In 2017 an amazing tradition began: the Hawkeye Wave in Kinnick Stadium at the University of Iowa. It’s sometimes just called “the Wave” or the “Wave to the Brave” and it is performed during Iowa Hawkeyes home football games.
The University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital is located next to Kinnick Stadium which holds 69,250 fans. The children’s hospital was renovated in 2017. This included adding a new observation deck on the 12th floor from which patients and families can watch football games. After the first quarter of each home game everyone in the stadium (fans, players from both teams, officials, everybody!) faces the hospital and waves to the 12th floor in a show of unity and solidarity with the pediatric patients and their families. The wave lasts about a minute and has become one of the greatest traditions in college sports.
Krista Young from Anita, Iowa had the idea for fans to wave at the kids in the hospital. She suggested it on social media through Levi Thompson who managed a Facebook page called Hawkeye Heaven. The tradition was born. She has since received communication from around the world thanking her for her amazing gesture. Krista and Levi were honored at the 2017 Musial Awards for their incredible contribution.
The University of Iowa athletic department held a contest to create a song for “the Wave”. Brad Nye and Todd Malcolm, who went to high school together in the 70’s wrote the winning tune:
The encouraging collective gesture has grown over the last decade. From the university’s Hawkeye Sports site:
The Hawkeye Wave is the best tradition in college sports. When the Kinnick clock hits zero, at the end of the first quarter, 70,000+ football fans turn their attention from the field to UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital. In unison, they wave to the pediatric patients and their families watching the game. The patients and family members view this genuine act of kindness as life-changing, inspiring…a wave of hope.
As this tradition, born in 2017, etches itself in Hawkeye lore, the University of Iowa and the UI Department of Intercollegiate Athletics want to enhance and evolve the moment. Starting in 2022, for every home game the Iowa football team plays inside Kinnick Stadium, athletics, in coordination with the UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital Kid Captain program, will ask that week’s Kid Captain to help select a new song to accompany the Hawkeye Wave.
The Hawkeye Wave, a stirring tradition connecting fans and players with young patients and their families fighting tough battles.
Image Credits
- The Hawkeye Wave: Aerial view of Kinnick Stadium: University of Iowa
- Fans Waving: Our Quad Cities, NCAA, HawkFanatic
- Hawkeye Players: HawkFanatic
- Officials: On3
- Visiting Team: Des Moines Register