A Teammate since 2009, one of the league’s best defenders is on his way to Canton this summer.
A Teammate since 2009, one of the league’s best defenders is on his way to Canton this summer.
To help build a championship-level defense to complement their already high-powered offense of the early 2000s, the Indianapolis Colts used their first-round pick (11th overall) in 2002 to choose defensive end Dwight Freeney.
For his career, Freeney totaled 125.5 sacks, 148 quarterback hits and 128 tackles for loss. He was credited with 47 forced fumbles, a figure that is tied for fourth on the NFL’s all-time list, and twice forced three fumbles in a game.
Freeney played 218 regular-season games over 16 NFL seasons, the first 11 with the Colts.
He appeared in 22 postseason contests, including three AFC Championship Games and two NFC Championship Games. He won a Super Bowl ring with the Colts and played in two other Super Bowls. In the postseason, he totaled 11 sacks and 12 tackles for loss.
Congratulations Dwight … we are so proud that you are a Teammate!
Cam Heyward was named the 2023 winner of the Walter Payton Man of the Year award at the NFL honors show in Las Vegas.
Cam Heyward was named the 2023 winner of the Walter Payton Man of the Year award at the NFL honors show in Las Vegas.
A Teammate since 2016 and possibly the best Pittsburgh-born Steeler of all time rightfully earned the NFL honor, which is presented annually to the player who makes the most impactful difference on-and-off the field. In addition to being a Teammate, he created the Heyward House Foundation, is active with UPMC Children’s Hospital, Cafe Momentum and his own Craig’s Closet program, among others.
Heyward returned to his hometown when the Steelers drafted him with the 31st overall pick in 2011, and he’s been chosen as an All-Pro defensive lineman four times, with three first-team nods. Heyward also has been a team captain since 2015.
Cam closed his acceptance speech, “I know I can carry this on I can’t run as fast as Walter, and I won't try, but I’ll make sure I do my part.”
We know you will and we are proud to call you our Teammate!
Teammate Joe Mauer earns first ballot entry into the Hall of Fame.
Joe Mauer, a Teammate since 2006, was the first pick in the 2001 MLB draft. A local (St. Paul) high school hero he more than proved to the Minnesota Twins that he was the worthy No. 1 overall choice. Mauer won batting titles in 2006, 2008 and 2009, becoming the only catcher in history to lead his respective league in batting average on three separate occasions. Voted American League MVP after a sensational 2009 season, Mauer is one of six catchers ever with at least three Gold Gloves and three Silver Sluggers. Unusually tall for his position at 6-foot-5, Mauer batted .306 in a 15-year career spent entirely with the Twins, accumulating 2,123 hits and 143 home runs.
He joined Johnny Bench and Ivan Rodriguez as the only catchers to be voted into the Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility.
"I don't take this announcement lightly," said Mauer, “I have the utmost respect for the Hall of Fame and the players that went ahead of me and have done great things … I can't wait to get there and show my kids some of the history of this game -- this beautiful game."
The voters got it right Joe, we are proud to call you our Teammate!
Teammate Named Recipient of the 2023 Audi Goals Drive Progress Impact Award.
Major League Soccer and Audi of America announced Alejandro Bedoya of the Philadelphia Union the recipient of the 2023 Audi Goals Drive Progress Impact Award. The honor is awarded to players for charitable and social impact work that creates sustainable communities, fosters equity and inclusion, and enriches the lives of those in need across the U.S. and Canada.
“I’m proud to receive this coveted award and to be recognized for my efforts to help drive positive change in the Philadelphia community, a cause that is of great importance to me,” said Bedoya, a Teammate since 2017. “I’m honored to be in the company of the other finalists for this award as well as all players who use their platforms to prioritize driving progress in their communities. We are all making a difference in the areas that mean so much to us.”
A highly respected leader in MLS and in global soccer, Bedoya helped his club earn a spot in the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs. A star in Philadelphia since he joined the club in 2016, Bedoya has led the team to the playoffs every season.
Congratulations Alejandro … we are proud that you are a Teammate!
powHER students learn how the Center connects people, history and culture.
Atlanta History Center is one of the largest historical organizations in the Southeastern United States. The visitors see and explore a variety of award-winning exhibits, historic houses, gardens and more. The Atlanta History Center combines history and learning into one fun adventure.
TO SEE THE FULL powHER DAY STORY
Michael Lorenzen throws 14th no-hitter in Philadelphia Phillies history.
A Teammate since 2016, Lorenzen struck out five, walked four and improved to 2-0 since he was acquired from Detroit at the trade deadline. The crowd of 30,406 erupted when a fly ball was caught to end his first career complete game in 2 hours and 9 minutes, he was then mobbed by his teammates in a rowdy celebration near the plate.
An All-Star this season for the Tigers, Lorenzen proved he can play a key role in leading the Phillies back to the postseason.
Later, he left Citizens Bank Park with an amazing souvenir from the no-no: Philadelphia’s grounds crew dug up the rubber and presented it the pitcher in the clubhouse.
CONGRATULATIONS MICHAEL … we are proud to call you a Teammate!
25 years ago the Foundation was launched at a press conference in San Diego, CA
On January 7. 1999 at the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, California, Garth Brooks along with Major League Baseball players Tony Gwynn, Jason Kendall, Brian Hunter, and Wally Joyner announced at a national press conference the formation of the Touch’em All Foundaton. The Foundation would later change it’s name to the Teammates For Kids Foundation and in 25 years has generated almost $110 million in cash, scholarships and gifts in kind, to help children through over 900 charitable organizations in all 50 states, 10 Canadian Provinces and more than 60 countries around the world.
Our thanks to the more than 5,000 professional athletes, the numerous private and corporate donors and friends who have stepped up to help make a difference in the lives of countless numbers of children in need.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TEAMMATES!!
Four Teammates lead Vegas to first Stanley Cup.
The first-time owner Bill Foley Brayden McNabb spoke about the Vegas Golden Knights winning the Stanley Cup in year one, "Playoffs in three. Cup in six."
From one perspective, it was an understandable goal from an enthusiastic new owner. From another, Foley's timeline was completely unreal. There had been only six franchises in NHL history that required six or fewer seasons to win their first Stanley Cup.
But it's not so unreal now, after seeing the Golden Knights skate the Stanley Cup in front of their jubilant fans Tuesday night.
The four Teammates that helped bring the Cup to the desert:
Phil Kessel (Teammate since 2006) was the 5th overall pick in 2006 by the Boston Bruins and is now a three-time Stanley Cup Champion after winning back-to-back titles with the Penguins.
Alex Pietrangelo (Teammate since 2010) the 4th overall pick in 2008 by the St. Louis Blues, Alex scored the cup-winning goal leading the Blues to their first Stanley Cup in 2019.
Reilly Smith (Teammate since 2016) was a 2009 pick by the Dallas Stars, this Alternate Captain scored the Stanley Cup winning goal for the Golden Knights.
Mark Stone (Teammate since 2015), the Golden Knights Captain was a 2010 pick of the Ottawa Senators. A key part of the 2023 playoff run, Mark scored a hat-trick in the Cup clinching game 5 … only the 3rd player in NHL history to do so.
CONGRATULATIONS CHAMPIONS … we are proud to call you our Teammates!
Texas Rangers left-hander strikes out nine consecutive batters against Royals.
A Teammate since 2016, Andrew Heaney tied the record on Monday, April 10 during an 11-2 win against Kansas City. He matched the record shared by Tyler Alexander and Doug Fister, who both pitched for the Detroit Tigers.
The Major League record for consecutive strikeouts is 10, held by Tom Seaver (Mets), Aaron Nola (Phillies) and Corbin Burnes (Brewers).
"I felt like I owed it to the guys, owed it to the fans, to myself to be better than what I was," Heaney said, referencing his rocky outing in his Rangers debut last week.
We were honored to have Andrew co-host our Teammates ProCamp with Garth in Anaheim, CA on Sept. 17, 2016.
CONGRATULATIONS ANDREW!
The St. Louis Cardinals great performed The Star-Spangled Banner before beginning his final MLB season.
