On Saturdays during football season in Iowa City, the place to be is historic Kinnick Stadium. If you happen to be at the stadium that is home to the Iowa Hawkeyes, you would see fans decked out in black and gold. Upon the conclusion of the first quarter of the football game, the thousands of Hawkeye faithful fans would turn and wave towards the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital as part of a new, heartwarming tradition.
From the twelfth floor of Kinnick’s neighboring children’s hospital, pediatric patients and their families can watch Hawkeye football games through large windows overlooking the stadium. The tradition of the Hawkeye Wave simply began as a suggestion made by the Hawkeye Heaven fan page on Facebook and has now become nationally recognized as one of the best traditions in all of college football.
Spokesperson for the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Tom Moore, talked about the impact of the new tradition on the hospital community: “Everyone involved in the hospital finds it extremely exciting. It is a truly remarkable experience with a deep meaning to all of the families and care providers of our patients.” Moore also stated, “The University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital wholeheartedly supports the tradition because our goal is to make our patients and their families feel as comfortable as possible during their time at the hospital.”
While the tradition leaves a lasting imprint on the members of the hospital community, it also has a major effect on the fans doing the waving. Pleasant Valley alumni and current sophomore at the University of Iowa, Carly Donahue spoke about the new tradition from the perspective of one of the thousands of Hawkeye fans waving towards the children’s hospital on Hawkeye game days, “I think it’s a really cool, unique tradition in collegiate sports. It’s definitely a very unifying feeling and an amazing thing to be a part of.” Donahue also mentioned the connection shared between Iowa’s athletic department and the hospital, which is something one does not see on very many college campuses.
The Hawkeye Wave is a tradition that brings together Hawkeye fans whether they are watching the game from inside Kinnick Stadium or from the top floor of the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital. The special tradition will continue for seasons to come and go down in Hawkeye history.
