Team IMPACT All In Anywhere Virtual 5K

Maryland football wide receiver Robert Smith has done incredible work with Team IMPACT for the past three years, but now he’s taking his game to the next level.

Smith is helping others at Team IMPACT, an organization supporting children facing serious and chronic illnesses by matching them with a college athletic team, put on the inaugural Team IMPACT Virtual 5K on Sunday, Oct. 1. 

The 5K’s tagline is “All-In, Anywhere,” promoting its accessibility because it can be done anywhere worldwide at any time on Sunday. It costs just $5 to sign up, with additional donations encouraged. The event also marks the first time the organization has been allowed to ask for donations outwardly, and it has already raised over $60,000 of its one-million-dollar goal. According to Smith, notable names such as Adam Schefter and Tracy McGrady are expected to participate in the event. 

The idea for the 5K first came together over the summer at a summit in Boston where all of the fellows and representatives of the 94 universities affiliated with Team IMPACT came together. When Smith first heard the idea, he instantly knew it could be a big hit at Maryland and beyond.

“I had the vision that this could be something big for our whole organization,” Smith said. “So I came up with the vision of ‘Road to M’ which is us as a program and us as a university trying to raise as much money as possible for this great organization.”

Smith first became aware of what Team IMPACT was through his former teammates Brian Cobbs and Anthony Pecorella, who were the team’s representatives when Smith was a freshman three seasons ago. The two of them were both frequently with football’s match, Cal Taylor, at practices and games.

Taylor is diagnosed with juvenile dermatomyositis, which is an inflammatory disease of the muscles, skin, and blood vessels. The medicine he is on is designed to stop his immune system from attacking his muscles, but the side effects also leave him in a weakened state. 

Seeing Taylor around all the time, always with a giant smile, no matter what he was going through, inspired Smith to get more involved with Team IMPACT.

“I didn’t really know what the program was, but I knew Cal Taylor and we were starting to develop a close relationship. When the opportunity came up to work with Team IMPACT, I hopped right on board and it’s been a great three years ever since.”

“He’s always there on the sidelines with a smile, ready to give you a hug or a high-five, and just be there to support you in any way he can,” Smith added about Taylor. “He’s just enjoying the experience every time.”

It isn't just Smith who has embraced Taylor—he is family to every single member of the Maryland football program.

“Cal is not just friends with me,” Smith said. “Cal is friends with our whole entire program…He’s family wherever we are. He gives us perspective everyday. He has to go through so much everyday just to move functionally. He has to go through all these treatments and a bunch of stuff that we don’t see everyday—all we see from him is a smile. 

“Cal’s been around the team for three years now and it’s awesome to have him around,” said Conor Fagan, a redshirt junior offensive lineman. “He’s at every game and a lot of practices and I know he loves being there and we love having him around.”

The newfound perspective has changed how the team approaches each day.

“We get to be out here today, that’s what we’re saying in our program now,” Smith said. “We get to practice today. We get to go hard again for people like Cal and people who are supporting this family.”

Team IMPACT has been big across Maryland’s campus for years, with the majority of teams having a match at some point in recent memory and several having current ones. And that same passion has been shown through all of Terp Nation in regards to the 5K. 

Smith specifically pointed to the support he’s gotten from Barry P. Gossett Director of Athletics Damon Evans, who he’s been in communication with about promoting and supporting the event. Evans is also on the Team IMPACT board.

“He described it as giving as the muscle we need to be able to push this out there to everyone who can support it,” Smith said of Evans’ support.

Additionally, Smith has seen support from several different teams, highlighting donations to the 5K from men’s basketball’s Jahmir Young and Donta Scott as well as members of the baseball and track teams. 

“Having the support system like that is great, especially with the other teams and other athletes that can also use their own platform to be able to spread this and get the message out there,” Smith said.

And when Smith first posted the video promoting the 5K on his own social media, the first person to donate was none other than football’s own Dante Trader Jr. 

“It’s been great having that support from my brothers,” Smith said. “I knew they would have my back through this whole process which is part of the reason I was confident enough to do it.” 

Fagan echoes that sentiment.

“All the stuff Rob is doing has been awesome to see,” he said. “We’re all very proud of him and excited to support the cause.”

Smith and the rest of his Terrapin football teammates are eager to welcome Indiana to SECU Stadium on Saturday for Family Weekend, hoping to move to 5-0 on the season. But Smith is equally as excited to make an even more significant impact the following day, with a chance to continue to raise awareness for an incredibly important cause. 

“The most important thing for me is just spreading awareness about the program, and who we are, and why we’re doing what we’re doing,” Smith said. “I want to show why it’s important and why we think everyone should become a part of it.”