#MIKidsCan Champion of the Month: Aiden Carrithers
Lucy Ciaramitaro
| 2 min read
“You better play hard, I need some fantasy points.”
Words of encouragement given to Red Wings’ player Dylan Larkin by our brave #MIKidsCan Champion of the Month on opening night at Little Caesars Arena.
Aiden Carrithers, 9, was lucky enough to stand beside some of his hometown heroes as “Youth Hockey Skater of the Game” on Thursday, Oct. 5.
The “Youth Hockey Skater of the Game” is presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and offers hockey players ages 6-16 the experience of a lifetime as their names are announced during the starting lineup and they get to stand alongside the Red Wings players during the National Anthem.
“My favorite part was definitely getting to meet the players in person,” Aiden explained. “I got to stand at the blue line with Danny Dekeyser, Gustav Nyquist and Henrik Zetterberg.”
With four years of experience under his belt, Aiden’s passion for hockey had a slow start.
“When I first started playing hockey, I didn’t even know how to skate,” he shared. “But I kept practicing and got better and faster, so I’m liking it a lot now.”
As soon as he got to Little Caesars Arena, Aiden and his family were taken to the locker room where he changed into his gear. Shortly after, players of the team began to file out and shake his hand before heading to the ice for the National Anthem.
“I’ve been a Red Wings fan for a long time,” he shared. “My all-time favorite player is Pavel Datsyuk, so it would have been really cool to do this last year before he left.”
Aiden also expressed how important it is to lead a healthy lifestyle as an athlete.
“It’s important for me to stay healthy because I need to be in the best condition when I play.”
Do you know a child who deserves to be recognized for their commitment to living a healthy, active lifestyle? Nominate them at AHealthierMichigan.org/MIKidsCan.
Photo Credit: Craig Carrithers (feature and inset)
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