Athletes Helping Athletes

In December 2023, as the Holy Family men's basketball team prepared for its game against the District of Columbia, honorary captains Simon, Kevin, and Steve were courtside to lend enthusiastic support as part of the University's new chapter of the Athletes Helping Athletes (AHA) club.

Now in its 22nd season, AHA was organized to better the lives of those in the special needs community through athletics and other fun events, with a goal of creating a world of broader acceptance for all. The program connects local athletes with special needs with mainstream student-athletes in a spirit of friendship for their mutual benefit, inspiration and respect.

After participating in the club while a student at Little Flower High School, HFU sophomore and biology/pre-physical therapy major Brianna Coates "fell in love with the organization" and wanted to bring back an organized chapter that had previously existed at Holy Family.

"A lot of the high schools in the Bucks County area and a number of local colleges and universities have AHA chapters," Coates said. "My goal was to form a chapter at Holy Family because it fits with our core values and what we stand for."

Coates enlisted the help of classmate Nicole Wiser, a freshman nursing major, and worked throughout the summer to get the HFU chapter up and running. The program launched in the Fall of 2024.

"It was so special to host our first event, to bring Simon, Kevin and Steve to Holy Family and to have them experience being on campus and helping them to make friends," she said. "They had a chance to meet the cheerleaders and the members of the team. They were introduced along with the student-athletes and stood with the team during the playing of the national anthem. They sat courtside with Nicole and I during the game. They have so much personality and had so much fun, and we are hoping to duplicate this at another game and are looking to host a fun day on campus with the help of other area schools in the future."

Of course, the HFU varsity athletes also benefited greatly from the interaction.

"I am hoping that being involved with AHA helps our HFU student-athletes get inspired," Coates said. "It is a way to not only reach out and be inclusive and provide opportunities to our friends in the special needs community, but it is a way for student-athletes to get to know and interact with student-athletes in sports other than their own – so we can all connect through Athletes Helping Athletes."