The St. Louis Cardinals great performed The Star-Spangled Banner before beginning his final MLB season.
St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright (a Teammate since 2004) performed The Star-Spangled Banner before his team's Opening Day game against the Toronto Blue Jays, singing the national anthem to begin his final season as a Major League Baseball player. Wainwright's performance allowed the Cardinals to feature Wainwright on Opening Day as he recovers from a groin strain sustained during the World Baseball Classic.
Wainwright invoked his inner Garth Brooks as he was introduced by the P.A. at Busch Stadium as "one of the most up-and-coming singers from right here in St. Louis," and received a warm and rousing ovation from the crowd as he begins his 18th and final continuous season of playing for the Cardinals.
The third-oldest player in the Major Leagues at age 41, Wainwright has more than earned his place in St. Louis history. A three-time All-Star, Wainwright was a key contributor to the Cardinals' 2006 World Series title, closing out both the NLCS and World Series with strikeouts to win it all. Wainwright has also been a two-time Golden Glove winner, a Silver Slugger award winner, and the winner of the Roberto Clemente Award.
Teammates was proud to partner with Wainwright’s, Big League Impact to launch The Home Plate Project. The league-wide initiative supported by all 30 MLB clubs and over 50 Major League players provided more than 4 million meals to students, fighting childhood hunger in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Great job Adam!
Watch Video
Congratulations for being selected to take the reins of the Colts.
Shane Steichen (a Teammate since 2017) was named the Indianapolis Colts new head coach 2 days after leading the Eagles offense in the Super Bowl. The former Philadelphia offensive coordinator beat out 13 other candidates and is poised to bring success back to the Colts.
“Shane just knocked it out of the park and really showed the qualities the put him above during the whole process as our man,” owner Jim Irsay said.
The hope is that Steichen can replicate some of his past success, such as the passing attack he developed with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2020 and the multifaceted approach he displayed with the Eagles the past two seasons.
"I give a lot of credit to Coach Steichen for what he's been for me these last two years, the things he's taught me," said Eagles Quarterback Jalen Hurts. "For what he's been for me and this team as a motivator, as a leader, as a coach, as a coordinator, I think he's been the world to us. When you win, you want to give other people opportunities to chase their dreams, and that's something he's been able to do, and I know he's going to do a great job in Indianapolis."
Congratulations Coach … we’re honored that you are a Teammate!
The NFL’s Iron Man, Joe Thomas (a Teammate since 2009) was selected to join the 2023 class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The NFL’s Iron Man, Joe Thomas (a Teammate since 2009) was selected to join the Class of 2023 and will be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday, Aug. 5, at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton.
Selected third overall in the 2007 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns, Joe started at left tackle all 16 games for the Browns his rookie season, finishing second in AP Offensive Rookie of the Year voting to Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson. Known for his agility, strength and durability, he played an NFL record 10,363 consecutive snaps – a streak that ended Oct. 22, 2017, after suffering a triceps tear against the Tennessee Titans.
Thomas allowed only 30 sacks in his remarkable career, despite facing several Hall of Fame sack specialists and many team’s top pass rushers. He was the first offensive lineman in NFL history to be named to the Pro Bowl in each of his first 10 seasons. His honors include: First-team All-Pro honors six seasons (2009-2011, 2013-15) and second-team All-Pro twice (2008, 2012) and was named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2010s.
Well-known for his involvement in the community, he was selected as the Cleveland Browns’ Walter Payton Man of the Year three times (2010, 2012, 2016).
Well deserved and congratulations Joe … we are proud to call you a Teammate!
The Child Life Zones saluted Garth Brooks on his February 7th birthday.
Click + to watch Videos.
The Child Life Zones saluted Garth Brooks on his February 7th birthday. The staffs, patients and families used the day to celebrate and say thank you to Garth for all he’s done to make the Zones an oasis in the hospitals. The gratitude was delivered as videos, artwork and songs … HAPPY BIRTHDAY GARTH!
WATCH VIDEOS:
Cook Children's Medical Center.
Mount Sinai Kravis Children's Hospital
Oklahoma Children's Hospital
Phoenix Children's
Riley Hospital for Children
Rolen (Teammate since 2001) and McGriff (Teammates since 2000) are the newest members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and will join 11 other Teammates in Cooperstown.
Rolen (Teammate since 2001) and McGriff (Teammates since 2000) are the newest members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and will join 11 other Teammates in Cooperstown.
St. Louis Cardinals First Baseman wins 2022 National League MVP Award.
Paul Goldschmidt, Teammate since 2012, took home his first MVP honor, receiving 22 of 30 first-place votes and eight seconds for 380 points from a Baseball Writers' Association of America panel.
It's the sixth time in Goldschmidt's 12-year career that he has finished in the top six in voting for the award. He is the fifth player to win his first career MVP at age 35 or older and the first since Dennis Eckersley in 1992.
"I think definitely as you age, you have to adapt, and that's some of what I've tried to do. I've tried to get ahead of it," Goldschmidt said in an interview on MLB Network. "You can't just try to do the same thing you did the year before. But yeah, kind of the stigma that as you get older, you're going to keep getting worse. I mean, nobody likes that. They don't like being told you can't do something, so it's definitely motivation.''
For the season, he hit .317 with 35 home runs and 115 RBIs, ranking third in the NL in batting average, fifth in home runs and second in RBIs, as he helped lead the Cardinals to an NL Central Division title.
Since becoming a Teammate in 2012 Paul and his wife Amy have been active in the Foundation. While he played for the Diamondbacks, they were regulars at the Phoenix Children’s Zone and also hosted a Baseball Teammates ProCamp with Garth.
Congratulations Paul … we’re proud to call you a Teammate!
Six Teammates part of US Men’s National Team in Qatar 2022.
When the United States kicks off their 2022 World Cup campaign against Wales on Monday, November 21, six Teammates will be part of the squad. The 26-man roster announced last week by Coach Gregg Berhalter will face tough competition from Wales, England and Iran as they hope to advance out of the Group B stage.
The following TEAMMATES will represent the United States in Qatar:
Sean Johnson GK NYCFC, Teammate since 2010
Tim Ream D - Fulham, Teammate since 2010
Aaron Long D - NY Red Bulls, Teammate since 2016
Walker Zimmerman D - Nashville SC, Teammate since 2015
Kellyn Acosta M - LAFC, Teammate since 2013
Tyler Adams M - Leeds United, Teammate since 2017
- Tyler hosted the Teammates soccer ProCamp with Garth on Dec. 2017 with Garth.
The squad also features forward Gio Reyna, son of Teammate (2007) Claudio Reyna.
We're proud to call you all Teammates for everything you do on and off the pitch!
Phil Kessel is the new NHL “Iron Man” with 990 consecutive games played.
Phil Kessel is the new NHL “Iron Man” with 990 consecutive games played.
Congratulations to Golden Knights winger Phil Kessel who played in his 990th consecutive game on Tuesday night, October 25th, surpassing Keith Yandle to become the National Hockey League’s new “Iron Man”.
Kessel celebrated his record-breaking achievement by scoring his 400th career goal as his Las Vegas Golden Knights beat the Sharks 4-2.
His career began in 2006 (the same year he became a Teammate), when he was drafted fifth overall by the Boston Bruins in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. Twenty-seven games into his rookie year, he was diagnosed with a form of testicular cancer. Amazingly he was back in the lineup after missing only 11 regular season games.
Phil started his impressive streak on November 3, 2009 when he made his debut for the Toronto Maple Leafs. After being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins, he won consecutive Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017.
His career has also seen him play for the Arizona Coyotes and most recently, the Las Vegas Golden Knights.
The American (Olympic Silver Medalist in 2014) has not missed a game for almost 13 years said Tuesday night, “I like to play, I enjoy going out there. I’ve been doing it for a long time and it’s still fun to me.”
Yandle, who set the previous record in January, had a video message for Kessel, “To play in even one NHL game is a remarkable achievement but to play in every game going back 13 years takes unbelievable talent to stay in the line-up day in and day out, tremendous determination to play through aches and pains, and a whole lot of luck,”
Ten more and Kessel will become the first player to rack-up 1000 consecutive games.
