LFSN Game On Feature: Nathan Norman
10/17/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
In the spring of 2016, nine-year old Nathan Norman became a member of the Liberty football program. Since that time, Norman has been embraced by head coach Turner Gill, the players and the entire Liberty University Athletics Department.
Norman and his family were matched with the football program through Team IMPACT, a nationwide organization whose mission is "to improve the quality of life for children facing life-threatening and chronic illnesses through the power of team."
On his signing day, Norman inked a letter of intent, had a pizza party with the team in the Williams Football Operations Center and was presented with his very own Liberty football jersey.
Since signing day, Norman's leadership team, a group of 10 Liberty football players who are consistently involved in visiting him and setting up playdates, has regularly spent time with the his family. Playdates have included hide-and-seek in the dark, playing tag football in Norman's front yard, movie nights and going to Chick-fil-A with Norman and his four siblings, Sarah (13), Matthew (11), Tabitha (6) and Lee (1).
Norman, who has spent the last seven years of his life battling cancer, has had the support of the football program outside of regularly scheduled playdates. Players have attended Norman and his siblings' karate, band and ice skating performances, as well as, birthday parties.
Many other Liberty athletics teams have also supported Norman and his family. The women's tennis team held a clinic day for him and his family and gave them official tennis gear. Many other teams have brought the family cookies before their travels to hospitals and gift cards to help provide meals. Other teams are also making signs and are in the cheering section for Norman at home football games.
This semester, Norman has been attending football practices and attended the first home game on Sept. 10 against Jacksonville. Prior to the game, he spent time with the team in the locker room and then walked out onto the field with the team captains for the coin toss as Norman served as the game's honorary captain.
