It’s the season of giving, and the Vancouver Warriors are adding a heartwarming twist to Saturday Night’s matchup against the Las Vegas Desert Dogs.
The club will host its inaugural Teddy Bear Toss, and fans are encouraged to bring their own bears and be ready to toss them over the glass after the Warriors score their first goal of the third quarter.
All donated teddy bears and proceeds from bear sales on the concourse will go directly to the Vancouver Venture for Diversity Society to support Indigenous families. Donation bins will also be available throughout the third and fourth quarters for fans who want to contribute but may have missed the big toss.
Warriors’ Head Coach and GM Curt Malawsky is a big believer in giving back, especially during a time of year that can be tough for some families. He has participated in Teddy Bear Tosses in the past with the Calgary Roughnecks, and he’s looking forward to enjoying the moment with fans.
“If there's an opportunity to help others, that's something that the organization's all about, and I know our guys and the staff are all about that. It might be a little thing, but if it puts a smile on a few kids’ faces and it makes their day a little bit better, then it’s worth it,” Malawsky said.
“To be the inaugural Teddy Bear Toss in Vancouver just adds another layer to it. We’re appreciative that we are in the positions that we're in, and when there's an opportunity to help families that are in need, it puts everything into perspective. It's going to be a special night.”
For several Warriors players, Saturday will be their first-ever Teddy Bear Toss experience. We spoke with forwards Adam Charalambides and Payton Cormier, and defencemen Jeff Cornwall and Ryan Dilks. While they all insist it doesn’t matter who scores the big goal, there have been some fun predictions.
Cornwall predicted a Shane Simpson transition goal coming out of the half, and Adam Charalambides said he might bet on himself to make it rain teddy bears.
Cornwall’s family is fully leaning into the event, especially his aunt, who circled the date on her calendar as soon as it was announced. He has been on teams where they’ve done the toss at halftime, so he’s never been able to watch the magic unfold, which is something he’s looking forward to this year.
“Whenever you get opportunities to give back and be part of a community bigger than your own, that's what it's really all about,” Cornwall said. When you get to extend and be part of a bigger community, I take a lot of joy in that, and I know a lot of other people do too. So, the teddy bear toss is a pretty unique opportunity to give back and support others.”
Cornwall’s daughter is 18 months old, and this initiative hits home.
“It's amazing to see how the smallest little gift can make a kid’s face light up and make their day. It's pretty special. And get the chance to be a platform where we can bring that to other families. It's one of the coolest things ever,” Cornwall said.
A fellow father, Ryan Dilks says the event also resonates on a personal level.
“As a dad, and I see how much my kids love their teddy bears and stuffed animals,” Dilks said. “I can't imagine a kid not having a teddy bear going to bed at night. So, donating and giving back to the community is so important. No kids should go to bed without a stuffed animal beside them.”
Dilks has imagined what it would be like standing on the floor and teddy bears being thrown on the turf.
“I'm super excited. I probably wouldn't bet on me to score the first goal to trigger the teddy bears, but I always imagined that would be a really cool feeling – scoring that goal and then getting showered on by teddy bears,” Dilks said.
Although it would be awesome to score the big goal, Bides said the most important part of the event is that everyone is coming together for a good cause.
“It truly doesn't matter who gets the goal. Above everything else is the cause of it and where they're getting donated to,” Charalambides said. “The fans getting involved by bringing those generous donations is going to be pretty wicked.”
Saturday also marks the Warriors’ First Nations theme night, adding extra meaning to an already special event. The donations will go towards helping Indigenous families through the Vancouver Venture for Diversity Society, and Charalambides says it’s wonderful way to honour the roots of the game while giving back.
“It's the Creator's game, and it's a game that's really provided a lot of love, connection, and careers for a bunch of us here,” Charalambides said. “The way it connects back to First Nations Night, it's a really unique connection between the game that allows it to be a little bit deeper than just a sport. It allows that spiritual connection, whether you're playing for yourself or playing for family members, I think that spiritual element really encourages more gratitude amongst teammates and amongst guys when they're suiting up to play this game.”
Cormier is expecting a moment he won’t forget and says the team’s commitment to community makes the event meaningful.
“It definitely will be pretty cool seeing hundreds or thousands of teddy bears being tossed on the floor as we score,” Cormier said. “Anytime we can put a smile on people's faces, that’s stuff we really appreciate. Being able to give back to the young fans and families that support us is something our whole team values.”
With the excitement building on the floor and in the stands, the inaugural Teddy Bear Toss promises to deliver a feel-good moment. One goal, one big cheer – and one unforgettable shower of bears. Let it rain, Warriors fans.