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Syracuse Crunch to Give Back with Stick to Reading Campaign Crunch to Give Back with Stick to Reading Campaign

By Douglas Cortese

© 2018 Doug Cortese

SYRACUSE, N.Y.- The Syracuse Crunch are giving back to the community by sending players to read to elementary and middle school students. The campaign is called the Stick to Reading Campaign. Crunch Chief Operation Officer Jim Sarosy wants kids to see the importance of reading and believes the players can show that by leading by example.

“We thought this was a fun/unique way to do it,” Sarosy said. ” By putting these athletes in an environment where they can read, so it’s not me standing in front of a room saying hey kids its really cool, but here are these athletes.”

The team is working with New York’s 529 Direct college savings program. The program is designed to educate people about the importance of saving for college. It also allows people to get tax benefits on a college savings account. Senior Manager of Marketing Andrea Marino said the campaign’s organizers wanted to include kids and their parents.

A hockey player in a red uniform shoots on a goalie in a blue uniform.
On the ice, Crunch players inspire kids. Off the ice, they want to do the same through the Stick to Reading Campaign.
© 2018 Doug Cortese

“When we were talking with them last spring, they wanted a program that was targeted at local kids and their parents particularly,” Marino said.

Another one of Sarosy’s goals with this campaign, was to end the perception that athletes do not need to read.

“Here are these athletes who people say ‘oh, you don’t need reading for a living,’ which obviously is not even close to true,” Sarosy said.

Students in the program will receive a Syracuse Crunch ticket and team apparel, however they must take a pledge to read first. Senior Manager of Public Relations Megan Cahill says the campaign provides a way for students to get excited about reading.

“We like to do what we can to target the younger generation, get them excited about something that may not be the most exciting to them,” Cahill said.

The Crunch will visit six to 10 schools staring in January. Cahill said kids look forward to when the Crunch visit.

“Every time we go in the kids are excited. It’s a hockey player, its someone they can look up to, its someone different than their teacher talking to them, so they do enjoy it,” Cahill said.

 

Josh Liepper: The Syracuse Crunch are giving back to the community by visiting schools and reading to students. NCC news reporter Doug Cortese explains how the Stick to Reading Campaign works and how students and players benefit.

Doug Cortese: On the ice the Crunch inspire kids. Off the ice, they want to do the same. That’s why they started the Stick to Reading Campaign. The campaign sends Syracuse Crunch Players to read to elementary and middle school students to get them excited about the topic. Crunch Chief Operating Officer Jim Sarosy hopes that if kids see players reading, they will want to read as well.

Jim Sarosy: The hope there is that if this player is doing that or if this guy who is going to be in the NHL in two minutes thinks it’s cool, maybe I’ll give it a chance

Doug Cortese: Senior Manager of Public Relations Meaghan Cahill says anytime players interact with kids, new fans are made. The players also add a new voice for the kids to listen to.

Megan Cahill: “Every time we go in the kids are excited. It’s a hockey player, its someone they can look up to, its someone that’s different than their teacher talking to them, so they do enjoy it.”>

Doug Cortese: This will be the first year the Crunch works with New York’s 529 Direct College saving program. The program allows people to get tax benefits on a college savings account. Senior Manager of Marketing Andrea Marino says the programs organizers wanted to include parents.

Andrea Marino: When we were talking with them last spring, they wanted a program that was targeted at local kids and their parents particularly.

Doug Cortese: Jim Sarosy believes the players will get something out of it too.

Jim Sarosy: Its measurable in terms of smiles in terms of knowing that you did a little bit of good today with some of your available time and using your status to help reinforce something that is important to the organization.

Doug Cortese: Since the players will go to the kids, Cahill says the Stick to reading campaign is different from other events.

Megan Cahill: We have a lot of opportunities for fans to meet the players at autograph signings and other outside events, but this is really an opportunity for us to go to them.

Doug Cortese: Once the students take a pledge to read, they will receive team apparel and a complementary ticket to a Syracuse Crunch game. Parents will get discounted tickets as well. Cahill understands kids may not find reading to be the most entertaining subject.

Megan Cahill: We like to do what we can to target the younger generation, get them excited about something that may not be the most exciting to them.

Doug Cortese: Sarosy says he and the crunch staff are all voracious readers. He believes it is important to pass that idea to the kids.

Jim Sarosy: “Everybody thinks of the body in a physical way in terms of exercise and everything, but reading is the most basic brain exercise there is, and it is important that that’s done and that we promote it and we thought this was a unique/fun way to do it.
Doug Cortese: Sarosy also wants the kids to see that even athletes read, despite what children might here from others.

Jim Sarosy: “Here is these athletes who people say oh you don’t need reading for a living which is obviously not even close to true.”

Doug Cortese: Sarosy hopes the campaign will end that perception. The Crunch plan to visit six to ten schools and libraries starting in January. For NCC news, I’m Doug Cortese

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