TAMPA, Fla. – The Tampa Bay Lightning were not on the ice on Monday.
“Great to get out of the rink and get on the water,” Lightning captain Victor Hedman said.
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The Bolts were on the water for the eighth annual Coop’s Catch, an event started by Lightning head coach Jon Cooper to raise money for pediatric cancer.
What they’re saying:
“Ten years ago, when we first started this, the dream was to make it be what it is now,” Cooper said.
Now, the whole team is in attendance for the cause.
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“As a parent, you can’t imagine going through that as a family, but what you learn about these kids is how resilient they are,” Hedman said. “What these kids go through and what they do is inspiring to all of us.”
The Lightning aren’t just inspired by the kids, they are inspired to bring in a haul.
“Hopefully we can come through and catch some good fish,” Hedman said.
That part has been a struggle for some members of the team.
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“So proud of the event, and hopefully I don’t get skunked like I have in year’s past,” Cooper said.
Charles Barkley in the house:
While Cooper has been skunked in the past, he did bring in a big celebrity fish — NBA legend Charles Barkley.
“I’m inspired by these kids, but I am here for Jon Cooper,” Barkley said. “He’s an amazing man. He’s a great friend. I’m excited. It was really cool to meet some of the kids and hear some of the great stories.”
One of the stories is from 19-year-old Weston Hermann, who beat brain cancer and is back on the water with the team once again.
Making a Difference:
“With things like this and Cooper being who he is, all of the players coming together and dropping what they are doing just to be here, really means a lot,” Hermann said.
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It means a lot to Cooper that the event keeps getting bigger and bigger for all of the right reasons.
“It’s just a stark reminder of the realities of some of the hardships that kids face,” Cooper said. “We are going to go out here, and we are going to have a bunch of fun but in the end, we know what the purpose of this is for. We have heavy hearts for those who are in the hospital right behind us.”
All proceeds go to the J5 foundation, the Cooper family’s charitable organization.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered by FOX 13’s Mark Skol, Jr. during the eighth annual Coop’s Catch event outside the Tampa Convention Center.