Penn State football players showed their softer sides as they scooped ice cream, signed autographs and spent Saturday afternoon giving tours of the Lasch Football Building to 15 Interfrater-nity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon families.
An annual part of Thon, Penn State Wish matched each family with one or two football
players, who gave them a behind-the-scenes tour of the facilities.
To participate in Penn State Wish, Thon families signed up for the Penn State experience they would most enjoy. Some other past events have included dancing with cheerleaders, horseback riding with the equestrian team and touring Berkey Creamery, according to thon.org.
"This is one of the most popular wishes, for obvious reasons," Katie Austin, family relations overall chairwoman, said.
Players showed families the locker room, where the kids tried on shoulder pads and helmets. Linebacker Brian Irvin reached into a fellow freshman's locker and pulled out the player's size 16 shoes. The kids marveled at the size, placing their own tiny feet next to the gargantuan shoe.
In the locker room, tradition has it that no one treads on the white "S" in the middle of the room, unless they want to pay the penalty of push-ups. However, this didn't frighten the kids. Intentionally running across the white carpet, the kids were excited to show off their push-up skills.
"It's great getting to meet the children. They have gone through so much more than we could ever imagine. Just to put a smile on their face, it's worth it," Penn State linebacker Jerome Hayes said. "No matter what they are going through, they should know we are their biggest fans."
This is Hayes' second year with the Penn State Wish program.
The tour continued through the academic center, game room -- complete with foosball and pool tables, big screen TVs and leather couches -- and the computer lab. Players also showed the families each position's personal classroom.
Starting quarterback Daryll Clark showed off the quarterback room to the Smith family, of State College. He pointed out a quote written on a whiteboard in the room, "Take care of the little things, and the big things will take care of themselves."
"It's one of Joe Paterno's favorites," Clark said. "It's in most of the rooms."
The team also escorted the children around the strength training room. The children climbed all over the equipment and "worked out," as their player spotted them.
As promised, after the tour of the complex, everyone returned to the locker room to share ice cream and cookies.
"How about some ice cream?" Clark asked his Penn State Wish child.
Her mom, Stephanie Smith, replied, "Awe, Victoria, he's speaking your language now."
The children giggled as one player dropped a ball of chocolate ice cream, which rolled across the floor.
"I was blown away by the support of the football team. They were so good with the kids," Austin said. "We must be doing something right, since we are introducing new families and welcoming back old ones every year."
