A group of Coyotes players went to the Phoenix Children’s Hospital on Monday, bringing smiles to kids faces while showing their human side off the ice.
The holiday season is upon us and the Arizona Coyotes are getting in the festive spirit.
A group of players visited the Phoenix Children’s Hospital on Monday afternoon, giving gifts to kids ahead of Christmas.
The players split up in groups going room to room giving out little gift baskets while interacting with the children.
It was really heartwarming to see the smile and sense of joy on all these children’s faces due to the presence of the Coyotes players.
“To come and take these kids' minds off of where they are at for a few minutes and to see the smiles they have, we don’t necessarily get anything out of it, but we hope that they do,” Lawson Crouse said. “Obviously the holidays are a special time for families and it's a very tough situation being here, being away, so really the ultimate goal is to put a smile on their face.”
With great power comes great responsibility. Professional hockey players have a great impact on people’s lives as many young kids look up to them. It’s on them to ensure that their impact doesn't just stop on the ice and that they can do things to help the community.
“I believe when you are given what we have in our lives, professional athletes are given that platform, I believe you should use it to better the lives of others and that’s something I have pushed to do in every aspect of my life,” Jason Zucker said. “For me, the children's hospital has always been something from when I met Tucker at the Children's Hospital in Minneapolis. It’s always something that has been very close to home for me and something I want to give back to as much as I can.”
It was also really wholesome to see the players' personalities off the ice. Some players were playing games with the kids towards the end of the visit and not only were the children having fun but members of the Coyotes were out there visibly having a great time while being great role models for these patients.
Hockey players are all just people at the end of the day, so to know that they also have a human side is something that is important for all fans to acknowledge.