HUMBOLDT — Every time a Humboldt Collegiate Mohawks football player holds a football at a home game, they’ll be honouring the memory of a fallen comrade.
Those particular footballs each have a picture representing Brody Hinz’s #51 football jersey on them. Brody died in the April 6, 2018 Humboldt Broncos bus collision.
Darlene Hinz, Brody’s mother, said the donation of the 22 footballs was to honour her son, who was a big part of the football team.
“Football meant everything to him. He loved his Mohawks. He started in Grade 9 and he played football until Grade 11. He couldn't play in Grade 12 because he had a torn ACL.”
Daniel Hinz, Brody’s cousin, said after the collision, there was a fund that was set up in Brody's name. The Hockey Guy, a YouTuber, hosts an annual ball hockey tournament each year in Pitt Meadows, B.C. to raise money for the fund, which is used for a scholarship and to help out organizations that Brody was involved in, like the football team.
“You look at what kind of a kid he was and he always wanted to support different things, [wanted to] give to the community and loved the Mohawks football team,” Daniel said.
Cory Popoff, the coach of the team and Humboldt Collegiate’s principal, was happy to receive the donation.
“It means quite a bit to our football program, especially in remembrance of Brody and all the great things he's done for the football [team],” he said. “We sure certainly miss him and this will certainly give us a daily reminder of his legacy in our program.”
Darlene was pleased to make the donation.
“I'm just happy I could do this with the high school because Brody loved the people in the high school and his coaches.”
