UAB players are wearing children’s hospital patient names on the backs of their jerseys

For UAB today, it really is much more about the name on the back of the jersey than the one on the front.

It a partnership between UAB and Children’s Harbor Family Center, which is part of the Benjamin Russell Hospital for Children in Birmingham, the team will have the names of patients on the backs of their jerseys against Louisiana Tech.

The UAB football team adopted Children’s Harbor, which is located a block from the UAB campus, as one of their community charities in 2016.

The Blazers make regularly scheduled trips to the hospital to build relations and encourage patients.

Giving sick children their moment in the sun is one of the truly cool things about college football. Iowa’s entire stadium has been waving to the children’s hospital that overlooks Kinnick Stadium this season, and it’s become on of college football’s best new traditions.

Shoutout to UAB for making each and every kid who gets their name on a jersey feel truly special. Sports can be a welcome distraction from the challenges of real life, esspecially when you know you’re part of a team.