Calgary Flames defenceman Mark Giordano is showing leadership on and off the ice. The Flames captain paid a visit to southeast Calgary’s Radisson Park School on Monday to deliver a message to the students.
“If you can connect with just one kid, it makes a huge difference,” he said. “So to come here and be able to talk with the different classes and different students, that’s why we do it.”
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For the past four years, Giordano and his wife Lauren have used their “Team Giordano” program funding to upgrade supplies at four area schools, including Radisson Park. Over that time, $300,000 has been donated to the schools for various upgrades.
Sydney Derksen, 8, has attended the Radisson Park School for four years. That’s how long Giordano and his wife have used their funding to upgrade the school’s supplies.
The upgrades at Radisson Park include new library books, a sensory calming space where kids who are having a bad day can reset for a few minutes, robotics and science equipment, and of course, floor hockey equipment.
“I like all the books because I really love reading and it’s really cool to get lots of books from a really famous hockey player,” Sydney said.
School principal Tracy Drefko has been blown away by the program’s influence on the students.
“The confidence, the goal setting and the intent behind Team Gio really fits into our school motto of being resilient, respectful and remarkable,” Drefko said. “And so our kids are learning to understand that isn’t just something that we say and do in our school; it’s really what good citizens do outside of school, as well. It’s been incredible.”
During the school visit, Giordano was informed he will not face any further discipline from the NHL for a collision during Sunday’s game with Carolina Hurricanes forward Sebastian Aho. Aho was injured on the play while Giordano was ejected from the game. Gio commented on the play.
“I really feel it was just a play,” he said. “I planted myself and went to make a hit and separate him from the puck and it didn’t end up as well as it could have. Nothing further from the league, which is nice for me not to be suspended, but I know there wasn’t any intent on my end to hurt the guy.”
Giordano and the Calgary Flames now go on a league-mandated five-day break.
The Flames are the hottest team in the league and will face Winnipeg Saturday afternoon, riding a seven-game winning streak.
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