Jarome Iginla
How the NHL's first black captain gives back
by Nicole Mortillaro
He's the face of the Calgary Flames, but there's much more to Jarome Iginla's story than just being the first black captain of an NHL team. He's also renowned for his social commitment and generosity off the ice.Jarome (nicknamed Iggy) grew up in a single-parent household in St. Albert, Alberta. It was thanks to support of his grandparents that he started to play hockey. His hard work paid off and, in 1996, at the age of 18, Iggy was drafted into the NHL. He went on to become a multiple-award-winning hockey player and two-time Olympic champion. But he never forgot his struggles in his rise to hockey stardom. Today, Iginla plays an important role for many young hockey-loving Canadians by working to ensure that the sport is open to committed players of all backgrounds. [Fry Reading Level - 5.0]
close this panelNICOLE MORTILLARO is a sports editor and writer from Toronto. Her first book in the Recordbooks series was Something to Prove, a biography of hockey player Bobby Clarke who had to defy stereotypes to earn a spot in the NHL.
close this panelThis book is very high interest, low vocab, so even struggling readers will find themselves comfortable with this work.
"Through his skilled and confident leadership on the ice and his generous devotion to philanthropic projects in his spare time, Jarome Iginla is presented as a truly great person who will inspire readers as they chase their own athletic dreams...a sound addition to the RecordBooks series about Canadian athletes. Recommended."
