By Kevin Morley, DAT, ATC
Head Athletic Trainer, Nashville Predators
Like most clubs, the Nashville Predators have a Community Relations/Foundation group dedicated to fundraising, philanthropy, and generally spreading joy throughout the community. The Preds Foundation hosts more events than any of us on the hockey staff could ever hope to attend, but I was able to fit one event into my schedule this summer that really made an impression on me.
One of the charitable groups the Preds partner with is a local Nashville-based non-profit called Soles4Souls (https://soles4souls.org/). S4S is a nationwide organization that many PHATS/SPHEM/SCAPH members have probably heard of, and likely donated shoes and/or clothes to at some point. S4S “turns shoes and clothing into opportunities for education and employment so they can have a more hopeful future;” through a variety of programs both domestic and international. Among their endeavors are programs called 4Relief, 4Opportunity, 4EveryKid, and 4ThePlanet. Each of these programs sets forth to address a different need or disrupt the cycle of poverty in a different way. I’m not an expert on each program, but if you want to learn more about them, their website explains them all.
Like most of us, my family and I regularly donate shoes or clothes, usually to Goodwill, the Salvation Army, or another local organization. After donating, I drive away, pat myself on the back for doing “good” that day, and don’t think of it again. My opportunity to travel with S4S this summer gave me a chance to watch that process come full circle; and to see how impactful these donations can be.
The Preds Foundation has gone on several trip with S4S over the years, but this was the first one that I could fit into my schedule. A group of 8 Preds employees, half of whom I’d never even met before, traveled from Nashville to Antigua, Guatemala to connect with our Nashville-based S4S host, and our Guatemala City-based in-country host. S4S has partners in several different places in Central America & the Caribbean; but we lucked out in picking a beautiful, safe, friendly, and easily navigable city, not to mention the best in-country host out there!
After landing in Guatemala City and traveling to Antigua – not a terribly far drive, but it took forever because of traffic, sketchy roads, and more traffic, we settled in. There was a quick orientation and get-to-know-you session but then we went to work sorting shoes. We were there for three “distribution” events. Our host, Jenn, had it all dialed in. We were going to travel into VERY underserved communities and distribute new shoes to kids in schools. Sounds easy right? In theory, it is.
First, we pulled the shoes – a LOT of shoes – from the warehouse (aka The Shoe House because it’s cheaper for them to rent a condo than it is to rent a warehouse) and put them in huge bags by size. Then we were ready for the distribution. I don’t know how far we traveled in miles or kilometers, but I have a hunch it wasn’t very far. As we got closer to the distribution site, the roads got sketchier and the traffic started to include dogs, and I mean a LOT of dogs, stalled cars, people on foot, and more dogs. It took a long time to go a very short distance.
The distributions are by far the most powerful thing I’ve done in a very long time. Maybe ever (besides the births of my kids although I didn’t really do anything terribly helpful on those days – ask my wife).
The first distribution was broken up into two sessions at the same school. We saw the equivalent of kindergarten through 3rd grade in the morning, and 4th through 6th grades in the afternoon. The system is basic. The kids form a line, they take off one shoe and put their foot on a sizing guide. We write their shoe size on a little sticker, put the sticker on their hand or forehead or nose, and send them off to the fitting stations. Once there, the kids sit down, we greet them in our very best “Spanish I learned in Connecticut from a French lady in 1993,” coupled with some sign language and then we start trying on shoes.
All the shoes used in distributions are new – the ones we donate here in North America are used, but not for this specific purpose. The shoes we had access to were essentially Crocs, and these kids were fired up when they saw them. Once we agree that the Crocs fit, we send them off to the “tienda” because who doesn’t like free stuff? We were prepared, so we brought tons of stuff from home. Think about the stuff your kids get when they leave the dentist, it was that kind of stuff. Toy cars, stickers upon stickers, yo-yos, jump ropes, plastic combs, brushes, hair scrunchies – you get the idea. The kids were pumped about these items, but the next best thing were toothbrushes. We’d asked our team dentists at Vanderbilt if they had any extras we could take with us. Seven-hundred and fifty toothbrushes later (I had a great time trying to fit all of those in my suitcase!), we had oral hygiene gifts for the kids too. And no, we’re not heartless. They didn’t have to pick between a toy car and a toothbrush – they got both! The afternoon session of older kids was a carbon copy of the morning session with the younger kids. In total, we distributed about 865 pairs of shoes that day. The following day, after another trip to The Shoe House to restock, was a different location, but the same general idea as day one. Day two was an easier day, with only about 300 kids. In total we distributed just shy of 1200 pairs of shoes. That’s roughly 2400 feet! So if you’re not into feet, you should get yourself assigned to the tienda if you ever take a S4S trip!
Ultimately, for me, this was a powerful experience for a few reasons. It’s hard not to compare yourself, or your community to the one that you’re visiting. By all conventional standards, the communities where we did the distributions would be considered “poor” or “underserved” or whatever label you want to use. Sure, they had “less” financially than most of us have. But it got me thinking about how “poor” is such a relative term. Next to the highest paid NHL player, we’re poor. But next to a highschool kid making minimum wage, we’re rich. While the people in these communities have likely never shopped at Whole Foods (I don’t either. Who can afford that place? It’s a total racket.), does that make them poor? My high school Spanish that I mentioned before allowed me to have some basic conversations, where I learned that these kids had families, they had homes that provided some level of shelter and safety, they had faith (there are churches EVERYWHERE), they had some level of education, they had futbol, and now they had new shoes! What else does a kid in Central America need?
So, 1200 pairs of shoes later, I had some feel-good moments when I connected with some kids. I think some were very intimidated by the scope of all of this, and the Americans running around in obnoxious gold t-shirts babbling in English about zapatos, but some of them really lit up when we tried to speak their language, and when we kicked the soccer ball with them in the school courtyard.
We didn’t fit any parents for shoes, but there were a lot of moms and aunts and abuelitas there, with kids in tow, and seeing the joy on their faces, knowing that their kids got a brand-new pair of shoes, potentially for the first time ever, was cool. I know it was just a drop in the bucket, so I’m not going to hurt my shoulder patting myself on the back, but it was an incredible experience that I got to share with 7 co-workers and 1200 Guatemalan kids.
Oh, and on the last day we got to hike to the top(ish) of a volcano and roast marshmallows in the steam coming from an old lava flow. We also had two locals make us a pizza in a coal oven heated by the lava steam. So, it wasn’t all philanthropy. As I reflect on this trip, I realize that everyone involved benefited in some way, and for that realization I am eternally grateful that I had this opportunity.
Scan this QR code to watch a short video recapping the trip!
All photos courtesy of Kevin Morley.
By Lance LeClere, MD and Kevin Morley, DAT, ATC, Nashville Predators
“Successful in so many ways” was how many of the Predators players and staff summed up the recent Global Series trip to Bern, Switzerland and Prague, Czech Republic. Yes, there was success on the ice, but there was so much more than that.
First, diligent preparation starting months prior to departure by the operations team, equipment staff, and medical staff laying the groundwork for a trip that many will consider one of the highlights of their career. Preparations started months prior to the trip with communication between Preds medical, NHL International, and the medical staffs in Bern and Prague, aiming to engage the entire team in thoughtful logistical planning. Medical records were reviewed, equipment was carefully chosen, members of the travel party were identified, and communication to the club and travelers was prioritized.
