Feb. 18, 2016
By Mandy Bell, GoPSUSports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. ââ'¬" Noah Benner is 11 years old and has already had three brain surgeries in his short life. In 2014, Benner had surgery to remove his third brain tumor. His little sister, Sydney, had to mature quicker than any other 4-year-old to support her older brother.
"Sydney has been amazing through everything with Noah. After Noah was released from the hospital for the third surgery, we were in the car and she grabbed his hand and started to show some tears. She said, 'Noah, I'm so glad you are okay. I was very worried about you and I love you,'" Sydney and Noah's mother, Tiffany Benner, said. "During school they were asked to write their New Year's resolution. She wrote that her resolution is to help her brother fight his brain tumor."
The Friends of Jaclyn Foundation heard of the Benner family's story through the Marion-Walker Elementary School's mini-THON. The foundation pairs children with pediatric brain tumors and their siblings with high school and college athletic teams. After the foundation reached out to the Benner family, the Penn State football team adopted Noah and the Penn State women's gymnastics team adopted Sydney.
Sydney started gymnastics when she was three, so she was extremely excited to be paired with the gymnastics team. Once the "adoption" was official, the team invited Sydney to come to a Sunday afternoon practice.
"We met the coaches and the girls at the White Building during one of their practices. We met Rachelle right in the hallway by the gym and she accepted Sydney with open arms," Tiffany Benner said. "We went into the gym during practice and they had balloons, gifts and a cake for Sydney. Then she went down to the locker room and saw her own locker. Inside was a Christmas stocking and leotards. It was amazing."
Since her first meeting with the team, Sydney has attended almost every Penn State home meet and goes to their practices whenever it fits her schedule. During school, it is harder for Sydney to be able to make practices. Winter break is when she is able to spend the most time with the team.
"She's not intimidated at all. The funny thing is, when she comes into the gym for practice, she'll just run across the floor and jump on me for a hug," Penn State head coach Jeff Thompson said. "You just got to get down on one knee and she will just jump on you, wrap her arms around you and squeeze your neck. It's great. She's fearless."
When Penn State has a home meet, Sydney is part of the team. She hangs out in the locker room before the meet and marches out with the team to be announced to the crowd. During the meet, she spends most of her time with teammates Emma Sibson and Christina Postiglione.
"She hangs out with the team and every time we switch rotations she throws t-shirts out with us. She's always cheering and is so much fun," Postiglione said. "Every single time, I make sure she gets lifted up when someone finishes their routine to give high-fives to the girls. So instead of me high-fiving, it's like me and Sydney together as a little team high-fiving the girl."
As much as Penn State has impacted Sydney's life, she has made a difference on this Nittany Lion team.
"We talk to the team about when you come to the gym everyday, remember that little girl that first started gymnastics. Remember the kid that used to bounce on the couch and get yelled at by your parents. Remember the one that would do flips on their bed," Jeff Thompson said. "That's the little girl inside you that loves gymnastics and you have to find that little girl every day, especially on the days that its tougher for you. And for them to be able to look at her, even though it may only be once a week, to look at her and say, 'Yeah I remember when I felt like that'. It's a good thing for our team."
Sydney keeps in touch with her Penn State teammates outside of the gymnasium by having her mom Facebook message them or by "snapchatting" the girls from her own Snapchat account. Sydney plans to be with the team as long as they will have her around.
"I want to grow up to be a Penn State gymnast just like them," Sydney said.
Sydney and Noah will be at THON this weekend with their adopted teams and also their THON organization, Lion Scouts.
The Nittany Lions will host Denver, Cornell and Alabama in Rec Hall at 4 p.m. on Saturday.