Team’s trip to hospital memorable
HERSHEY, Pa. — The football players rolled off of three buses and headed into the Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital where their main objective was to brighten the room for a couple hours.
Freshman Daiquan Kelly was a human target for many of the youngsters who took turns firing mini footballs at him while he juked across the room, much to the delight of the parents and his Penn State teammates. Across the room, fellow freshmen signed mini helmets, put on removable Penn State tattoos and colored while the rest of the team visited patients in their rooms and took a visit to the emergency room.
This was one last trip away from State College before training camp begins Aug. 5. After visiting the hospital last summer, coach James Franklin said he wants this day trip to remain an annual event for his players.
“I’ve been inspired,” Franklin said. “We met some families and some kids and parents and just the energy and how positive people are in trying situations is inspiring. Whenever you do these activities you come to try and make a difference in other people’s lives — and that’s always what it’s about with us — but what is amazing is you get more out of it than you actually give.”
Linebacker Nyeem Wartman-White called it a “reality check.” Wide receiver Matt Zanellato, who participates in Penn State’s annual 46-hour dance marathon that raises funds for the fight against pediatric cancer, said being able to spend more time with the kids this year left both parties with smiles.
“Just seeing these kids and how strong they are I’m glad I could put a smile on their face,” Wartman-- White said.
Since the NCAA’s dead period ended earlier this week it was back to the grind for Franklin and his assistants, who spent some time on vacation the past two weeks.
Quarterback Christian Hackenberg is back with the team after spending time in Oregon and Louisiana where he served as a counselor at the Elite 11 and Manning Passing Academy. The junior visited with patients during the hospital visit, signed autographs and posed for pictures. Franklin said he’ll catch up more with Hackenberg in the coming days, but said the quarterback spoke highly of his summer experiences.
“Not only did he have great experiences, but he was able to work with a bunch of young kids and have an impact on them as well,” Franklin said. “The other thing is a lot of people were able to see, you go to the Manning Passing Academy there’s a lot of people there that have a lot of impact on football — whether these are people with NFL connections, people with college connections — and Christian is such a great ambassador for our program that I love he was able to experience these things.”
• NOTES — Redshirt sophomore wide receiver DaeSean Hamilton was named to the Biletnikoff Award preseason watch list. The award, given annually to the top pass catcher in college football, is the second preseason accolade for Hamilton. Hamilton and Hackenberg were on the Maxwell Award watch list. … Senior tight end Kyle Carter attended the team’s event and had his right foot in a walking boot. Sticking with his policy, Franklin would not address Carter’s injury.