CHICAGO – LA KISS quarterback J.J. Raterink has been named the AFL Pulse Player of the Week for his recent philanthropic efforts.
Raterink (6-2, 210, Wyoming), who is in his fifth season in the AFL, visited the Children’s Hospital of Orange County with teammates, coaches and front office staff on Thursday.
“We took some pictures with several kids and then we split up into separate rooms and met with some of the patients and handed out gifts,” Raterink said. “One of the guys said it best – you walk into the room and then they smile and they light up the whole place.”
While volunteering at the hospital, he had the opportunity to meet with a special patient, who made a lasting impression on him and his teammates.
“It was really neat because when we were leaving, we met Jack, who had been a patient there for nine years and he found out yesterday that his cancer is 100 percent gone,” Raterink said. “You see all of the things that these kids are going through and the struggles that they are able to fight through and it makes your rough days not nearly as bad you think they are.”
Raterink says as a professional athlete, he has a responsibility to be a role model in the community.
“I think it is important to be a good role model because a lot of the things that you do, kids will try to emulate on a positive and maybe even on a negative front,” Raterink said. “I think when you have the opportunity to have an impact you should certainly make it a positive one and impart some of the knowledge that you have so they can learn from your successes.”
Raterink and the LA KISS (3-12) will travel to the Rose City to take on the Portland Thunder (4-11) tonight in a crucial matchup with playoff implications for both teams. Kickoff is set for 10:00 p.m. ET on ESPN3.
The AFL Pulse Player of the Week is awarded in recognition of commitment to community service. The AFL Pulse Al Lucas Hero of the Year will be awarded to one player at the end of the 2014 season.
Read the full article: http://www.arenafootball.com/sports/a-footbl/spec-rel/071214aac.html
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Since its inception in 1987, the Arena Football League has showcased a fast-paced and exciting game to millions of fans in a myriad of markets across the country. The ESPN family of networks and CBS Sports Network will nationally broadcast AFL games each week for the entire 2014 season. The AFL schedule culminates with ArenaBowl XXVII Saturday, August 23, 2020 on ESPN.
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