We are so proud to have the “Iron Man” as a Teammate!
Cardinals’ Adam Wainwright, Yadier Molina make record 325th start as battery.
Congratulations to Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright and catcher Yadier Molina who made their 325th career start together Wednesday night, September 14, which set a major league record for most as a battery. The St. Louis duo eclipsed the regular-season mark of 324 by the Detroit Tigers pair of Mickey Lolich and Bill Freehan from 1963-1975.
Wainwright threw a first-pitch strike to Christian Yelich who clearly didn't swing at it on purpose to allow for the official moment of the record to take place. The ball was set aside. Wainwright said he was grateful Yelich didn't hit it for a home run.
Wainwright has thrown 2,136 of his 2,548 innings (83.8 percent) to Molina. He and Molina have teamed up to record 1,812 strikeouts.
"A lot has taken place in that time span, and that's why I think this record is pretty darn cool," St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol said before the game. "I don't see anyone coming close to ever reaching it again."
Wainwright, a Teammate since 2004 worked with the Foundation to start the Home Plate Project 2019.
Garth’s Stadium and World Tour camps host more than 9,500 kids.
Studio G - 100 Camps Video
Teammates - 100 Camps Recap Video
Teammates For Kids and Garth Brooks, partnered to hold youth sports camps at every city during his World and Stadium Tours. Teammate athletes in each city volunteered their time to coach kids in one of eight different sports.
In addition to learning the fundamentals of a specific sport, the coaches discuss with the kids what it means to be a Good Teammate and how to incorporate the to Five Words of Wisdom … Attitude, Character, Courage, Discipline and Respect into their lives on-and-off the field. At one of the camps Garth hoped that in addition to those five words, the kids left the camp with another life lesson, “The greatest thing these kids will learn today is how to love one another.”
Teammates For Kids covered all of the costs associated with the camps and all of the young athletes participated at no charge, Brooks added, “None of these kids pay a dime to be here, not of these coaches are paid a dime to be here – the volunteers, they are angels walking among us.”
100 CAMPS BY THE NUMBERS:
- 77 different US cities
- 7 different Canadian cities
- 134 Professional athletes including 16 who participated in more than one camp
- 14 college teams/athletes
- 8 different sports: Baseball, Football, Golf, Hockey (both ice and floor), Lacrosse, Roping, Soccer and Track & Field
- 3 all-girl camps
- Over 9,500 kids from 9 to 13 years old.
Teammates also presented the Good Teammate Award at each of the camps. The award recognized the young athlete who best demonstrated the traits of a Total Teammate, including leadership, toughness, unselfishness, and respect for the game and all of its participants.
Thank you to everyone who helped make all 100 camps such a great success!
Studio G - 100 Camps Video
Teammates - 100 Camps Recap Video
NFL veteran coaches the kids in Texas.
On July 30, while in Arlington, Texas for the Garth Brooks Stadium Concert at AT&T Stadium, Teammates For Kids hosted a football sports camp at Grand Prairie High School.
NFL veteran Ryan Neufeld (with help from his coaching staff) ran the young athletes through drills and scrimmages to help sharpen their gridiron skills.
Neufeld has been a Teammate since 2004. He played 8 seasons in the NFL for the Cowboys, Jaguars, Seahawks and Bills. Ryan also played one season in NFL Europe and two seasons in the United Football League. The Foundation is so grateful that he stepped-up to host two of our camps for us.
The boys and girls attended the sports camp at no charge, thanks to the generosity of Teammates for Kids. The young footballers represented the Boys & Girls Club Plano, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Dallas, I9 Sports Youth Flag Football League, YMCA of Fort Worth and Girls Inc.
Teammates For Kids presents the Good Teammate Award at each youth sports camp they sponsor. The award recognizes the young athletes who best demonstrate the traits of a Total Teammate, including leadership, toughness, unselfishness, and respect for the game and all of its participants. In Arlington, Good Teammate Awards were presented to: Shafton Carter, Blaze Jackson, Atlen Lawrence and Jace Perry.
Teammates will continue to partner with Brooks to hold youth sports camps at every city on his Stadium Tour. Teammate athletes in each city will volunteer their time to coach kids in football, basketball, baseball, hockey, or soccer. In addition to learning the fundamentals of a specific sport, the coaches discuss with the kids what it means to be a Good Teammate and how to incorporate the to Five Words of Wisdom … Attitude, Character, Courage, Discipline and Respect into their lives on-and-off the field.
Teammates hosts gridiron camp for 79 boys and girls in New York.
Young athletes in the Buffalo/Orchard Park area, had a unique, incredible experience on June 23rd when they were invited to attend a youth football camp hosted by Teammates for Kids as a part of Garth’s Stadium Tour.
Eric Wood, former Bills Center, along with his coaching staff, ran the athletes through drills and scrimmages to develop their gridiron skills.
Wood previously hosted camps in Buffalo and Louisville during Garth’s World Tour. He became a Teammate in 2009, after being drafted out of the University of Louisville in the first round (28th overall) by the Buffalo Bills. His nine seasons in the NFL included a Pro Bowl appearance.
The camp participants, 79 boys and girls, attended the camp at SUNY Erie Community College – South Campus at no charge, thanks to the generosity of Teammates for Kids. The young people represented the Amherst Recreation Department, Boys & Girls Club, YMCA Buffalo, Youth Advantage Flag Football, Girls on the Run, Niagara Falls Boys and Girls Club, Soccer for Success and Williams Jr Football.
Teammates For Kids presents the Good Teammate Award at each youth sports camp they sponsor. The award recognizes the young athletes who best demonstrate the traits of a Total Teammate, including leadership, toughness, unselfishness, and respect for the game and all of its participants. In Pittsburgh, Good Teammate Awards were presented to: Nate Smith, age 9; Mason Zielinski, age 10; and Lila Ferrara, age 12.
Teammates will continue to partner with Brooks to hold youth sports camps at every city on his Stadium Tour. Teammate athletes in each city will volunteer their time to coach kids in football, basketball, baseball, hockey, or soccer. In addition to learning the fundamentals of a specific sport, the coaches discuss with the kids what it means to be a Good Teammate and how to incorporate the to Five Words of Wisdom … Attitude, Character, Courage, Discipline and Respect into their lives on-and-off the field.
Teammates hosts basketball camp presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation.
In connection with Garth Brooks' 2-night’s at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC last weekend, Teammates for Kids hosted a youth basketball camp for 84 young athletes presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation. The kids, who came from Partners for Parks, Center 360, Naomi Drenan Center, I Am We Foundation, Indian Trail Youth, Big Brothers Big Sisters and Union County Kids, met at Naomi Drenan Rec Center. There they enjoyed a day developing their hoops skills under the direction of Tony Rack… Assistant Basketball coach at Winthrop University.
A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Rack is a 2012 graduate of Northern Kentucky where he was a four-year member of the men's basketball team. As a player, Rack was known for his accuracy behind the 3-point arc at NKU as he led the team in 3-point field goal percentage for three consecutive seasons. As a senior, he finished the year with a 46.1 shooting percentage. He joined the Winthrop men’s basketball coaching staff in April of 2021. He has also coached at Western Carolina and Northern Kentucky.
Teammates For Kids presents the Good Teammate Award at each youth sports camp they sponsor. The award recognizes the young athletes who best demonstrate the traits of a Total Teammate, including leadership, toughness, unselfishness, and respect for the game and all of its participants. In Charlotte, Good Teammate Awards were presented to: London James, age 9 and Ana Acosta, age 12.
Teammates will continue to partner with Brooks to hold youth sports camps at every city on his Stadium Tour. Teammate athletes in each city will volunteer their time to coach kids in football, basketball, baseball, hockey, or soccer. In addition to learning the fundamentals of a specific sport, the coaches discuss with the kids what it means to be a Good Teammate and how to incorporate the to Five Words of Wisdom … Attitude, Character, Courage, Discipline and Respect into their lives on-and-off the field.
