impacting more than 60,000 student athletes.
Learn more at: www.teamimpact.org.
