‘I’m part of the team’: Meet the latest basketball signee for this KS university
From behind a basketball signing table Thursday, 10-year-old Ryker Ammons became the youngest player ever to join the Newman Jets.
Grinning ear to ear, he pumped his fists and tossed a miniature basketball to a cheering crowd of teammates, coaches and fans inside Fugate Gymnasium as cameras flashed and applause echoed through the room.
“I can’t tell you how excited I am about our newest recruit,” head coach R.J. Allen said. “When we identified Ryker, we knew right away he was exactly what we wanted for the team.”
Ryker was born with gastroschisis, a rare condition that left his intestines outside his body at birth. The Wichita native developed short bowel syndrome, an incurable digestive disorder that requires him to be connected to an IV for several hours each day.
But on Thursday, surrounded by the Newman men’s basketball team, coaching staff and his parents, he wasn’t a patient — he was a Jet.
“I’m part of the team,” he said.
His path to the roster didn’t involve the usual press conferences, agent meetings or contract negotiations. But it has been marked by extraordinary medical challenges.
When Ryker was born, his parents said more than 75% of his intestines were dead. For a time, he relied on total parenteral nutrition (TPN) — an IV that delivered nutrients 24 hours a day — because his intestines were unable to grab nutrients from food. He’s undergone 27 surgeries and nine blood transfusions.
Yet through it all, his parents say, basketball has become a source of joy and normalcy in his life.
Leading up to the signing, Ryker could hardly contain his excitement, his mom said.
“I made sure not to tell him until, literally two days ago, because he would over ask — he already has over asked — like, ‘When are we going to go?’” Shawna Ammons said.
Over the Jets’ next season — and for the many seasons to come — Ryker will be sitting bench side during games, joining players on the court during practices or otherwise hanging out and around as the team’s newest honorary addition.
Ryker was matched with the Newman Jets through Team Impact, a non-profit that connects kids with serious illnesses or disabilities with collegiate athletic teams. Newman signed 11-year-old Julian Randle in 2017 in collaboration with Team IMPACT, making Ryker the college’s second — and youngest — Team IMPACT signee.
“That was a phenomenal experience,” Allen said. “And then we were contacted last summer about Ryker and just the possibilities of him joining our program, and so we were thrilled to have the opportunity.”
“As much as his family wants him around, he’s welcome to come to practices and games and different events with our team,” Allen said. “He’s a full member, and so we want to invite him with open arms to hang out and get to know our guys, and our guys get to know him.”