128 kids participated in the Edmonton Sports Camp in conjunction with Garth’s Stadium Tour.
Garth Brooks and Teammates for Kids hosted a floor-hockey Sports Camp on Thursday, June 23rd for 128 young student/athletes. The camp was held for the 5th and 6th Graders at Holyrood School in Edmonton.
Professional hockey player Kyle Chipchura led a coaching staff that worked with the kids on all aspects of hockey plus encouraged them to understand the values that make up a good Teammate: Attitude, Character, Courage, Discipline and Respect. Chipchura is a 10-year NHL veteran who was selected in the first round (18th overall) of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft by the Montreal Canadians. In addition to the Canadians, Kyle’s NHL rosters include the Anaheim Ducks and the Arizona Coyotes.
Teammates For Kids presents the Good Teammate Award at each youth sports camp they sponsor. The award recognizes the young athletes who best demonstrate the traits of a Total Teammate, including leadership, toughness, unselfishness, and respect for the game and all of its participants. In Edmonton, Good Teammate Awards were presented to: <strong>Zoe Martin, Jakob Budman, Rin Jung and Grayson Roberts.</strong>
Teammates will continue to partner with Brooks to hold youth sports camps at every city on his Stadium Tour. Teammate athletes in each city will volunteer their time to coach kids in football, basketball, baseball, hockey, or soccer. In addition to learning the fundamentals of a specific sport, the coaches discuss with the kids what it means to be a Good Teammate and how to incorporate the to <strong>Five Words of Wisdom … Attitude, Character, Courage, Discipline and Respect</strong> into their lives on-and-off the field (or ice).
University of Alabama Birmingham Head Football Coach and Players teach the kids.
On June 3rd, while in Birmingham for the Garth Brooks Stadium Concert at Protective Stadium, Teammates For Kids hosted a football sports camp at Phillips Academy.
Players from the University of Alabama Birmingham’s Football Team (helping as the camp coaching staff) ran the young athletes through drills and scrimmages to help sharpen their gridiron skills under the watchful eye of UAB Head Coach Bill Clark.
Alabama native, Bill Clark had a 106 win – 11 loss record as the Head Coach at Prattville High School in Prattville Alabama. He led the school to back to back Alabama High School State Championships in 2006 and 2007. Clark then moved on to the college ranks, first coaching Jacksonville State to the playoffs in 2013 before moving on to the University of Alabama Birmingham in 2014. His success at UAB has been recognized with the C-USA Coach of the Year Award (2017), the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award (2018) and the Sporting News College Football Coach of the Year (2018).
The 5th and 6th grade boys and girls attended the sports camp at no charge, thanks to the generosity of Teammates for Kids. All of the 137 student/athletes attend Phillips Academy in North Birmingham. The school is 98% minority and 100% of the students are considered under resourced.
Teammates For Kids presents the Good Teammate Award at each youth sports camp they sponsor. The award recognizes the young athletes who best demonstrate the traits of a Total Teammate, including leadership, toughness, unselfishness, and respect for the game and all of its participants. In Birmingham, Good Teammate Awards were presented to: Skylar Hawkins, Kahyran Long, Davion Shorts and Zoey Madison.
Teammates will continue to partner with Brooks to hold youth sports camps at every city on his Stadium Tour. Teammate athletes in each city will volunteer their time to coach kids in football, basketball, baseball, hockey, or soccer. In addition to learning the fundamentals of a specific sport, the coaches discuss with the kids what it means to be a Good Teammate and how to incorporate the to Five Words of Wisdom … Attitude, Character, Courage, Discipline and Respect into their lives on-and-off the field.
131 student athletes learn from Patriot Cody Davis.
Sixth graders in the Foxborough area, had a fun and fulfilling experience on May 20th when a youth football camp hosted by Teammates for Kids came to their school. One hundred and thirty-one students at North Middle School in Brockton, Massachusetts were able to learn more about football and life from New England Patriots Safety Cody Davis.
Davis was signed by the St. Louis Rams as an undrafted free agent out of Texas Tech in 2013 and became a Teammate in 2014. After five seasons with the Rams, Cody signed and played two seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Moving on to New England in 2020, this will be his third season with the Patriots. Along with his coaching staff, Davis ran the North Middle School students through drills and scrimmages to help develop their gridiron skills.
Teammates For Kids presents the Good Teammate Award at each youth sports camp they sponsor. The award recognizes the young athletes who best demonstrate the traits of a Total Teammate, including leadership, toughness, unselfishness, and respect for the game and all of its participants. In Foxborough, Good Teammate Awards were presented to: Image French, Marvens Alexis, Jailson Lopes and Claudina Andrae.
Teammates will continue to partner with Brooks to hold youth sports camps at every city on his Stadium Tour. Teammate athletes in each city will volunteer their time to coach kids in football, basketball, baseball, hockey, or soccer. In addition to learning the fundamentals of a specific sport, the coaches discuss with the kids what it means to be a Good Teammate and how to incorporate the to Five Words of Wisdom … Attitude, Character, Courage, Discipline and Respect into their lives on-and-off the field.
Cincinnati kids learn at football camp presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation.
With football fans across the Cincinnati area still excited about the Bengals, Garth Brooks and Teammates For Kids hosted a football camp for 5th, 6th and 7th graders at Oyler School. While in Cincinnati for a Garth Stadium Concert at Paul Brown Stadium, Teammates welcomed 140 boys and girls to a football camp to learn from Muñoz, former Bengal Eric Ghiaciuc and football players from nearby Elder High School.
Anthony Muñoz, Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 1998 was the third overall pick in the 1980 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. He became a starter in his rookie season and was the Bengals left tackle for 13 seasons and is considered one of the greatest, if not the greatest offensive linemen in NFL history. We are also proud that Anthony is a member of the Teammates For Kids Board of Directors.
Eric Ghiaiuc became a Teammate in 2007. He was a 4th round pick of the Bengals in the 2005 NFL Draft out of Central Michigan. Ghiaciuc played on the Offensive Line for the Bengals, Dolphins and Chargers.
Teammates For Kids presents the Good Teammate Award at each youth sports camp they sponsor. The award recognizes the young athletes who best demonstrate the traits of a Total Teammate, including leadership, toughness, unselfishness, and respect for the game and all of its participants. In Cincinnati, Good Teammate Awards were presented to: Dominic Mitchell, Alexis Byndon, London Davis and Terrell Franklin.
Teammates will continue to partner with Brooks to hold youth sports camps at every city on his Stadium Tour. Teammate athletes in each city will volunteer their time to coach kids in football, basketball, baseball, hockey, or soccer. In addition to learning the fundamentals of a specific sport, the coaches discuss with the kids what it means to be a Good Teammate and how to incorporate the to Five Words of Wisdom … Attitude, Character, Courage, Discipline and Respect into their lives on-and-off the field.
141 kids participate in sports camp as part of Garth’s Stadium Tour.
Teammates for Kids, and Garth Brooks joined forces again to bring a youth football camp to South Bend, Indiana on Friday, May 6th. One-Hundred and Forty-One 4th and 5th graders at Darden Elementary School, practiced their offensive and defensive gridiron skills under the direction of former NFL player Kyle Rudolph and the coaching staff.
Rudolph has been a Teammate since 2012. He played college football for the University of Notre Dame and was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the second round (43rd overall) of the 2011 NFL Draft. He has been selected to two Pro Bowls. Kyle played for the New York Giants in 2021. We were also honored in 2018 when he hosted the SuperProCamp Vl with Garth in Minnesota prior to Super Bowl Lll.
Teammates for Kids provides scholarships for all of the campers to attend for free and also presents the Good Teammate Award to those athletes who best demonstrate the traits of a TOTAL TEAMMATE--leadership, toughness, unselfishness, and respect for the game and all of its participants. At Notre Dame, Good Teammate Awards were presented to: Kaisan Rouse, Nyla Love, Payton Kujawa and Tanner Hinton.
