Without this one special individual, the baseball team wouldn’t be what it is today: alumna Lindsey “Lou” Brown.

One to two children out of 1,000 have apraxia, which is roughly 0.1% to 0.2% of the U.S. population.

Apraxia is a neurological and motor speech disorder that affects the brain’s pathways in charge of sequencing the necessary movements needed for speech. People with apraxia know what they wish to say, but have trouble coordinating their lips, tongue and jaw to deliver these sounds correctly, according to the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.

Apraxia is a piece of Brown’s identity, but it’s not her entire identity. The baseball team confirms that she’s largely known for her compassionate, generous and bubbly demeanor.

“Every time I go over to Ryan’s house, without a doubt, Lou will be waiting there to greet you with a smile on her face,” senior and pitcher Rowan Powers said.

Brown’s younger brother, Ryan Gocio, is a current senior and catcher on the baseball team.

“My favorite thing about being Lou’s brother is that I’m able to have a best friend to hang out with every day,” Gocio said. “Having Lou as a sister shaped me into such a better person. Her lifestyle shows me how to be more appreciative of the things I have.”

Senior and center fielder Austin Crew agrees that her smile is infectious and never fails to brighten their days. He also adds that one of the team’s favorite traditions is wearing the custom necklaces Brown makes the boys.

“She makes the necklaces for us. I have about five or six because I love when she asks me,” Crew said. “I love seeing what she comes up with.” 

According to junior and shortstop Connor Mais, Brown’s impact on the team is more than dynamic. He reflects on his favorite memory of her as when she ran concessions with his little sister during one of their games.

“Lou doesn’t just improve the [team] culture; she’s a huge part of it. She’s always so excited to say ‘hi’ to us and everyone loves her necklaces,” Connor said.

Crew attests that her presence is always valued by all the members of the team.

“I don’t think that it would be the same at all without her support. There wouldn’t be as strong of camaraderie or love for one another because she makes you want to be a better person,” Crew said.