ellen degeneres show

Ontario boy moves Ellen DeGeneres to tears with motivational speech

After his motivational hockey team speech video went viral, an Ontario boy landed an interview on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

Callan Perks, 7, known now as "Coach Cal" rose to fame after he won a contest to give the Ontario Hockey League team, the Peterborough Petes, a motivational, pre-game speech back in November.

Callan, dressed in a fine suit jacket and tie, gave an "electrifying speech" that led to a 3-2 victory over the Ottawa 67s.

"We are going to do whatever it takes to get the W," Callan says in the speech, which has been viewed over 400,000 times on Twitter.

The speech was so popular the hockey team started selling Coach Cal t-shirts.

The viral video caught the attention of media and eventually landed Callan a spot on The Ellen DeGeneres Show this week.

The energic Callan seems like a natural and not at all nervous sitting across from the talk show icon. DeGeneres asks if he always has so much energy.

"You got to give a lot of energy to give those motivational speeches," Callan says with impactful hand gestures punctuating his points.

Callan also radiates pure enthusiasm.

"I always want to think positive. So like, even if like, you're having a bad day, just go out there and get W no matter what," he says.

The short interview ends with Callan giving DeGeneres a pep-talk on the final season of her talk show.

"For 19 seasons you have given your all on this stage," he says. He adds she has danced, joked and made people laugh and cry.

"When it's time to say goodbye and turn out the lights, just remember that you Ellen will always get the W because you have given whatever it takes to be you. So just keep working hard and staying positive and making people laugh because you are a legend."

The short speech moves DeGeneres to tears.

"I have to say I know a lot of fancy people I know a lot of people and what you just said to me means more to me than what I can possibly convey to you that was the sweetest I don't even know you," she says. "But you are just a special little being with such a big heart and I thank you for that."

Lead photo by

The Ellen DeGeneres Show



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