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NCAA News Archive - 2010

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May 5, 2010 9:17:18 AM

Arizona State's football team added a member to its roster just in time for its spring game last month. The Sun Devils adopted 3-year-old Kyle Oden in conjunction with the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation.

Kyle, diagnosed just more than a year ago with a pediatric brain tumor, received an authentic Arizona State football jersey embroidered with his name and had his own official locker in the team's locker room for the April 24 game.

"As soon as the locker doors opened, the whole team was there cheering for Kyle," wrote his mother, Brittney, on the family's Web site. "Someone slipped a bracelet on Kyle, and the next thing we knew, we were lost in a sea of ball players all rushing to take Kyle to his locker. It was amazing."

Kyle got to meet the Sun Devil mascot and walk out of the tunnel onto the field with Sparky.

The team adopted Kyle and watched a video about his story before the spring game. The student-athletes felt an instant affinity with the toddler, whose father, Bennett, has a similar tumor.

The student-athletes began leaving messages for Kyle and his family at several of the Oden family Web sites.

"It was great to finally meet all of you Saturday at the scrimmage," wrote quarterback Brock Osweiler. "It's awesome to have a new teammate like you on the team. Kyle, keep fighting hard, buddy, and I hope to come visit you soon."

Former Arizona State quarterback Danny Sullivan also left a message for the Oden family.

"I send my greatest wishes to you and the rest of the family in dealing with the situations that you have in your life right now. I was inspired by your courage and commitment, and I hope that you never stop towards your greatest dreams and hope that everything that you want comes true," Sullivan said. "In life, and on the football field, adversity is going to happen. But, the strong ones always find a way to keep fighting to do great things. I see you and your family as a group of people that exceed these expectations to the greatest degree."

Kyle was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis in February 2009. His father has the same condition, though in a milder form. Kyle began chemotherapy in April 2009 and has been treated at Phoenix Children's Hospital. The Odens learned earlier this year that Kyle's vision in his right eye will not return.

Kyle was matched with Arizona State's football team through the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation, a charitable organization that matches children with pediatric brain tumors with college or high school sports teams. The "adoption" makes the child an extension of the team, creating a support network for the family and raising awareness of pediatric brain tumors.

The Friends of Jaclyn Foundation was created in honor of Jaclyn Murphy, who was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor when she was 9 years old.

The Odens are looking forward to their connection with Sun Devils football.

"Bennett and I would really like to thank the players especially," Brittney Oden wrote on the family website. "As Bennett said, ‘You guys practice, play hard and still have to maintain your grade-point average as a student. It really meant a lot that with all that you have going on, you took time for a 3-year-old.' "