Press Release: All-Star Game Announces Schedule, Players & Draft
MARQUETTE, MI – The U.P. Football All-Star Game has finalized the schedule and players for this year’s event. 2019 marks the 12th year of the U.P. summer football classic. For the past two years, the coaches have conducted a “fantasy draft” of the invited players, instead of a geographical split of North vs South or East vs West, and that will continue this year. Coaches can pick whichever players they wanted on their respective teams, regardless of what schools the players or coaches are from. For the first nine years of the All-Star Game, it was East vs West, or North vs South. The draft was such a big hit with everyone involved, and it created two very competitive games, that the draft appears to be here to stay. Players will either be selected to the Red Team or the Black Team. Selections will be posted live for those who wish to follow the action (
https://www.facebook.com/UPAllStarFootball).
The draft will take place on Saturday, March 16th at Buffalo Wild Wings in Marquette at 6 PM, and the picks will be reported live on social media for all who want to follow the progress. The coaches from both teams will be in attendance and are getting underway with the research of all players, so they can put together the best team possible that fits their offensive and defensive schemes.
The “draft” has been generating the usual buzz as coaches call each other across the U.P. to get information on the players. Not only will players be competing against traditional rivals, they might also be competing against players on their own school’s team. There is little doubt that the past two years have been the most competitive and evenly matched in the history of the event. The coaches have done a great job picking their teams, and will certainly be prepared this year as well.
The game will be played in Marquette at the Superior Dome, on Saturday, June 29, 2019. Game time is set for 1 PM, with the doors opening at noon. Many activities are planned throughout the week for the players and coaches.
Monday, June 24, the players and coaches check in at Meyland & Majors Halls on NMU campus, and there will be a food drive for the Beacon House food pantry at the check-in location.
Tuesday evening, June 25, will be the team and individual pictures, as well as media day. Players and coaches will be available for interviews from any media that are present.
Wednesday afternoon, June 26, will be the Players Skills Challenge. The players will compete for the titles of Fastest Man, Strongest Man, Receiver, Quarterback Challenge, Kicking and Punting Challenges.
Thursday, June 27, the players and coaches will be visiting Bay Cliff Health Camp, which has become one of the signature events of All-Star Week. Bay Cliff is a summer camp for children with physical disabilities and the all-star players will spend time with the campers, showing them football drills, and finishing the day by having dinner with the Bay Cliff campers and staff. After dinner, the players join the campers in their traditional flag lowering ceremony at the central square, which ends each day at Bay Cliff and is very special to be a part of.
Friday evening, June 28, is the All-Star Banquet, with the guest speaker to be announced at a later date. The banquet provides family and friends a chance to connect with the All-Star players after a long week of practice and activities. It is formal attire for the players, and they stand up in front of everyone and introduce their roommate for the week, and tell everyone some things about each other. Players also get recognized for their accomplishments during the Skills Challenge and they receive their All-Star Rings.
The U.P. Football All-Star Game will also be donating proceeds to the following U.P. charities: Beacon House, The U.P. Sports Hall of Fame, as well as Brimley and North Dickinson Schools. A lottery drawing was performed to select the two schools, and donations will be made directly to the football program of those schools chosen. Each year, new schools will be chosen until all U.P. schools have received a monetary benefit from the game. Several other schools (Manistique, Westwood and Sault Ste Marie) will also receive donations in the form of All-Star Game equipment, which includes the practice jerseys and footballs.
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