Teammates will continue to partner with Brooks to hold youth sports camps at every city on his Stadium Tour. Teammate athletes in each city will volunteer their time to coach kids in football, basketball, baseball, hockey, or soccer. In addition to learning the fundamentals of a specific sport, the coaches discuss with the kids what it means to be a Good Teammate and how to incorporate the to Five Words of Wisdom … Attitude, Character, Courage, Discipline and Respect into their lives on-and-off the field.
Kids in Baton Rouge enjoy Teammates football camp.
On April 29th, while in Baton Rouge for the Garth Brooks Stadium Concert, Teammates For Kids hosted a football sports camp at Port Allen Middle School. The boys and girls attended the sports camp at no charge, thanks to the generosity of Teammates for Kids.
The 108 young football campers learned the skills of playing on the gridiron from former NFL Punter, Donnie Jones. Jones (a Teammate since 2004) won a BCS National Championship with Louisiana State University in 2003 and the Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018. Donnie played high school football in Baton Rouge and had a 15 year career in the NFL. We were also honored to have him host our Camp with Garth in Lafayette, LA in 2017.
Teammates For Kids presents the Good Teammate Award at each youth sports camp they sponsor. The award recognized the athletes who best demonstrate the traits of a Total Teammate, including leadership, toughness, unselfishness, and respect for the game and all of its participants. In Baton Rouge, Good Teammate Awards were presented to: <strong>Caliyah Brown, Thomas Becker, Dwaynia Lowery and Del Rosario.</strong>
Teammates will continue to partner with Brooks to hold youth sports camps at every city on his Stadium Tour. Teammate athletes in each city will volunteer their time to coach kids in football, basketball, baseball, hockey, or soccer.
In addition to learning the fundamentals of a specific sport, the coaches discuss with the kids what it means to be a Good Teammate and how to incorporate the to <strong>Five Words of Wisdom … Attitude, Character, Courage, Discipline and Respect</strong> into their lives on-and-off the field.
Teammates gridiron camp brings smiles to Leverett Elementary.
when a youth football camp hosted by Teammates for Kids came to their school. One of the Leverett Teachers observed, “I am seeing smiles on faces of some kids that we have not seen smile in a long time.”
Two former University of Arkansas Football players, Travis Swanson (Teammate since 2014), and Drew Morgan (Teammate since 2017), along with their coaching staff, ran the athletes through drills and scrimmages to develop their gridiron skills. Both Swanson and Morgan also played in the NFL.
The camp participants, all students at Leverett Elementary in Fayetteville attended at no charge, thanks to the generosity of Teammates for Kids, as a part of Garth’s Stadium Tour. The Leverett Principle said, “Thanks for coming to our school, our kids really needed this!”
Teammates For Kids presents the Good Teammate Award at each youth sports camp they sponsor. The award recognizes the young athletes who best demonstrate the traits of a Total Teammate, including leadership, toughness, unselfishness, and respect for the game and all of its participants. In Fayetteville, Good Teammate Awards were presented to: Mariah Griffin, age 8; and Mason Watson, age 8.
Teammates will continue to partner with Brooks to hold youth sports camps at every city on his Stadium Tour. Teammate athletes in each city will volunteer their time to coach kids in football, basketball, baseball, hockey, or soccer. In addition to learning the fundamentals of a specific sport, the coaches discuss with the kids what it means to be a Good Teammate and how to incorporate the to Five Words of Wisdom … Attitude, Character, Courage, Discipline and Respect into their lives on-and-off the field.
Former MLB Pitcher Steven Wright teaches the game to 180 campers.
On Wednesday, April 13, while in Nashville for the Garth Brooks Stadium Concert at Nissan Stadium, Teammates For Kids hosted a Baseball sports camp for 6th, 7th and 8th graders at John Early Magnet Middle School.
Coaches at the camp taught baseball fundamentals to the young athletes under the keen-eye of former MLB Pitcher Steven Wright. Wright made his MLB debut in 2013 with the Boston Red Sox and was selected as an All-Star in 2016. Known for his Knuckleball, he received World Series rings with the Red Sox in 2013 and 2018. We are proud that he became a Teammate in 2016.
Thanks to the generosity of Teammates for Kids, the 180 boys and girls were able to attend the sports camp at no charge.
Teammates For Kids presents the Good Teammate Award at each youth sports camp they sponsor. The award recognizes the young athletes who best demonstrate the traits of a Total Teammate, including leadership, toughness, unselfishness, and respect for the game and all of its participants. In Nashville, Good Teammate Awards were presented to: Kordae Bush, 7th grade; and Jahriya Holmes, 6th grade.
Teammates will continue to partner with Brooks to hold youth sports camps at every city on his Stadium Tour. Teammate athletes in each city will volunteer their time to coach kids in football, basketball, baseball, hockey, or soccer. In addition to learning the fundamentals of a specific sport, the coaches discuss with the kids what it means to be a Good Teammate and how to incorporate the to Five Words of Wisdom … Attitude, Character, Courage, Discipline and Respect into their lives on-and-off the field.
Campers learn from two-time MLS Champ Will Johnson
On March 25, while in Orlando for the Garth Brooks Stadium Concert at Camping World Stadium, Teammates For Kids hosted a soccer sports camp at Round Lake Charter School. The 6th and 7th graders attended the camp at no charge, thanks to the generosity of Teammates for Kids.
The Camp Coaches ran the 172 young athletes through drills and scrimmages to help sharpen their skills on the Pitch under the watchful eye of former MLS All-Star Will Johnson.
Johnson was one of the most successful midfielders in MLS history. He is a two-time MLS Champion (2009 - Real Salt Lake & 2015 – Portland Timbers), a 3-time MLS All-Star, was credited with the MLS Goal of the Year in 2008 and was named to the MLS Best Xl Team in 2013. Will has 45 caps for the Canadian National Team (2005-2019) and was named the Canadian Player of the Year in 2013.
Teammates For Kids presents the Good Teammate Award at each youth sports camp they sponsor. The award recognizes the young athletes who best demonstrate the traits of a Total Teammate, including leadership, toughness, unselfishness, and respect for the game and all of its participants. In Orlando, Good Teammate Awards were presented to: Cole Shonk, age 11; Tyler Gray, age 11; JJ Jackson, age 12 and Cali Farmer, age 12.
Teammates will continue to partner with Brooks to hold youth sports camps at every city on his Stadium Tour. Teammate athletes in each city will volunteer their time to coach kids in football, basketball, baseball, hockey, or soccer. In addition to learning the fundamentals of a specific sport, the coaches discuss with the kids what it means to be a Good Teammate and how to incorporate the Five Words of Wisdom … Attitude, Character, Courage, Discipline and Respect into their lives on-and-off the field.
Teammate Mike Sweeney hosts camp for San Diego 6th graders.
165 boys and girls in San Diego, California had a one-of-a-kind learning experience on March 4 when they attended a youth baseball camp sponsored by Garth Brooks and Teammates for Kids. The young athletes gathered at Farb Middle School for an opportunity to hone their hitting, fielding, and base running skills, all under the watchful eye of a coaching staff led by former five-time MLB All-Star Mike Sweeney (a Teammate since 2002).
The participants attended the sports camp at no charge, thanks to the generosity of Teammates for Kids. The young baseballers were 6th grade students at Farb Middle school. Since it is located a few blocks away from Murphy Canyon Military Housing more than half of Farb students hail from military families.
Teammates For Kids presents the Good Teammate Award at each youth sports camp they sponsor. The award recognizes the young athletes who best demonstrate the traits of a Total Teammate, including leadership, toughness, unselfishness, and respect for the game and all of its participants. In San Diego, Good Teammate Awards were presented to: Jacob James, Lily Oliver, Jason Arias and Mason Shupe.
Teammates will partner with Garth to hold a sports camp at every city on his Stadium Tour. Teammate athletes in each city will volunteer their time to coach kids in either football, basketball, baseball, hockey, or soccer.
The big man with the big heart named the 2021 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year.
