A running back, a piggyback, and fun times at the Big Brothers Big Sisters barbecue

Frankie Hickson’s stats on Sunday: One carry, 40 yards.

That was the estimated distance travelled when the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ running back gave nine-year-old Kaia McKnight-Dyck an extended piggyback ride during the Big Brothers Big Sisters Regina & Area Summer Barbecue.

“I don’t do that very often,” the Virginia-born Hickson said with a smile. “I save that for my niece. But when in Canada, do as the Canadians do.”

In a slight departure from his line of work, he was the one delivering the handoffs when certificates were presented by event organizers at Regina’s Regent Park.

The event also included a scavenger hunt — Hickson went from person to person, distributing a list of the requisite items — along with plenty of hot dogs, snacks, autographs and photos.

Yet, Hickson also found time to sit back and savour the surroundings while appearing on behalf of the Saskatchewan Roughrider Foundation.

“This is very much relaxed,” he said. “It’s very community-based, which is always amazing.

“After COVID, I think we all had to take a step back and realize that we need each other more than we need to tend to our own personal needs.

“Above all else, something that I’ve seen in Canada that’s a little bit different from the United States is there’s a little bit more camaraderie and a little bit more community.

“There’s a park just like this in pretty much any area of Regina and in all of Canada. Having something where a community can come together is always important, so it’s a beautiful thing to see today.”

The barbecue was enjoyed by parents, children and mentors ­— the latter group consisting of the Big Brothers and Big Sisters who spend time with a youngster on a regular basis after being matched.

“There are lots of people who are fortunate to have mentors just naturally in their lives,” said Amy Mohr, Director of Development and Communications with the Regina & Area BBBS. “Then there are people who don’t have that opportunity and, because of mentoring, it literally changes lives.”

Consider the example of Kaia, whose Big Sister (Danae) has been an invaluable presence since the match took place a year and a half ago.

“We do all sorts of fun things,” a proud Little Sister said. “We go swimming, we go to the library, we go to movies, we go bowling …”

The commitment calls for two to four hours per week but, clearly, many mentors — like Danae — go above and beyond.

“Kaia has become a lot more vocal since she started hanging out with Danae,” said Theresa McKnight, Kaia’s mother. “She used to be more introverted. Now she’s a lot more open to playing with other kids.”

The assertiveness was evident when Kaia requested a piggyback from a professional football player, simply “because I wanted one,” she said.

Kaia instantly recognized Hickson because she had seen him in person while attending Roughriders games.

The Roughrider Foundation donates some of the Crescent Point Community Zone tickets to Big Brothers Big Sisters, to be distributed to recipients across Saskatchewan.

“We’re grateful to our community and glad to have so many people in our corner, supporting the kids that we serve and the families that we serve,” Mohr said. “If anyone is wanting to volunteer or donate, we would encourage them to do so (by visiting bbbsregina.ca).”

The list of volunteers on Sunday included four young musicians whose talents were made available when the Saskatchewan Band Association contacted BBBS, right out of the blue.

The SBA’s Summer Student Outreach Ensemble consisted of Ryan Wheler (double bass), Emma Hill (clarinet), Shannon Andreas (trumpet) and Addisen Nelson (baritone sax).

Hickson posed for a photo with the musicians and, for that matter, with anyone else who approached him.

When one little girl asked for an autograph, he went several steps further. He sat down and chatted with her for several minutes.

“I was fortunate to have a strong family and a good family and I had a big sister who could lead me,” Hickson said. “Anybody who doesn’t have that support and that family, they still deserve it as much as anyone else does.

“I love the fact that Big Brothers and Big Sisters can give the opportunity for someone who is looking to be an older brother or sister and someone who is looking to have an older sibling be an influence on them. That’s just so important in pretty much every stage of life.”

The importance of a support group is underlined when someone is part of a team, such as the Roughriders.

The players routinely refer to their teammates as “brothers,” with the senior members of the squad assuming leadership and mentorship roles.

“That’s why I think it’s so important that kids get involved in various activities when they’re young,” Hickson said. “Don’t just settle into one thing and label yourself as that. I kind of feel like I did that as a kid and, going back, I wish I would have branched out a little bit more and got a little bit more involved in some different areas.

“It’s just really important to have some form of team or some form of family. Any way you can get that, it’s very important and very beneficial — be it sports, be it clubs at school, or be it Big Brothers Big Sisters right here in the park on a Sunday like this.”