Iowa Hawkeye fans start amazing tradition of waving to patients in children’s hospital

Fans of the Iowa Hawkeyes began a new tradition where, after the first quarter, everyone turns and waves to the children’s hospital that now overlooks the stadium.

Given all the madness and excitement that goes into the opening weekend of college football, you’re bound to miss something great. Unlike the NFL, where there are 16 games at most on any given Sunday, college football is a wild, non-stop feast on several different cable channels featuring countless games from noon until well after midnight.

So, yeah, it’s understandable that even a couple days later you’re still discovering previously unseen highlights.

Well on Monday, that was me. And maybe you too.

Thanks to a tweet from SportsCenter showcasing Scott Van Pelt’s “One Big Thing,” I am now clued in to a new, outstanding tradition started by fans of the Iowa Hawkeyes in which they turn and wave to patients at the overlooking children’s hospital following the end of the first quarter.

Take a look.

This beautiful photo captures it all.

I probably overuse the word amazing at times, but this is truly amazing.

To no surprise, the always eloquent Van Pelt summed up the new tradition rather perfectly:

"“Now maybe it’s because I’m a sap, which you know about me. Maybe it’s because my wife and I were lucky enough to welcome another healthy child into this world just this past week. Maybe it’s just because I’m human.”"

Yeah, it’s because he’s human. I can’t imagine there’s anyone out there who didn’t enjoy that spine-tingling scene.

What this relatively simple, yet profound gesture meant to those kids is immeasurable and I cannot say enough about just how awesome of an idea it was.

Next: College Football Top 25 Rankings: Week 2

According to Big Ten Network, the big push for what’s being coined as the “First Quarter Wave” was started by Levi Thompson after a suggestion from someone on his Hawkeye Heaven Facebook page.

Here’s Thompson:

"“I wanted it to be something that I knew I could pull off with my platform, so I came up with a wave after the first quarter of every home game, letting the children know that we are all behind them and putting them in the spotlight. This is just the beginning of a great thing and I do believe this will become the best tradition in all of sports.”"

This is the perfect example of social media at its absolute best.

We’re just one week into the college football season and have already seen the birth of a heartwarming new tradition that will no doubt become a meaningful staple for all Hawkeye home games.

And yes, I still have chills.