Just days before Teammate Andrew Whitworth became a Super Bowl Champion, the big man with the big heart received the NFL's most prestigious tribute when Whitworth was named the 2021 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year at Thursday's NFL Honors in Los Angeles. The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year is presented to a player in recognition of his "outstanding community service activities off the field, as well as excellence on it."
"This award, though, has been about players who are great on the football field, but live with their hearts off it," Whitworth said Thursday in his acceptance speech, which brought tears to the eyes of many of the NFL's biggest and toughest stars. "They made their time in the NFL about more than just the stats they put out on the field, but how they lived off of it. I'm humbled, I'm honored to stand up here and represent the outstanding class of 2021 nominees and all of the previous winners."
While Whitworth expressed gratitude for claiming the NFL's top honor, he used his platform to call for more action when it comes to giving back, imploring his league brethren to invest in helping others.
"I'm here to tell you we have more work to do," Whitworth said. "Social media has been great for bringing awareness for all our causes. But that's not enough. We need more action. Whether we choose to acknowledge it or not, this is the truth: The people who come to see us play, who watch our game on TV, buy our jerseys, who follow you on social media, they're why our game exists. It's why we have a field to play on. We are financially supported and provided the opportunity to play a kids' game, because of the support we receive from communities across the county and across the world.
He is just the fourth player to win the award and the Super Bowl in the same season, joining Johnny Unitas (Baltimore Colts, 1970), Joe Greene (Pittsburgh Steelers, 1979) and Joe Theismann (Washington, 1982).
Whitworth, a four-time Pro Bowler, two-time All-Pro and now Super Bowl LVI Champion, became a Teammate in 2015. Congratulations Andrew on your amazing work on and off the field … we are so proud to call you a Teammate!
These 12 newly developed Ohmni Pro robots were granted to Phoenix Children’s by Fiesta Bowl Charities.
“I am so excited to be here, and it’s just so cool how this technology works!” expressed ten-year-old, Adri, while wearing her favorite cowboy hat that she displays when celebrating special occasions. Following her interviews, which included a trip to the ESPN broadcast booth, Adri joined 11 more Phoenix Children’s patients as they attended the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium, virtually, using Ohmni Pro robots. Six patients cheered on the Oklahoma State Cowboys, and six patients rooted for the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. They were right in the middle of the action while the teams ran out of their tunnels prior to kickoff. The patients also felt honored as they were featured during a welcoming stadium-wide greeting.
These 12 newly developed Ohmni Pro robots were granted to Phoenix Children’s by Fiesta Bowl Charities. This donation was inspired by seeing the benefits of using telepresence robots that were given to each Zone in the Child Life Zone Network through the Teammates for Kids Foundation. The Child Life Zone team at Phoenix Children’s is excited to expand this robot programming so even more patients can enjoy experiences like the Fiesta Bowl.
WATCH VIDEO
Gabe Kapler, a 1999 Inaugural Teammate, 2021 National League Manager of the Year by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.
Gabe Kapler, a 1999 Inaugural Teammate, who guided the San Francisco Giants to a franchise-record 107 victories in his second season, was named the 2021 National League Manager of the Year by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.
Kapler spent 13 years in the majors after being drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 1995 MLB draft. After the Tigers, he played for Texas, Colorado, Boston, Yomiuri (Japan), Milwaukee and Tampa Bay.
As a Manage Kapler has quickly built a reputation as an analytically savvy, outside-the-box thinker who relates well to players. The Giants went into 2021 with the sport’s second-oldest roster and 40-1 odds of winning the NL West, but guided by Kapler the team blow past expectations, holding off the Dodgers to claim its first division title in nine years.
Congratulations Gabe … we are proud that you have been a Teammate from the start!
Teammates Miles Robinson and Walker Zimmerman selected to the Major League Soccer 2021 Best XI roster.
Robinson, a Defender for Atlanta United FC, has been a Teammate since 2018. In the 25 matches in which the defender went the full 90 minutes, Atlanta United conceded an average of just 0.92 goals per match and tallied nine clean sheets. Miles Robinson's development with Atlanta has led to his emergence as a go-to defender within the USMNT squad – helping the Stars and Stripes to the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup crown as he contributes to World Cup qualification. This is Robinson’s second Best XI selection after making his Best XI debut in 2019.
Zimmerman, a Defender for Nashville SC, joined the Foundation in 2015. Leading Nashville SC to new heights in 2021, Walker Zimmerman has been named MLS Defender of the Year for the second straight season and included in the Best XI for three consecutive seasons. Zimmerman led the Boys in Gold to a league-tying 13 clean sheets and went unbeaten at Nissan Stadium. The Georgia-born defender has accumulated 22 caps for the USMNT and helped the United States win the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup.
Best XI, a collection of elite performers from the 2021 MLS regular season and one of the most prestigious annual honors a player can receive. The Best XI – recognizing the league’s top players at each position as determined by media, MLS players, and MLS club technical staffs – features some of the league’s most exciting and accomplished talent. Representing eight nations and five clubs – all of which qualified for the Audi 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs – the group features a number of breakout stars selected to their first Best XI and several international stars on the brink of helping their national teams qualify for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
We congratulate Miles and Walker … we are proud to call you Teammates!
The Denver Broncos honored the late Demaryius Thomas (Teammate since 2013).
The Denver Broncos honored the late Demaryius Thomas (Teammate since 2013) in various ways when they faced the Lions on Sunday, December 12, including having the offense take the field with just 10 players for its first play from scrimmage. The missing player was the “x” receiver which Thomas played for 9-seasons with the Broncos. Thomas, passed away tragically on Thursday, December 9 at the age of 33.
A memorial was set up outside of the stadium for fans to mourn the franchise great. A framed jersey and a photograph of Thomas were displayed. The pre-game ceremonies included a tribute video and moment of silence. A number 88 painted on the field became a focal point for the Broncos players during the game.
Peyton Manning and his family attended the game. Thomas was one of Manning’s star receivers on the 2016 Super Bowl championship team. In a pregame interview, Manning said that Thomas was one of the reasons he signed with Denver as a free agent. He also went on to say, “D.T. was a better person than he was a player, and he was a Hall of Fame player. That tells you how good of a person he was. He treated my kids like they were his own. He was there for every teammate’s charity event … he will be dearly missed.”
Just a couple of the many comments from around the league:
“I think we all know how gifted DT was on the football field but that was not his greatest gift — his greatest gift was the joy he brought to life,” Tebow said, while fighting back tears, “when he walked into a room he made it brighter!”
Josh McDaniels called Thomas, “the best person I have ever coached.”
Tom Brady posted on Twitter, “I’m so sad to wake up this morning to hear about the passing of my friend Demaryius Thomas. We were all blessed with his humility and positive spirit, and we will all miss him.”
Pro Football writer Lindsay Jones, “Demaryius Thomas’ football feats were incredible, but the man I’ll remember: The guy who was kind, always smiling, who was Uncle DT to so many kids.”
Our hearts and deepest sympathies go out to the Thomas family … we are so very proud to call him our Teammate.
When Audi 2021 MLS Cup Final kicks off this Saturday, December 11 at 3pm EST, thirteen Teammates
will be on the pitch.
When Audi 2021 MLS Cup Final kicks off this Saturday, December 11 at 3pm EST, thirteen Teammates will be on the pitch. Western Conference Champion, Portland Timbers will host the Finals at Providence Park and are playing for the MLS title for the third time in seven seasons. New York City FC is celebrating the Eastern Conference Championship for the first time in club history with their first trip to the finals.
We want to congratulate and wish all the players on both the Portland Timbers and NYCFC all the best!
Even though these great athletes are competing against each other to lift the Philip F. Anschutz Trophy, they are on the same team of helping kids around the World!
The Portland Timbers Teammates are:
• Jeff Attinella (Teammate since 2014)
• Steve Clark (Teammate since 2014)
• Larrys Mabiala (Teammate since 2018)
• Diego Valeri (Teammate since 2013)
• Sebastián Bianco (Teammate since 2018)
• George Fochive (Teammate since 2014)
• Diego Chará (Teammate since 2011)
• Dairon Asprilla (Teammate since 2015)
The New York City FC Teammates are:
• Sean Johnson (Teammate since 2010)
• Maxime Chanot (Teammate since 2017)
• Maxi Morález (Teammate since 2017)
• Tony Rocha (Teammate since 2018)
• Ismael Tajouri-Shradi (Teammate since 2018)
Congratulations to our friends at the Kansas City Royals for being honored with the Allan H. Selig Award for Philanthropic Excellence.
