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Monday, November 15, 1999
Senators score with kids
Charity Carnival shows team has power to raise money, hopes
Hockey players have power.
On the ice they score goals, they fly up and down, amazing fans with their ability to make passes or pull them out of their seats with a spectacular save.
But what's really impressive is their ability to score with the fans.
There is perhaps no greater satisfaction than seeing a young child's face light up because he just managed to score a goal on Ron Tugnutt or just sat next to Shawn McEachern to have his picture taken.
Such was the scene yesterday afternoon at the Senators seventh Charity Carnival at the Corel Centre.
Tugnutt and Patrick Lalime probably used up more energy trying not to make the save than when they're performing acrobatics during a real game.
"The greatest thing is to see how much fun the kids have," said Tugnutt. "To score on me and then run back to their parents with this huge smile yelling 'I scored on Tugnutt.' "
After the first session of yesterday's carnival Tugnutt and Lalime joked of the effort put in at letting kids score, unless you were over 16 then you were fair game.
SOAKED IN SWEAT
As a carnival veteran, Tugnutt had to laugh at Lalime as he came off the small surface just soaked with sweat.
"I kept watching him make all these big moves to get out of the way," Tugnutt laughed.
Hundreds of kids ran from one booth to another in hopes of getting up close to their favourite Senator and getting an autograph.
"When you see the kids you just think of where you came from," said Joe Juneau. "We were all like them at one time."
Even after seven years in the NHL, Juneau says it still amazes him how people react to being able to get close to hockey players like himself.
"I just try to be a normal guy, just like any other guy you might run into," he said. "It's fun to be able to get involved with the kids."
So often professional athletes are regarded as overpaid millionaires who always remain at arm's length from the general public.
The carnival is an opportunity to see what the Wade Reddens and Radek Bonks are like off the ice.
What people might not realize is that these guys are just like anyone else, except they happen to make a lot more money in a career that few can only dream of.
"I'm just a regular guy who plays hockey," said Tugnutt. "I want people to say hey he just happens to work nights."
Tugnutt admits he likes to help do the groceries, put the kids to bed at night and just talk about last night's boxing match with the guy sitting next to him at his son's hockey practice.
What some people might forget is that when players leave the rink they too go home to their families and live a normal life.
GREAT TO MEET FANS
"I don't feel any different than when I was in high school," said Shawn McEachern. "It's great to meet the fans and talk to them."
Defenceman Igor Kravchuk says the players get great satisfaction from being able to put smiles on their fans' faces.
"I love the way kids light up," said Kravchuk. "I really appreciate the way people treat me, but I really am just a normal guy."
And yet in many ways they're very special.
The Senators have an ability few of us have -- the power to raise incredible amounts of money for worthy causes.
The Senators don't think twice about giving up their own free time for the good of others and thanks to their generosity a number of charities have benefitted from the money they help raise.
"It's great to help out and know the money goes to charity," said Andreas Dackell.
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