2008-09 News and Features

Andre Iguodala motivates young hockey players

By: Courtney Stern

Philadelphia 76ers Andre Iguodala took a break from the basketball court on Wednesday to share advice with young hockey players participating in the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation.

25 rising hockey stars cheered as Iguodala entered the room and then sat attentively as he spoke about the importance of schoolwork, being well rounded and learning from your mistakes.

After Iguodala shared his own stories, the kids asked questions that were both serious and humorous. Iguodala explained the sensation of dunking over someone and how he stays conditioned during the off-season. When asked about being a leader, Iguodala instructed the young athletes to learn their teammates’ personalities and approach them all as individuals. Iguodala even shared his secrets to being a superstar.

"I don’t take anything for granted,” Iguodala said. “I’m a very athletic guy and a very tall guy. I maximize my blessings through hard work. I go to the gym every day and focus on what I need to work on, but I also treat it like fun."

The words of the jump shooter resonated with the young skaters because the advice he imparted was about being more than just a basketball player. It was about being a good person.

"It made me look at life in a different way,” said 16-year-old hockey player Glenn Harrerr. “His talk taught me that even when you face tough obstacles, you can always get around them."

The Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation is committed to enhancing life values through hockey. Today, it was a basketball player who got the opportunity to share his values with the participants at the hockey clinic. Iguodala shared his passion to making a difference in the community.

"I do so many basketball camps, but this was really different,” Iguodala said afterward. “To talk to the kids and to relate to them, I play basketball and they play hockey, but we can still relate. It was a lot of fun."