Congratulations to our friends at the Kansas City Royals for being honored with the Allan H. Selig Award for Philanthropic Excellence. The Allan H. Selig Award for Philanthropic Excellence, formerly known as the Commissioner’s Award for Philanthropic Excellence, was created in 2010 to recognize the charitable and philanthropic efforts of MLB Clubs.
Major League Baseball recognized the Royals’ efforts to use the Urban Youth Academy as a community resource during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Their efforts provide a model on how organizations can make a meaningful impact in under-served areas that were the most negatively affected by the pandemic”, Baseball Commissioner Robert D. Manfred Jr. said.
“Our entire organization is humbled by this award, especially as all 30 MLB clubs do impactful work in our communities,” John Sherman, Chairman and CEO of the Kansas City Royals, said, “I am grateful for the commitment and passion of our associates, and am inspired by their resiliency. There is much more to do. The work continues, with gratitude for the opportunity to support the region we love.”
Teammates has had a great relationship with Kansas City since Garth wore the Royals uniform during Spring Training in 2004 and were proud to help financially with the Urban Youth Academy in 2017. We are thrilled to call you our Teammates.
Read the complete MLB story
The number 3 has always been special for Larry Walker, and it’s why he wore No. 33 throughout his Hall of Fame career.
That number was officially retired by the Rockies on Saturday night, September 25th at Coors Field before Colorado’s game against the Giants, joining Todd Helton’s No. 17 and Jackie Robinson’s No. 42 on the façade of the second deck in right-center field. No Rockie will ever don No. 33 again.
Seventeen days after he was officially inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame as the first member of the Rockies, the second Canadian-born player (Fergie Jenkins is the other), and yes, the 333rd individual to be enshrined in Cooperstown, Walker was celebrated before the fans in the city where his Hall of Fame credentials were built.
“I just want to say a huge thank you to my teammates -- many of them are here today, as well as those who are not here,” Walker said. “The Hall of Fame and this number retirement do not happen without every one of my teammates.
“… Behind me, a certain Hall of Fame plaque made its way from Cooperstown. I know a lot of you fans will take a photo with it today, and I hope you’ll visit it at the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. But when you look at it, I want you to see your face, not mine. All of you are the reason this team exists. When I [talk about] the plaque, I say ‘we,’ not ‘I’ have a plaque in Cooperstown.
Walker has said he never dreamed during his 10 seasons in a Rockies uniform that he would reach a moment like Saturday’s. But his accomplishments tell a different story: While with Colorado from 1995-2004, Walker won three batting titles (1998, '99 and 2001), five of his seven career Gold Glove Awards in right field, and the 1997 National League MVP Award. He remains the only Rockies player to have ever been named league MVP.
Teammate Alex Gordon enthusiastically shared his Gold Glove skills with the kids.
On August 7 while in Kansas City for the Garth Brooks Stadium Concert, Teammates For Kids hosted a baseball sports camp at Kauffman Stadium.
The boys and girls attended the sports camp at no charge, thanks to the generosity of Teammates for Kids. The young baseball campers, from the Kansas City Royals Urban Youth Leagues, learned the skills of playing on the diamond from former Major Leaguer Alex Gordon.
Alex Gordon (a Teammate since 2007), was selected by the Kansas City Royals with the second overall pick in the 2005 MLB Draft. A member of the Royals’ 2015 World Series Championship team, Gordon won eight Gold Glove Awards, four Fielding Bible Awards and a Wilson Defensive Player of the Year. Alex retired in 2020 after playing his entire Major League career for Kansas City.
Teammates For Kids presents the Good Teammate Award at each youth sports camp they sponsor. The award recognizes the young athletes who best demonstrate the traits of a Total Teammate, including leadership, toughness, unselfishness, and respect for the game and all of its participants. In Kansas City, Good Teammate Awards were presented to: Graylee Davis, age 9; Carolina Droge, age 10; and Larissa Zaragoza, age 12.
Teammates will continue to partner with Brooks to hold youth sports camps at every city on his Stadium Tour. Teammate athletes in each city will volunteer their time to coach kids in football, basketball, baseball, hockey, or soccer. In addition to learning the fundamentals of a specific sport, the coaches discuss with the kids what it means to be a Good Teammate and how to incorporate the to Five Words of Wisdom … Attitude, Character, Courage, Discipline and Respect into their lives on-and-off the field.
OhmniBot Telepresence Robots take the patients to the park to meet the players.
Patients got a robot-eye view of home plate and chatted with Dodger players while “running” the bases via a tablet from their hospital beds.
As a part of The Child Life Zone Network, the Chase Child Life Program at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital has two OhmniBot Telepresence robots that help pediatric patients feel a little less isolated during their hospital stay.
Former NHL Goalie Chris Mason teaches the game to the kids.
On July 31, while in Nashville for the Garth Brooks Stadium Concert at Nissan Stadium, Teammates For Kids hosted a floor hockey sports camp at Nashville Inner City Ministry.
Coaches at the camp taught hockey fundamentals to the young athletes under the keen-eye of former NHL Goaltender Chris Mason. Mason was selected by the New Jersey Devils in the 1995 NHL Draft out of the WHL Prince George Cougars. The former Goalie was on the roster for the Predators, Blues, Thrashers and Jets in the NHL. After his retirement in 2015, Chris joined the Nashville Predators Radio Network as a color commentator.
The boys and girls attended the sports camp at no charge, thanks to the generosity of Teammates for Kids. The young hockey players represented the Nashville Predators, Backfield in Motion, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Caring Hearts Mexico, and Big Brothers Big Sisters Middle Tennessee.
Teammates For Kids presents the Good Teammate Award at each youth sports camp they sponsor. The award recognizes the young athletes who best demonstrate the traits of a Total Teammate, including leadership, toughness, unselfishness, and respect for the game and all of its participants. In Nashville, Good Teammate Awards were presented to: Nicholas Jones, age 7; BJ Tate, age 12; and Greedy Sanchez, age 11.
Teammates will continue to partner with Brooks to hold youth sports camps at every city on his Stadium Tour. Teammate athletes in each city will volunteer their time to coach kids in football, basketball, baseball, hockey, or soccer. In addition to learning the fundamentals of a specific sport, the coaches discuss with the kids what it means to be a Good Teammate and how to incorporate the to Five Words of Wisdom … Attitude, Character, Courage, Discipline and Respect into their lives on-and-off the field.
Frazier, Jackson and Kazmir take the field at international tournament.
For the first time since the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing, baseball will be played at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Six teams qualified for the tournament, and they are broken into two groups. Group A features host Japan, the Dominican Republic and Mexico, while Group B features the United States, Israel and defending Olympic champion South Korea.
We are proud to announce that three Teammates are part of the United States roster:
Todd Frazier (Teammate since 2016) started all four games at third base for Team USA at the WBSC Baseball Americas Qualifier, batting .400 and tying for a team-best with two home runs to go along with five RBIs. Frazier saved his best for the title-clinching game with a 4-for-4 night that included a double, a home run, and a stolen base as part of the 4-2 victory that secured the Olympic berth for the U.S.
Edwin Jackson (Teammate since 2011) went 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA in two appearances at the WBSC Baseball Americas Qualifier, including a 2.0-inning stint to earn the victory in the title game – a 4-2 win over Venezuela. He also worked two-thirds of an inning in relief to help Team USA to an 8-6 win over the Dominican Republic that clinched a spot in the AOQ Super Round.
Scott Kazmir (Teammate since 2006) will also get to wear the red, white and blue in Japan. The three-time MLB All-Star returned to the Majors last spring (pitching seven innings for the Giants) after being out for five seasons. This former AL strikeout leader will be an important part of Team USA’s pitching staff.
