Jack Hayes was diagnosed with T1D at 24 months and is now 11 years old and just recently completed a phenomenal football season on the Greenwich Youth Football League (GFYL) team Cos Cob Crushers. Jack is a natural athlete qualifying for the USASA snowboarding national championships and was recruited for the town baseball league. He also enjoys playing basketball, lacrosse, skateboarding, surfing and sailing, but football is his passion. The Cos Cob Crushers were the 2015 GFYL Junior Champions with a 10-0 season record. Jack plays both offense and defense and in 2014 he received the most improved player award.

Jack works hard to manage his diabetes so that he is ready to play his best on the field. He checks his blood sugar frequently before, during and after the game. Jack’s parents, coaches and teammates all have his back and support him in every way. They remind him to check his blood sugar, help to make sure he has what he needs on and off the field. Jack has found there is an upside to having T1D. He says, “If I did not have diabetes then I would not be as fit because with diabetes you have to eat all the healthy stuff like fruits and vegetables so you stay strong, fit and healthy.”

One of Jack’s coaches, Bobby Walker, agrees that Jack is truly a strong young man. He said, “While he is not big in stature, he plays our game with a magnanimous attitude that allows him to be even tougher than many teams expect he will be.  This attitude is achieved through hard work, true grit and learning from his coaches and teammates.  His play earned him the right to receive significant playing time on our league’s top defensive unit, even though he was one of the youngest members of that group. We are all proud of what he has accomplished on the field.”

Jack attributes much of his success to his role models: his parents, teammates, coaches and one particular NFL player: Odell Becham, Jr. Odell was drafted  just 2 years ago in 2014 and has already broken records and made the greatest catch in football. Jack told JDRF that Odell has showed him it doesn’t matter if you are a rookie, but it matters how much skill you have, how much effort you put in and how you commit to what you really love.

Jack’s parents, Stephen and Michelle, and his sisters are extremely proud of him and are amazed not just by his athletic ability, but his ability to manage his T1D with grace, resilience and an outstanding attitude. With the support of family, friends and coaches, it’s no wonder that Jack is such a successful athlete. We here at JDRF are equally proud of Jack and hope that he is an inspiration to you as well. We wish Jack much success in his athletic endeavors.