Tradition is wonderful; it's the transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation, or the fact of being passed on in this way.
We see tradition passed down in family life, through names, holiday festivities, or simply showing support for the same sporting team throughout the years.
Sport is probably one of those that always holds a tradition; there is always that one place everyone goes to before a game, or a song that has to be shared before kick-off.
But this new tradition that has just begun in Iowa is sure to have topped them all.
The University of Iowa's football fans have kicked off their latest tradition at their first home game of the season, and it is a beautiful ode to sick children.
Hawkeye fans turn and wave to the Children's Hospital at the end of the first quarter. New tradition this year. Iowa proud. pic.twitter.com/S3FWHEm2vs
— Matt (@twilek7225) 2 September 2017
The football grounds are located across the street from The University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital, where on game day the children usually gather on the top floor to watch the game through the large glass windows.
Wanting to do something for the children, but not wanting it to come back to monetary means, administrator for fan site Hawkeye Heaven, Levi Thompson, came up with the idea to wave at children looking in.
Best new tradition in all of sports? #FTK @UIchildrens pic.twitter.com/8PU35XhhoN
— University of Iowa (@uiowa) 3 September 2017
Speaking to Hawkeye Nation, Levi shared: "About six months ago, a woman wrote to me, asking if I could use my platform to do something neat for the kids at the Children’s Hospital, that’s when we thought about waving to the hospital.
"I put a post on Hawkeye Heaven asking for people to send in photos of their children overlooking Kinnick Stadium from the Children’s Hospital. I then shared those photos over the past several months to promote the First Quarter Wave."
And when the end of the first quarter arrived, 75K football fans turned to wave at the children, and in a beautiful turn of events, the kids waved back.
The moment was the beginning of a new tradition and likely, a lasting legacy, one which both fans and kids can rejoice over.
The act was small in stature but generated huge excitement for those children looking out the hospital windows, which is clearly visible in the many social media videos and photos shared by fans and parents.
We're welling up with the beauty of this gesture.
