Liam, Jim and Kim Williams watch the Ohio State men’s soccer team play against Northwestern University Oct. 25 at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. Credit: William Moody | Lantern Reporter
Liam Williams was hospitalized in March, after a scooter accident left him with a broken femur that required surgery.
The 10-year-old, however, was not alone in his recovery.
During his hospital stay, Williams was visited by several members of the team, who monitored his progress and entertained him with some NBA 2K games.
This collaboration was made possible by the Team IMPACT organization, which connects children with serious illnesses and/or disabilities to college sports teams, according to its website. In March, Williams was “signed” as an honorary player who joins the Ohio State men’s soccer team during its practices and games, said assistant coach Travis Morris.
Notably, Williams is the first “player” to join Ohio State’s men’s soccer team, which is currently ranked No.1 in the nation.
“We all decided if we’re gonna do it, we’re gonna do it right; we are gonna be fully in,” Morris said. “So for us, as long as he wants to do it, and it’s a huge benefit for him and his family, we’re in.”
Diagnosed with cystic fibrosis — a genetic disease that affects the lungs and digestive tract — just a week after birth, Williams has taken medication his whole life to regulate his body. Recently, a new treatment has helped improve his overall function, said his grandmother Kim Williams.
“We just have to make sure that we get his treatments in and his medication; he’s on a new medication, so it’s really helping his health outlook,” Kim Williams said. “It’s not a cure, but this medication is mimicking more of a normal lifestyle.”
The family was connected with Team IMPACT through their social worker at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, said Kim Williams.
The organization’s partnerships are based on two factors: accessibility and the participating child’s preferences, said Kiernan McGeehan, midwest regional director of programs for Team IMPACT.
“Just seeing these matches sort of unfold, these relationships build, it’s really powerful what feeling a part of something can do for a child and for a family,” McGeehan said.
Liam Williams’ partnership has done just that, Kim Williams said.
“I knew Liam would be thrilled because he loves soccer and Ohio State both,” Kim Williams said. “It’s been a good match.”
Morris said when Team IMPACT reached out, he and the team felt excited about an opportunity to make a lasting impression on Liam Williams’ life.
“How much of an impact they have, and can have on people, it kind of gets lost,” Morris said. “We’re a soccer team, we’re not the football team, we’re not the basketball team. Just being a college athlete, younger kids see you, and it can always have such a huge impact.”
This past spring, Liam Williams and his family met the team for the first time when they toured the Schumaker Complex and Woody Hayes Athletic Center, Morris said.
“He got to see the facilities, kinda what we do every day, and really just hang out with the guys,” Morris said. “They were just goofing off and having fun. Obviously, our guys are between 18 and 22, but at heart, they’re pretty much the same as Liam.”
During the 2024-25 season, Morris said Liam Williams has played a supportive role for the team, joining players for pregame meals, before games, for practices and occasionally in the locker room.
“In the spring, we are planning to do a little bit more off campus and away from soccer specifics,” Morris said.
One of Liam Williams’ favorite parts about being a Team IMPACT player is moving beyond being just a fan, he said.
“Ten out of ten, recommend,” Liam Williams said. “Just getting to talk to them and being able to see them.”
As players continue to develop relationships with Liam Williams, Morris said he hopes they will have as much to learn from him as he does from them.
“I think it’s really important, even myself, just a reminder of how lucky we are, just on a day-to-day basis,” Morris said. “Liam has a lot of things he’s dealing with in his personal life, and he deals with it like a grown man.”
Kim Williams said the time and effort the soccer team has put toward Liam Williams’ happiness has already made an impact on him.
“Liam has become more confident, a lot more confident,” Kim Williams said.
Liam Williams’ grandfather, Jim Williams, is a longtime Buckeye fan and Columbus native. He said getting to know the players has made being fans even more special for him and his grandson.
“I think the best part of this has been that we have got to talk to some of the players personally,” Jim Williams said. “Those interactions have been the best for him; they’re good role models, all of those guys are really good guys.”
For Liam Williams, he said being a part of the team has given him more than just “cool” experiences — it has also created lifelong bonds that extend far beyond the soccer field.
“They’re just really inspiring, and cool and nice to me,” Liam Williams said. “They’re like my best friends.”
