By David Steinle
Special to LSUsports.net
Many of the 91,000 fans that invade Death Valley for seven Saturdays every fall began attending LSU games as children a generation ago. Those fans grew up watching the great Charles McClendon coach players such as Tommy Casanova, Bert Jones, Ronnie Estay and Charles Alexander.
Many of those young fans in the ’60s and ’70s now have children of their own, and thousands of today’s youngsters are enjoying the Tigers make a run at their second consecutive Southeastern Conference championship.
Unfortunately, children who are hospitalized with serious illnesses aren’t fortunate enough to be able to attend LSU football games, or even watch them at home or listen to them with their parents.
However, thanks to a partnership between LSU and Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, a few lucky children at The Lake’s Pediatric Care unit got to meet a dozen of their Tiger heroes on Monday, including starting quarterback Matt Mauck and All-SEC linebacker Bradie James.
LSU football players are among the most visible people in Baton Rouge, and being community leaders are among the many demands placed on the Tigers, in addition to the tremendous amount of time LSU players spend on the practice field, in the weight room and in the classroom, not just the three hours of a game that fans see every Saturday.
The visits to The Lake and other local hospitals are all part of the LSU CHAMPS (Challenging Athletes’ Minds for Personal Success) Program, which is part of the Academic Center for Student-Athletes’ Life Skills program designed to prepare student-athletes for the game of life, which is far more important than any athletic contest.
“What we try to do is give back to the community,” said LSU CHAMPS director Mike Mallet. “These guys do more than things on the field, and we have a commitment to the community and the success of the student-athletes in the community.”
The players first visited with several children and their parents in the playroom, signing posters and posing for pictures with the delighted youngsters. Several children were well prepared for the Tigers by wearing their purple and gold and painting their faces to imitate the Tiger cheerleaders.
“We’re all big Tiger fans, and I think this is a real treat for our patients,” said Shannon Manson, Administrator for The Lake’s Pediatric Care unit. “All the kids really enjoy it, and we really appreciate the Tigers coming out.”
Our Lady of the Lake is a corporate sponsor of LSU athletics, a relationship that is beneficial to both the hospital and the university.
“It’s a win-win relationship,” Manson said. “We’re really proud to support LSU athletics, because they do a lot for Baton Rouge, and in turn, we get the benefit of having LSU athletes visit.
“Nobody likes to see a sick child, and anything you can do to brighten their day does make a difference.”
Players went around the unit to visit patients in individual rooms to present them with signed pictures of LSU coach Nick Saban and pose for more pictures.
James, one of the Tigers’ team captains, certainly can appreciate the large amount of responsibility that comes with being an LSU football player.
“We’re viewed as heroes, and people look up to us,” James said. “Being an LSU football player, you have to do more than what’s expected of you and this is something that we really enjoy.”
James, a pre-season All-American and the Tigers’ leading tackler so far this year, is familiar with the world-renowned care provided by The Lake. The West Monroe native spent several days in the hospital in April after suffering a lacerated kidney during spring practice.
“It’s a great feeling to come up here and give back,” James said. “Any time you’re in the hospital, it’s not a comfortable place, and for us to come in and put smiles on people’s faces, it makes everything easier.”
The visit concluded with a trip to the Intensive Care Unit, an area that normally receives visitors only during very limited hours.
Monday’s visit to The Lake gave Mauck reasons to count his blessings as the starting quarterback for the defending SEC Champions.
“It means a lot to us to be able to give back,” Mauck said. “Every day we go out to practice, we feel fortunate that we’re able to walk, to run and breathe every day we wake up. These kids aren’t as fortunate as we are, and if there’s something we can do to give back, we’re extremely happy to do it.”