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Esks Staff

Jordan Hoover remembers the first time he saw “Monday Morning Magic” written on the team calendar.

“Well, Monday morning, what’s so magical about this?” he recalled thinking. “What is it? Is it a practice? Are we doing something as a team?”

As it turned out, Monday Morning Magic was so much better than anything Hoover could have imagined. Yes, it’s team event that all the Eskimos players participate in while wearing their jersey with their name and number on the back. The players then mingle with children with special needs between the ages of three and 12 who were invited to enjoy the Midway at K-Days at their own speed.

“You’re almost stuck in Kiddie Land with all the rides and everything going on,” said the 26-year-old safety, who was a fourth-round draft pick in 2017. “It’d be a kid’s dream to spend the morning there.”

Hoover has participated in each of the last three Monday Morning Magic events, which are hosted once a year by Northlands and North American Midway Entertainment. He loves the opportunity to spend time with the children.

“I was a kid one time too, looking up to guys in my position,” he said. “It’s something I really look forward to doing every year. It’s a great experience overall. It’s magical. It’s truly something special.