There are a lot more important things in life than just football.

Health, for one. Sometimes we take our health for granted and we shouldn’t. If you’re healthy, you’re lucky. There are many of people — and kids — out there that aren’t as lucky.

Iowa’s wave tradition at the end of each first quarter during games at Kinnick Stadium started last season. The tradition consists of the Iowa players and coaching staff waving to the kids at the Stead Family Children’s Hospital, which overlooks the stadium. During each home game, the kids in the hospital get to watch the Hawkeyes play.

One part of the game they can always look forward to is the wave.

Wisconsin is set to visit Iowa at Kinnick Stadium for an 8:30 p.m. kickoff on Saturday. At the end of the first quarter, teams, coaches and fans will all turn and wave. And the kids will wave back.

Badgers DB D’Cota Dixon is looking forward to it.

“I love kids,” Dixon said. “I have a passion for kids. Kids are some of the most innocent creatures on the planet in terms of – they don’t worry about life. They don’t worry about the stresses.

“Football – winning a game or losing a game – is not stress to them. All they see is their teammates and their buddies and their families and they’re happy with that. I am looking forward to seeing those kids smile. Win or lose they deserve to see it. They want to feel joy and have that smile.”

Dixon said it best: They deserve to see it.

He’s looking forward to Iowa’s awesome tradition. As are we.