The idea emerged in the fall: What if TCU Athletics turned its annual Christmas toy drive into a broader community-wide outreach effort.

That question eventually led to Frogs Care With Bears, a teddy bear collection effort that benefits young patients at Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth.

“We decided it was time to change it up,” said senior swimming & diving team member Nelson Head, president of the TCU Student-Athlete Advisory Council, which is organized the drive. “It’s still a great chance for the TCU community to give back, but now the Fort Worth community can be an active partner with us.”

Yesterday, that plan resulted in more than 300 bears and other stuffed animals arriving at Fort Worth’s children’s hospital. TCU athletes from swimming and diving, rifle, women’s golf and volleyball carrying bags of the cuddly creatures.

“It was great to make that kind of contribution. The hospital was incredibly grateful for our efforts,” said Head,  a kinesiology major from Tulsa, Okla. “And the fact that it was a partnership of TCU and the Fort Worth community working together just made it more rewarding.

In February, TCU student-athletes stood at the entrances of Daniel-Meyer Coliseum for three basketball games and accepted donations from fans and alumni. TCU Athletics also received contributions from nearby Fort Worth residents.

The drive was inspired by an existing practice. Cook Children’s presents a teddy bear to every child admitted to the hospital.

“We have a couple of student-athletes who have volunteered at the hospital and learned about their tradition,” Head said. “We thought it would be a great way to help them.”

The council, which is comprised of students from each of TCU’s 20 sports, also reached out to February game opponents Oklahoma State and West Virginia, which encouraged its fans to add to the collection.

Photo Gallery:
See more images of TCU athletes collecting for Frogs Care With Bears