Congratulations … we’re proud to call you Teammates!
Phoenix Children’s takes on Children’s Wisconsin in virtual challenge.
As the Phoenix Suns and the Milwaukee Bucks were in full pursuit of the NBA championship title, Phoenix Children’s Hospital and Children’s Wisconsin engaged in a jubilant virtual competition of their own. It was a “Patient Pump-Up” that began with Dr. Wayne Franklin, MD in the Zone at Phoenix Children’s and Dr. David Margolis, MD at Children’s Wisconsin getting their hair sprayed with Suns/Bucks colors by patients. The doctors then challenged each other to a medical supply shooting contest, which Dr. Franklin won with his final toss just before the buzzer sounded! Patients embraced the friendly contest as they played a “Who Knows Their Team Better?” trivia game led by former Olympic athletes Lyndsey Fry and Alex Rigsby Cavallini. The excitement continued when the young fans were surprised with appearances by GO the Suns Gorilla and Mr. ORNG, a popular community figure. Patients showed everyone their best slam dunks, and to inspire their favorite teams, familiar cheers erupted at both hospitals.
Six-year-old, Henry Paustian, had a blast throughout the “Patient Pump-Up” in The Child Life Zone. His favorite parts were spraying Dr. Franklin’s hair purple and holding up his orange & purple Suns sign while cheering with other fans. His mother, Stephanie Calkins, expressed, “It was really great to be a part of this as the Suns have always had a huge influence on our family. The energy really boosted Henry’s spirits, and it was cool to see how excited he was during a time that is typically hard for him medically. It helped him know that going to the hospital doesn’t only mean pokes & procedures and that there can be fun, too.” She added, “Even though we didn’t want the Bucks to win, it was still nice being able to have that Zoom time with other kids from another state. Once Henry grasped the location difference from Phoenix to Milwaukee, he thought that part was also cool!” She smiled as she reflected on Henry’s advice to all who attended: “We should say ‘Let’s Go Suns’ every day!”
Two retired NFL Teammates coach kids in Utah.
On July 17, while in Salt Lake for the Garth Brooks Stadium Concert at the University of Utah’s Rice-Eccles Stadium, The Teammates For Kids Foundation hosted a football sports camp at Northwest Recreation Center.
Players from the University of Utah Football Team (helping as the camp coaching staff) ran the young athletes through drills and scrimmages to help sharpen their gridiron skills under the watchful eye of former NFL players Mark Asper and Daniel Coats.
Mark Asper was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the 2012 NFL Draft out of the University of Oregon. The former NFL offensive lineman as on the Minnesota Vikings, Jacksonville Jaguars and the New York Giants rosters. Daniel Coats played his college football as a tight end with Brigham Young University. He was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent in 2007. Coats finished his NFL career with the Denver Broncos.
The boys and girls attended the sports camp at no charge, thanks to the generosity of Teammates for Kids. The young footballers represented the Aftermath Youth Football League, Big Brothers Big Sisters Utah, Neighborhood House Salt Lake and Tickets for Kids Charities
Teammates For Kids presents the Good Teammate Award at each youth sports camp they sponsor. The award recognizes the young athletes who best demonstrate the traits of a Total Teammate, including leadership, toughness, unselfishness, and respect for the game and all of its participants. In Salt Lake, Good Teammate Awards were presented to: Mia Garcia, age 9; Isaac Korthas, age 13; and Hunter Critchlow, age 14.
Teammates will continue to partner with Brooks to hold youth sports camps at every city on his Stadium Tour. Teammate athletes in each city will volunteer their time to coach kids in football, basketball, baseball, hockey, or soccer. In addition to learning the fundamentals of a specific sport, the coaches discuss with the kids what it means to be a Good Teammate and how to incorporate the to Five Words of Wisdom … Attitude, Character, Courage, Discipline and Respect into their lives on-and-off the field.
Teammates sports camps return after 504-day Covid break.
Young athletes in the Las Vegas area, had a unique and fun experience on July 10 when they were invited to attend a youth soccer camp hosted by Teammates for Kids as a part of Garth’s Stadium Tour.
Players from the UNLV Women’s Soccer Team (helping as the camp coaching staff) ran the athletes through drills and practice matches to help sharpen their soccer skills under the watchful eye of UNLV Head Coach Jenny Ruiz-Williams.
Ruiz-Williams competed for the Mexican National Team at the highest level, earning medals at three Pan American Games, qualifying for the Olympics and playing at the FIFA World Cup. Her professional career extended beyond her national playing time, completing stints with both the Bay Area Breeze (Women's Premier Soccer League) and Seattle Reign FC (National Women's Soccer League) before returning to the college game to begin her coaching career. A former UNLV Rebel standout as a student-athlete from 2001-04, she returns to her alma mater after serving as an assistant coach at Cal State Northridge and Oregon State.
The camp participants, over 95 boys and girls, attended the camp at Lied Memorial Boys and Girls Club at no charge, thanks to the generosity of Teammates for Kids. The young people represented the Ralph and Betty Englestad Boys and Girls Club, Albion SC, Boulder Highway Boys and Girls Club, Eagle Quest, Silver State Soccer, St. Jude’s Ranch, Tickets for Kids Charities and Lied Memorial Boys and Girls Club.
Teammates For Kids presents the Good Teammate Award at each youth sports camp they sponsor. The award recognizes the young athletes who best demonstrate the traits of a Total Teammate, including leadership, toughness, unselfishness, and respect for the game and all of its participants. In Las Vegas, Good Teammate Awards were presented to: Elias Coleman, age 8; Celeste Gallegos, age 10; and Brianna Lee, age 12.
Teammates will continue to partner with Brooks to hold youth sports camps at every city on his Stadium Tour. Teammate athletes in each city will volunteer their time to coach kids in football, basketball, baseball, hockey, or soccer. In addition to learning the fundamentals of a specific sport, the coaches discuss with the kids what it means to be a Good Teammate and how to incorporate the Five Words of Wisdom … Attitude, Character, Courage, Discipline and Respect into their lives on-and-off the field.
Four Teammates help Tampa Bay repeat as Stanley Cup Champs!
Congratulations to Teammate Andrei Vasilevskiy for being awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Wednesday, July 7.
Vasilevskiy was voted the winner after he helped the Tampa Bay Lightning repeat as Stanley Cup champions. He made 22 saves in a 1-0 win against the Montreal Canadiens in Game 5 of the Cup Final at Amalie Arena.
"I can't believe it," Vasilevskiy said.
He is the first goalie in NHL history to get a shutout in five straight series-clinching wins and the first to do it four times in a single postseason.
"It's obviously the whole team deserves it for sure," Vasilevskiy said. "Just to have five shutouts in one playoffs, it's all about team for sure. We were able to shut down the teams four times in a row in clinching games, just amazing. Can't say more. It's not about me, it's about our team."
We would also like to congratulate the other Lightning Teammates: Victor Hedman, Tyler Johnson, and Alex Killorn for bringing home the Cup!
Zack has been a Teammate since 2017 when he was playing for the Columbus Crew SC of MLS.
Manchester City recently won their 7th League title. Born in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, he has been a Teammate since 2017 when he was playing for the Columbus Crew SC of MLS. In 2015 Zack signed a professional contract with German club SC Freiburg after playing two seasons at the University of Maryland.
The goalkeeper returned to the United States in 2016, signing with Columbus Crew SC. After 4 seasons in MLS he signed with Manchester City. He has made 21 appearances for the USMNT.
Congrats to WADE MILEY for throwing the 4th No-Hitter this season and 309th in MLB history.
Congrats to WADE MILEY for throwing the 4th No-Hitter this season and 309th in MLB history. The Cincinnati Reds left-hander first became a Teammate in 2013 when he was pitching for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The 1st round draft pick in 2008 played college baseball at Southeastern Louisiana University. In his 11th season in big leagues, the Louisiana native also played for the Boston Red Sox, Seattle Mariners, Baltimore Orioles, Milwaukee Brewers and Houston Astros.