Cale Makar made his storybook debut with the release of “Super Cooper Wins the Stanley Cup,” a heartwarming children’s book that showcases the power of dreams, resilience, and community. The book, which tells the story of a young Colorado Avalanche fan named Cooper, draws inspiration from real-life events that led to the creation of a thriving non-profit and an inspiring tale.
The journey begins with Jack Gates, a former Colorado College hockey player from San Diego. During his senior year, an impactful visit to the Children’s Hospital in Colorado Springs left a lasting impression, inspiring him to create Triumph Together.
This non-profit program, under the Mitchell Thorp Foundation, connects collegiate and professional athletes with children in hospitals, offering them tickets to games, meet-and-greets with players, signed gear, and videos of encouragement.
Gates’ efforts and his connection with young patients like Cooper led to remarkable moments. Cooper, a passionate hockey fan diagnosed with MPS 4A—a rare condition affecting his bone growth—became the heart of his mission.
Despite his condition, Cooper’s dream was as big as the Stanley Cup itself. With his service dog Velocity and the support of his hero, Cale Makar, Cooper’s journey embodies the spirit of perseverance.
For Gates, it all started during his senior year at Colorado College. A class visit from the new president of the Colorado Springs Children’s Hospital resonated with him, and he reached out to see if they could get some of their players to spend a day with the kids.
They played mini sticks in the hallways, signed autographs, and spent time with the young patients. From there, he raised money with the CC hockey team to support families during the holidays. Even during COVID, the team did outreach over Zoom calls, playing games and offering support.
That’s where he met Cooper. Cooper’s enthusiasm and love for hockey stood out.
“He’s very energetic, and he was very involved and enjoyed it so much,” said Gates. “He grew up a huge hockey fan and just being able to experience that with him and kind of connect on [that] level… some kids are a bit more shy or aren’t as involved in the sport, but he loved it so much.”
Cooper has been through a lot, with over 30 surgeries, and has had to travel across the country for treatments. Despite all of that, his passion never wavered. They have stayed in touch for the past three years, meeting up whenever they could—even when the Avalanche played in California.
The book is a blend of Cooper’s real-life story and a bit of hockey magic. It shows Cooper overcoming his challenges with the support of his hero, Cale Makar. There are real-life photos of Cooper at the end that match the story, showcasing his journey from the hospital to the hockey rink.
Cooper was deeply impacted by his real-life VIP experience with the Avs a couple of years ago. Tyson Jost and Makar left signed sticks for him, and the treasured mementos hardly left his side.
Makar graciously gave the nod of approval to include him in the story to help bring it all to life. “He was all on board.”
The story culminates with Cooper stepping in to help the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup. It’s a way to share Cooper’s story and highlight the impact Triumph Together can have on kids’ lives.
It’s certainly meant a lot to Cooper. “He was pretty excited that he was in it and that we made everything look like him… his mom and his support dog Velocity’s in it and he was pumped that she made the cut,” Gates revealed.
“Seeing his reaction and seeing how cool it was to see him and his name on the cover of something and in the book… and seeing all his friends and family react—his mom texted me saying they’re getting tons of orders and everyone’s supporting it and it’s been pretty cool.”
The hockey community in particular has shown up for Gates in this endeavor. “It’s been amazing,” Gates noted. “Not only hockey, but all the sports… Especially all the teammates I’ve worked with—they reach out constantly asking how they can help, how their teammates can help, how people they’ve played with can help.”
The Colorado Avalanche have continued to work with Triumph Together too. This past season, Jacob was connected with the Avs through Triumph Together. Jacob has worked hard in therapy to regain movement and build strength. He had the opportunity to be an “Av for a Day,” where he watched morning skate, met all of the players, watched the game with his friends and family, and was recognized during the game on the jumbotron.
Triumph Together also has a lot of exciting events coming up. In July, Cooper and Gates will be visiting the Children’s Hospital in Denver to read his book to the kids and hand out copies and coloring books. They’re also planning a book signing event in Littleton.
Beyond that, they have various events lined up with sports teams across the country, connecting more kids with their sports heroes and creating lasting memories. They’ve connected children with over a dozen NHL, AHL, and D1 NCAA teams as well as the PWHL, NFL, NBA, and MLB.
Recently, Triumph Together took 55 girls from the Children’s Hospital to the San Diego Wave soccer game.
Triumph Together’s rapidly expanding reach underscores the importance of providing lasting engagement for kids who are unable to participate in traditional sports fan experiences.
“Super Cooper Wins the Stanley Cup” is more than just a children’s book; it shines a light on the significance of bringing visibility to children like Cooper, highlighting the power of dreams, the impact of community, and the importance of perseverance.
Through Triumph Together, Jack Gates is making a lasting difference in the lives of children, offering them hope, joy, and the belief that anything is possible. As Cooper’s story shows, heroes come in all sizes, and with the right support, dreams can indeed come true.
