Bert Faibish
Ticats.ca
With training camp and the football season just around the corner, it’s another sport that has some of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats excited to be back in town.
“I obviously love and appreciate the sport of football, but man do I love getting out here and playing some basketball,” said sweaty Ticats defensive back Ryan Hinds, after the first Cops and Cats game of the season, Wednesday afternoon at Highland Secondary in Dundas.
Cops and Cats is a program that partners some Hamilton Tiger-Cats players with members of the Hamilton Police Service, who raise money at local high schools by playing their resident basketball teams. Students can buy out of class to watch the games, and all the money goes to McMaster Children’s Hospital and St. Joseph’s Healthcare.
The program not only raises money, but offers students a unique perspective of athletes and local law enforcement.
“It’s great to be able to give these kids another side of us as police officers,” said Sgt. Barry Mungar, one of the veterans of the program.
“Often the only time they see us in their school is when there is a problem, so it’s nice to just be out here with them having some fun.”
One player in particular has some fond memories of Cops and Cats taking on his own high school.
“Actually I remember playing for my school’s team when Cops and Cats came to our school and now I’m on the other side, it’s pretty unbelievable,” said veteran receiver and Cathedral High School product, Dave Stala.
“Getting a chance to come out here, have some fun with these kids and raise money for a good cause is a no-brainer for me,” he added.
Wednesday’s effort produced a big 46-point win for the visiting Cops and Cats team, and had some of the players eager to see how well the 2012 version of the team stacks up against the other schools in TigerTown.
“Even though this is all for fun, it still gets your competitive juices going, you never want to lose” joked Hinds.
“We’re trying to go undefeated this year.”
The Cops and Cats season will continue next week with four games on tap and receivers Aaron Kelly, Bakari Grant and Chris Williams expected to join some of their other Tiger-Cats teammates in action.
