UCF softball star uses NIL crowdsourcing to fly brother with Down Syndrome to Super Regional
Maddie Bejarano is a star on the UCF softball team. She hit a walk-off to beat Michigan in the regionals, helping to send UCF to the Super Regionals, and she will also be the first to tell you that she plays for her brother, who has Down Syndrome.
“Honestly, that last at-bat I just told myself to do it for him. To be completely honest, he’s my biggest influence in everything I do. I do everything I do for him,” she said following the game.
Maddie is originally from Arizona. That’s where her brother, Tanner, lives and why he doesn’t often get to see her play due to the cost of travel. That’s where NIL came into the equation for the Bejarano family. It became a means to be able to raise funds so Tanner could watch Maddie Bejarano play.
She partnered with the Sons of UCF podcast, agreeing to help them create content for their social media and YouTube channel. In exchange, UCF fans crowdfunded the travel costs of flying Tanner to Oklahoma City to watch his sister play in the Super regionals.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, UCF fans raised more than $2,000 to cover the costs. A year ago, without the benefit of NIL, this would have been impossible and would have qualified as an NCAA violation.
“The UCF community has really helped us out a lot…and he’s ecstatic,” Bejarano said. “He’s not given the same opportunity as me, and so, for him to just experience all of this, it’s amazing.
“The sport’s bigger than just softball.”
What’s next for Bejarano, UCF?
UCF is considered a long shot to win the 2022 national championship in softball. The Knights begin Super Regional play against Oklahoma team on Friday in a best of three series.
As for Maddie and Tanner Bejarano, they’ll be able to see each other and support one another. When she takes the field for UCF, Maddie will do it with Tanner in mind.