By Charles Hamaker

Seattle, WA - On Sunday, the Seattle Kraken honored Rise Above founder and CEO Jaci McCormack as their Hero of the Deep, a member of the community in the Seattle area that goes above and beyond. A former D-1 athlete, McCormack has worked to uplift Native American youth, providing opportunities for advancement and development throughout sports. Taking her talents from the court to the community, McCormack’s work and story are being adapted into a feature film. With all of the success and true to her nature, McCormack turned the spotlight to the youth when asked about her journey and current mission.

In addition to reflecting on her journey and the work that she is doing with Rise Above, McCormack was also grateful to the Kraken for the community work they have been doing. Since day one, the franchise has been committed to working with so many different populations, and they do it in so many different ways.

Seattle City Council President Debora Juarez, a supporter of Rise Above, said she agrees sports are a critical ingredient in positive youth development. Having previously spoken with Charles Hamaker of Circling Seattle Sports at an OL Reign match earlier in the year about the impact that women’s sports have on not only young girls, but also young boys, Charles and the Council President discussed the impact that these sports continue to have on the youth in our community.

Council President Juarez was present to support McCormack as she received the Kraken and One Roof Foundations honor, adding that seeing McCormack at work is inspirational. She said that between the Kraken and Rise Above she’s seen a major increase in the inclusivity of athletics. The sport of hockey historically has been predominantly white and still to this day prices out a large majority of families wishing to have their kids even participate. With the One Roof Foundation, the Kraken have been working hard to make the past sentence a statement of the past, striving to truly make hockey for everyone, just like the NHL’s campaign states.

The sort of support, access, and resources being provided by Seattle’s professional hockey team continues to make waves in the community, a main goal of the organization. To know that not only are the Kraken acknowledging the land that they are on as indigenous land, the team is making sure that they give back to those who may not have ever experienced their existence. From the Kraken Community Iceplex, to Indigenous peoples night, the grant being donated to Rise Above, these are all examples of the Kraken putting themselves into the community and establishing a connection that will last a lifetime.