CALIFORNIA CHEVY DEALERS. FOOTBALL SEASON MAY BE OVER, AND IT’S NOT QUITE BASEBALL SEASON YET, BUT BOTH PROGRAMS AT SAC STATE ARE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. STUDENT ATHLETES FROM BOTH THE HORNETS BASEBALL AND FOOTBALL PROGRAMS WERE AT SHRINERS CHILDREN’S. NORTHERN CALIFORNIA HOSPITAL THIS AFTERNOON. TODAY’S EVENT INCLUDED ACTIVITIES, GAMES, AND AN ICE CREAM SOCIAL. EVERYBODY LOVES AN ICE CREAM SOCIAL. NEW HEAD COACH FOR THE FOOTBALL TEAM, ALONZO CARTER, MADE IT A PRIORITY TO MAKE HIS PLAYERS FAMILIAR FACES IN THE COMMUNITY. QUARTERBACK CARSON CONKLIN MADE HIS FIRST APPEARANCE. HE PLAYED AT SAC STATE TWO YEARS AGO, BEFORE MAKING THE JUMP TO FRESNO STATE LAST SEASON. BUT CONKLIN DECIDED TO RETURN TO SACRAMENTO STATE LAST WEEK. THESE KIDS ARE REALLY INSPIRING. YOU KNOW, IT REALLY PUTS IT INTO PERSPECTIVE HOW BLESSED I AM AND ALL MY TEAMMATES ARE TO, YOU KNOW, WE’RE IN TO BE BUSTING UP TO PLAY FOOTBALL. YOU KNOW, SEEING THESE KIDS WITH A SMILE ON THEIR FACE EVERY DAY. AND, YOU KNOW, JUST OUT HERE HAVING FUN PLAYING GAMES, YOU KNOW IT’S AWESOME TO SEE THAT. THAT’S WHAT WE’RE HERE FOR. JUST TO SUPPORT THEM AND SHOW THE SACRAMENTO STATE COMMUNITY IS HERE FOR THEM. AND WE SUPPORT AND APPRECIATE ALL THE PATIENTS IN HERE. AND WE’RE JUST HERE TO GIVE OUT SOME SOME GIFTS, SOME GIFT BAGS, SOME GEAR AND JUST HAVE A GOOD TIME WITH THE KIDS. JUST BRING SMILES, WANT TO BRING JOY. YOU KNOW, I KNOW WHY THESE CHILDREN ARE HERE. SO JUST BEING ABLE TO SIT DOWN AND COLOR WITH THEM AND TALK TO THEM. AND LIKE I SAID, I’M A DAD AND JUST DON’T YOU KNOW, I HAVE CHILDREN, I HAVE SONS AND DAUGHTERS. SO JUST BRING SOME HOPE AND SOME JOY AND JUST A PEACE OF MIND. EVEN FOR ME, IT’S A BLESSING TO BE IN THIS SEAT WHERE YOU CAN BRING JOY TO PEOPLE. AND DURING TODAY’S VISIT, SHRINERS COACH CARTER BROKE SOME NEWS TO US, REVEALING A SLIGHT MODIFICATION TO THE HAND GESTURE FOR THE SCHOOLS RALLYING CRY STINGERS UP! TAKE A LISTEN. I KNOW Y’ALL LOVE STINGERS UP. AND I GET IT. I’M NOT TRYING TO UPSET NOBODY, BUT I WAS TOLD BEFORE THERE WAS THIS STINGERS UP. THERE WAS THE STINGERS UP. SO THE AIR IS HERE. SO WE BIG STINGERS UP. YOU’RE GOING TO SEE THIS A LOT. BIG STINGERS. SO ALL THE OLD SCHOOL ALUMNI.
Sacramento State athletes bring joy to patients at Shriners Children’s Northern California
New head football coach Alonzo Carter also teased a possible change—or throwback—to the iconic “Stingers Up” gesture.
Updated: 8:19 PM PST Jan 23, 2026
Student-athletes from Sacramento State’s baseball and football programs visited Shriners Children’s Northern California on Friday, participating in activities, games, and an ice cream social with the young patients.New head football coach Alonzo Carter made it a priority to make his players familiar faces in the Sacramento community. Quarterback Carson Conklin, who played at Sac State two years ago before transferring to Fresno State last season, made his first appearance since deciding to return to Sac State last week.”These kids are really inspiring. It really puts into perspective how blessed I am,” Conklin said.Running back Jamar Curtis added, “That’s what we’re here for, just to support them and show the Sacramento State community is here for them. We support and appreciate all the patients in here.”Coach Carter expressed his joy in being able to bring happiness to others. “It’s a blessing to be in this seat where you can bring joy to people,” Carter said.During the visit, Coach Carter also called for a modification to the school’s rallying cry hand gesture, “Stinger’s Up.” “I know y’all love stingers up. I get it, I’m not trying to upset nobody. But I was told before there was this stingers up, there was the big stingers up,” Carter explained, changing from the pinky-up gesture to a pointer-finger-up gesture. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Student-athletes from Sacramento State’s baseball and football programs visited Shriners Children’s Northern California on Friday, participating in activities, games, and an ice cream social with the young patients.
New head football coach Alonzo Carter made it a priority to make his players familiar faces in the Sacramento community.
Quarterback Carson Conklin, who played at Sac State two years ago before transferring to Fresno State last season, made his first appearance since deciding to return to Sac State last week.
“These kids are really inspiring. It really puts into perspective how blessed I am,” Conklin said.
Running back Jamar Curtis added, “That’s what we’re here for, just to support them and show the Sacramento State community is here for them. We support and appreciate all the patients in here.”
Coach Carter expressed his joy in being able to bring happiness to others.
“It’s a blessing to be in this seat where you can bring joy to people,” Carter said.
During the visit, Coach Carter also called for a modification to the school’s rallying cry hand gesture, “Stinger’s Up.”
“I know y’all love stingers up. I get it, I’m not trying to upset nobody. But I was told before there was this stingers up, there was the big stingers up,” Carter explained, changing from the pinky-up gesture to a pointer-finger-up gesture.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel