There is no denying that all of Seattle’s teams are just phenomenal. We have highly skilled players that work hard at their sport and really represent the city well. But part of that representation also comes from their character and willingness to really help improve the community, and the Seattle Thunderbirds are especially always willing to demonstrate their caliber when it comes to goodwill.

Take Matthew Barzal. Barzal is a huge name on the T-Birds roster right now, having already been signed into a three-year contract with the New York Islanders through the NHL Entry Draft. But he is not letting that get to his head. Instead, he is making time to talk with publications for children, like Sports Illustrated Kids, to help serve as a role model. He told readers that he was four years old when he first started playing the sport, showing readers that you can fall in love with your passion at a very young age. If you stick to your dream, you can really make it happen—especially if you put in the work for it! In fact, because of his hard work, Barzal was Seattle’s first pick in the WHL Draft in 2013. Now he’s off to the NHL. He also spoke to the kids about sharing opinions and speaking your mind, an important quality to foster in youth.

Speaking of inspiring kids, the whole T-Birds team has been mentoring children at the Neely-O'Brien Elementary School throughout the season. Photos of the mentor sessions are can be accessed on the team’s Facebook page. Fans can check out players like Jerret Smith and Landon Bow hanging out with kids and playing board games like Sorry!, Alexander True playing Battleship with another student and several players engaging in a Scrabble tournament. In addition to the mentoring program, the young men are also known to visit local schools in the “Buddy Not a Bully” program. In this program, the players attend assemblies to help students prevent and stop bullying at their schools and promote a more positive school climate.

It’s no surprise as to why the T-Birds are a local kids’ favorite team! Between the youth on the team, with some players as young as 15, and the different programs that the Birds use to engage area youth, they are a driving force for positivity and change in the area just as they are on the ice.

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia