Clemson Football Team Visits Children’s Hospital

Oct. 22, 2008

Clemson, SC – The Clemson football team took a day off from practice on Wednesday to visit cancer patients at The Children’s Hospital of the Greenville Hospital System University Medical Center in Greenville, SC. The entire 100-member squad and coaching staff made the trip in three bus loads from the Clemson campus.

The Tigers had their position meetings, then were summoned to the team meeting room at 3:00 PM. At that time, Coach Dabo Swinney informed the team there was a change of plans on the schedule. They then went to the locker room to put on their game jerseys for the visit.

“I thought it would be a great team building experience for our team,” said Swinney. “I said when I accepted this position last week that it was my goal to teach this team lessons that go beyond the football field. “This team has gone through a lot the last two weeks, but nothing like some of these kids have had to endure. I hope we brightened their (patients) day, I know it brightened our day. I saw a lot of smiles on the faces of the patients and our players. It was a day I won’t soon forget.”

The team visited over 50 children at the hospital between 4:30 and 6:00 PM before returning to campus. The Tigers do not play this weekend and will be back on the practice fields on Thursday for a full pads practice. That practice will be open to the Clemson student body. They will be admitted upon showing a student ID. Practice begins at 4:00 PM.