Women's Tennis Set to Honor Team IMPACT Member During Nephrotic Syndrome Awareness Day
3/13/2025 5:00:00 PM | Women's Tennis
Editor’s note: During Saturday’s match against Santa Clara at noon, Cal Poly women’s tennis will be holding a Nephrotic Syndrome Awareness Day to honor their Team IMPACT member, Brooke, and all those that fight the rare kidney disease.
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — If you’ve attended a Cal Poly women’s tennis match over the last two seasons, you may have noticed an important, inspirational member of the team join the Mustangs pre-match huddles. Her name is Brooke Fritz.
Every home match, the 9-year-old from Atascadero dresses in full uniform to match what the Mustangs are wearing that day and cheers them on from the sidelines. Brooke is the team’s biggest cheerleader, supporter and inspiration.
“Brooke has become an integral part of our team,” said Sarah MacCallum, a junior on the Cal Poly women’s tennis team. “Seeing her show up to our practice and matches with a big smile on her face to cheer us on has been so special. Besides the joy she brings us, she serves as an excellent reminder of why we started to play tennis and why we continue to play every day. We are so happy to be a part of this special experience with her.”
Brooke joined the Mustangs last season thanks to an organization called Team IMPACT, which matches children battling a serious illness or disease with a local college sports team to help create a life-changing experience for everyone involved. When Brooke was just 3 years old, she was diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome, a rare kidney disorder.
Brooke’s parents, Kristina and Mark, first discovered signs of something wrong during a flight home from Texas in 2018 when they noticed Brooke had swollen eyes and was continuously vomiting. The next day, the family took Brooke to the pediatrician, who immediately suspected that she might have nephrotic syndrome. Lab tests soon confirmed the diagnosis with countless hospital and ICU visits to follow in the coming days and months. During one 22-day hospital stay early on in the process, Brooke suffered congestive heart and kidney failure. But Brooke kept fighting and has battled the disease off and on for the last seven years, going in remission several times.
Brooke is in a more stable condition now thanks to the incredible care from doctors and physicians, but still suffers relapses and flare ups. Kristina said the opportunity for Brooke to be a member of the Cal Poly women’s tennis team for the 2024 and 2025 seasons has meant so much to their family and given her daughter so much more confidence.
“This opportunity has helped Brooke experience being a part of a team where they mutually support each other,” Kristina said. “Brooke gets to cheer the girls on for their matches, and the team gets to cheer her on in her fight.”
From the moment Brooke officially joined the team last year thanks to Team IMPACT, Cal Poly women’s tennis head coach Ellie Edles Williams knew the 9-year-old would have an immediate impact on the team’s culture and spirit, and it showed in the results. Last season, Cal Poly captured its second Big West Championship in program history and first since 2003 thanks to an incredible run in the conference tournament as the No. 5 seed. Brooke was there all season long to support the team and the Mustangs felt her presence, fighting for every point just like she would.
“From the first time I met her, I just instantly knew she was just going to be a great fit for our team and for our program,” Williams said. “She always comes to our practices with such a big smile on her face, and it’s just such a great reminder of why we play sports and what it truly means to be part of a team and a family.”
While serving as a member of the leadership team that works closely with Team IMPACT, redshirt sophomore Amy Leather has had the chance to get to know Brooke extremely well and even given her tennis lessons. From forehands to backhands to serving, Brooke has learned it all, becoming more comfortable and familiar with the sport every time she steps on the court.
Leather said Brooke has been a true inspiration to the entire team and shown them they can overcome any challenge life presents them.
“In those long, hard practices, it’s been a great, uplifting feeling to have Brooke there,” Leather said. “I’m so grateful that I’ve been able to spend so much time with her.”
As Brooke enters the last few months as an official member of the Cal Poly women’s tennis team, Kristina said she can’t thank Team IMPACT enough for providing her daughter with such a unique experience that has truly changed her life.
“Brooke suffers with anxiety and depression as a result of her chronic illness, “Kristina said, “and Team Impact has been a great way for her to be a part of something bigger than her disease and to build connections with individuals who encourage her to push through the challenges she faces while cheering on an amazing group of young women.”
Brooke’s time as a Team IMPACT member on the team may be coming to a close soon, but Brooke and the Fritz family plan to continue attending Cal Poly women’s tennis matches in the future as the whole family is now lifelong Mustang fans.
During Saturday’s home match against Santa Clara at noon at the Ronca Tennis Center, the Mustangs are partnering with the Nephrotic Syndrome Foundation to raise awareness for the disease and celebrate Brooke and her fight. Cal Poly will be donning special uniforms as part of their special Nephrotic Syndrome Awareness Day and Mustang fans are encouraged to come out and honor Brooke in her final season with the team.
