RoadRunners' Knopp Providing A Head Start
January 24, 2006 - ECHL (ECHL)
Phoenix RoadRunners News Release
Phoenix, Ariz. - Phoenix RoadRunners forward Ben Knopp has always found the time throughout his professional career to make a difference in the local community. Now he's taking his time one step further. Knopp, with the assistance of the RoadRunners organization, has purchased four season tickets for the remainder of the 2005-06 regular season and donated them to the low income families from the Maricopa County Head Start Program.
"It's just something that I've always wanted to do," said Knopp. "I was inspired by what a few of the older guys in Columbus (Ohio) were doing when I was at NHL training camp a couple of years ago, and I knew that I didn't have to be in the National Hockey League to make it happen."
Knopp, 23, is in his fourth professional season after being selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets with the 69th overall pick at the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. The Calgary, Alberta native spent both the entire 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons in the American Hockey League with the Syracuse Crunch before splitting time with the Dayton Bombers and the Pee Dee Pride of the ECHL last year. Knopp, who has been injured for much of this season, has five goals and eight points in just 14 games with the RoadRunners.
"It's been a tough season for me dealing with all these injuries," said Knopp, "so I figured that if I can't make an impact on the ice, I can certainly try my best to do something that is beneficial off it."
In addition to Knopp's tickets, families from the Maricopa County Head Start program will also receive food vouchers from the RoadRunners and autographed pucks signed by Knopp and the rest of the RoadRunners. Knopp will also visit with each of the families following every RoadRunners home game.
"We would like to thank Ben for his generosity in donating his season tickets to our families who would otherwise not have the chance to attend a function like this," said Virginia Valenciano, Family and Community Partnership Specialist for Maricopa County Head Start. "Our families are very excited about attending future games and becoming huge RoadRunners fans."
The RoadRunners continue their season-long nine-game stretch away from US Airways Center at 8PM MST Friday as they open a two-game series with the Victoria Salmon Kings from the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre in Victoria, British Columbia. Catch all the action live on News Talk Radio 1100AM KFNX and Pro Sports Radio beginning with "RoadRunners Countdown" at 7:40PM.
Phoenix returns to US Airways Center at 7:11PM on Tuesday, February 14 as they welcome the Long Beach Ice Dogs for a special Valentine's Day game. For more information or to order tickets, call (602) 462-GOAL or purchase online at www.ticketmaster.com.
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