The Global Series events officially started on Friday, September 30 after the Predators’ final home preseason game at Bridgestone Arena. From Nashville, the Predators flew to Zurich, Switzerland, and then bused on to Bern, Switzerland–home of captain, Roman Josi. This brought an extra layer of special meaning for the entire organization, as the club met his friends and family from home and roamed the corridors of the arena to which he rode his bike for youth hockey games. The city of Bern did not disappoint. In addition to being incredibly beautiful, we enjoyed wonderful accommodations at the Bellevue Palace hotel in the heart of Bern, excellent food and drinks, courteous local citizens, and plenty of Swiss chocolates. Most notably, the city exploded with enthusiasm for their hometown hero and the entire Predators organization. Practice on Sunday, October 2nd concluded with a community “kids skate” with hundreds of aspiring future NHL stars taking the ice with the team. That night, the organization came together to celebrate the start of the season at the Hotel Kursaal, complete with beautiful vista views of the city of Bern and the Swiss Alps in the background. It was a night of incredible food and drinks, many photos, lots of laughs, and many stories told (some of which were true).
On Tuesday, October 3rd, we were met by a total of over 17,000 screaming fans as the Preds took on the Bern SC team. The crowd was electric, with over 9,000 fans in “The Wall,” a standing-only section across from the benches, packed together literally shoulder to shoulder, playing drums and chanting akin to a European soccer match. They feted their native Swiss sons Nino Neiderreiter and Roman Josi, with the latter scoring 2 goals during the game. Communication with the local medical staff was excellent throughout the stay in Bern. Thankfully, there were no significant injuries on either side, but both medical staffs exchanged ideas, shared stories and experiences, and “talked shop”. The oral surgeon for Bern SC even provided a tour of the local dental school and hospital to our Preds team dentist prior to the game. There is no doubt that both medical staffs took away valuable experience, established helpful international contacts, and learned lessons from this immersive experience. The game was topped only by the emotional sendoff from the crowd to Roman Josi and the entire organization. As the crowd went wild and Josi tapped his heart in appreciation, one could not help but realize the power of sports, and the NHL specifically, in connecting people around the world. One could not help of be proud to support an organization and a league that means so much to so many.
After brief skate and visit to the local hospital by some of the players on Tuesday, October 4th, we loaded the buses and headed to Zurich for our flight to Prague. After arriving at the Four Seasons Hotel in Old Town Prague, many took advantage of the final daylight hours to get their first glimpse of the Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, and Astronomical clock. This “scouting mission” allowed us to plan and maximize our time for Wednesday, October 5th, an off day for the team. With coffees in hand, we set out on foot to explore one of Europe’s most beautiful cities. It was impossible not to grow closer as a group as we explored the historic sights, ate ice cream-filled chimney cakes, toasted drinks, and shopped for souvenirs for loved ones back home. We grew closer as a staff as we got to know each other better, and this will no doubt serve us and our players well in the upcoming season.
Thursday, October 6th was a day of practice and some sightseeing, but the official start of the season was finally on the horizon. After treatments and equipment checks at the O2 Arena had concluded, the preseason officially came to an end. On Friday, October 7th nearly 17,000 fans were treated to an excellent game at O2 Arena that started the NHL season. The energy was palpable as the crowd seemed to be split between Nashville Predators fans and San Jose Sharks fans. Perhaps the biggest roar of the night came when Prague native Tomáš Hertl found the back of the net for the Sharks. In the end the Preds came away with the win and both teams readied for a quick turnaround for the second game of the series the following day. After the puck drop from Czech native Jaromir Jagr in front of over 17,000 fans on Saturday October 8th, the Preds won another great game and the season was officially in full swing.
After a night of celebrating and squeezing in some final memories in Prague, it was time to head home on Sunday, October 9th. With mixed emotions of longing for our own beds and a return to families back home, but a twinge of sadness that the trip was coming to an end, we loaded our bags and headed to Nashville. There was universal appreciation for the opportunity to be involved in a trip that will provide wonderful memories for a lifetime. A trip that strengthened relationships and further developed strong organizational culture. And a trip that made us all appreciate how special this game and this league is for its players, its fans, and its hockey clubs. What a success—on so many levels!
All photos courtesy of Kevin Morley.
