April 23, 2016
There's a scene in "The Big Lebowski" in which The Dude (played by Jeff Bridges) takes note of some pictures hanging on the wall in the office of Jeffrey Lebowski, the big Lebowski. There are honorary degrees, a key to the city of Pasadena and pictures of him with dignitaries and politicians, including Nancy Reagan when she "was First Lady of the nation -- yes, yes -- not just California," as his assistant Brandt (played by Philip Seymour Hoffman) is quick to point out.
But the one that sticks out most to The Dude is the one of "Mr. Lebowski's children, so to speak." Of course, they're not actually his children, they're the Little Lebowski Urban Achievers -- a foundation he started for inner-city kids who couldn't afford a college education.
The glimmering lights reflecting off the wide open expanse of the ice, and the warm welcome of the coaches. Hope, promise and possibilities soon began to displace my previous sense of depression and despair.
For some reason -- perhaps because it's from one of my favorite movies of all time -- that scene kept popping into my head during the public memorial service held for Flyers founder and chairman Ed Snider, who passed away last week after a lengthy battle with cancer.
Among the speakers during Thursday's service at the Wells Fargo Center were successful businessmen, including Comcast Chairman Brian Roberts. The Mayor of Philadelphia, Jim Kenney, spoke about Snider's lasting impact on the city. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman spoke, as did NHL Hall of Famer and former Flyer Bob Clarke, who was among many NHL greats -- including the Great One himself, Wayne Gretzky -- on hand to honor the man who brought hockey to this city.
None of them, however, are who I'll remember most from the nearly two-hour service.
And as pictures of Snider with politicians, including former presidents, and celebrities and powerful businessmen scrolled on the screen behind the stage, the most memorable moment came from the most unlikely of places.
Standing on stage Thursday, addressing a crowd of a few thousand people still in mourning, Virlen Reyes couldn't look any less like Ed Snider if she tried. But that doesn't mean she isn't one of his many children.
In 2005, while in the seventh grade at Julia de Burgos Elementary, Reyes says her gym teacher told her about a new after-school hockey program. Admittedly, she didn't know the first thing about hockey -- not many kids from her neighborhood did -- but she did know two things: the program was free and transportation was going to be provided directly from the school, located at 4th and Lehigh, to the Flyers Skate Zone in Northeast Philly, where they would play.
The oldest of three siblings living in a single-parent household in Kensington, Reyes was intrigued by what her gym teacher -- and this new program -- had to offer.
She wouldn't find out until some years later, however, just how much it truly had to offer.
"He just gave me this look -- this reassuring look -- like he really wanted me to say yes," Reyes recalled during a recent interview with PhillyVoice. "And so I did."
Now 24-years-old, Reyes is one of the original members of the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation. She's also the first member to graduate from college, where she was the captain of West Chester University's hockey team that won the national championship in 2012.
None of that, she says, would have been possible without Snider Hockey.
Nor would it have been possible for the countless others who, like Reyes, found new meaning and a new purpose through a game that otherwise would not have been available to them.
"I remember when I first skated at Northeast Skate Zone -- that's where we used to have practice -- there were like 25 kids there in total," Reyes said. "But that was when they first started the program. To put that in perspective, that's 25 compared to close to 15,000 across the tri-state area last time I checked. It's kind of amazing."
In the 10-plus years of its existence, Snider's foundation has grown by leaps and bounds. Currently, there are over 3,000 student-athletes enrolled in the program from 349 different schools. And according to its website, 78 percent of participants come from a low-income household and 74 percent are minorities.
"Growing up in a neighborhood like Kensington, the common sports you see are basketball and baseball, so this was a whole different world for us than anything we'd been exposed to before," Reyes said of her first practice. "And not just the game itself, but how people were communicating. You know, 'keep your head on a swivel.'"
The summer before her freshman year at Edison/Fareira High School, Reyes and some of the other members of Snider Hockey attended Keith Primeau's hockey camp -- all expenses were covered by the foundation -- in Oshawa, Canada, an experience that really opened her eyes to the world beyond her troubled neighborhood.
"Everyone was so welcoming," she remembered. "Here we have a whole bunch of kids that just started playing, but let's put them with kids that already know the game and see what happens. And it was a beautiful thing."
But there is more to Snider Hockey then what they do for these kids on the ice. Much, much more.
"Hockey was the hook, and I would say the motivation, but what they did went way beyond that," Reyes said. "They would work all day at another job, and then coach us during practice. And it would be like seven or eight at night by the time we were all done getting dressed. But would they just leave and go home? No. They would check to make sure we were getting all our work done or if we needed any help or tutoring. From that, that's where the tutoring program and the college prep program came from."
Reyes attributes much of her success in life -- both on and off the ice -- to two of her mentors within the foundation, Scott Tharp and Jan Koziara.
"What was very key to my success were the college prep courses. Because it wasn't just about being able to go play hockey for free on the weekends and that was it. The foundation, they carried you from the beginning to the end. If they saw you were slipping in a certain area, whether that was in the classroom or on the ice, a coach can pick up on that. And they'd start to inquire, you know, and ask 'How's school going?' What's your homework like? Is there anything I can help you with? They just cared."
And they still care.
"Virlen epitomizes the type of student-athlete we are trying to produce," said Tharp, who is currently the President and CEO of Snider Hockey. "Through the foundation, she learned the importance of staying in school and making choices that kept her on a positive trajectory, resulting in her growing up to be a productive young citizen. I could not be more proud."
Reyes with Snider, and more from her hockey career.
Nowadays, Reyes lives in Southern California and works for Spectra, which specializes in ticketing and fan engagement. It's just the latest example of a door being opened by Snider Hockey. But as she was quick to point out, her mentors -- and the foundation at large -- doesn't just open doors, they empower young people with the strength to cross the threshold on their own.
She's also enrolled a professional government program in entrepreneurship and innovation at Stanford University.
All of this would be impressive for any 24-year-old from the same background as Reyes.
But a few months ago, it became even more so when she was diagnosed with autism. Still, she was not discouraged, something for which she credits Snider.
"I can easily cope with this," she said during her speech. "Because, just like I learned from Mr. Snider, never count yourself out."
Not all of their stories are as inspiring as that of Reyes. But they don't need to be.
Most people go their entire lives without ever having the kind of impact Snider had on this young girl from Kensington. One would have been enough.
But thanks to his foundation, the man who brought hockey -- not just a hockey team -- to the entire city of Philadelphia will continue impacting its future generations in ways that can't be told through the orange and black banners hanging in his team's arena.
You see, Snider's greatest legacy is not Spectacor or Comcast or any of his successful business ventures. It's not found on any awards he's won or in photos he's taken with dignitaries. It's not even the Flyers or the two Stanley Cups they won in the 1970s.
It is the foundation he created. It is the young men and women who have been made better because of its existence. It is Virlen Reyes.
