Trey McBride, Teammates Host Shopping Spree For Kids

Cardinals tight end looks to step out into the community

Dec 19, 2023 at 03:42 PM

Zach Gershman

Tight end Trey McBride (85) and linebacker BJ Ojulari (18) help a child check out after a shopping spree Tuesday at Scheels.

Trey McBride's celebrations on the field have been a sight to see following every big catch. It ignites the crowd. On Tuesday morning, McBride and his teammates gave a handful of kids something else to cheer about this holiday season.

The inaugural "Trey McBride's 'A Catch for the Holidays'" was held at the newest SCHEELS location in Chandler. Ten kids from Bernard Black Elementary each received $1,000 to buy whatever they wanted from the massive sporting goods store.

"It's very cool to be on the platform that we're on and to be able to give back to this community," McBride said. "And to be able to help out people that need it, it's very cool. To have teammates that are willing to help out, it's very special."

As the kids walked in, they were met by nearly a dozen Cardinals players standing in front of shopping carts with each child's name on it, as well as some goodies.

Quickly, the shopping carts started to fill up.

"Our theme is all pink everything and we got some excellent stuff," said linebacker Dennis Gardeck, who was assisted by the Cardinals Cheerleaders in shopping for one of the girls. "We got some Barbie Crocs. We got a little Croc tote with a cup holder. We've got a nice pair of pink shoes. The only switch-up is we got a green bike."

Sports equipment, gaming consoles, toys, Cardinals apparel, and so much more were purchased. The kids, selflessly, wanted to share the holiday spirit with their family and friends. That stood out to a lot of the Cardinals players in attendance.

As much as this was about an opportunity to come away with some really cool presents, it was also a chance for the kids to have one-on-one interactions with the players. Linebacker Cam Thomas and many of his teammates even rode the SCHEELS Ferris wheel with the kids with whom they were paired.

"We were all a kid at one time so if I was a kid doing this, I know how much it would have meant to me," Thomas said. "Being that kid at one time and being in the shoes I'm in right now, it means the world to me to give back."

Gardeck and McBride spoke prior to the event about what went into setting it up. There was a SCHEELS near Colorado State, where McBride attended and won the John Mackey Award for the best tight end in collegiate football.

Once the location opened in Arizona, McBride took the initiative to launch this event.

"I wanted to put my name on it to let people know that I want to help this community out and want to give back and better this community," McBride said. "I hope that they see the joy and the kindness I'm trying to spread. I hope they continue to share that as well and it's great to see all these kids and all of the stuff that they get. A lot of these kids don't end up buying just for themselves. They buy for other people as well, so it's very special to be able to help them and their families out."

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Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride (85) hosts a "Catch for the Holidays" shopping spree for children at Scheel's on Tuesday, December 19, 2023 in Chandler, AZ.