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Vol. 2, 2024 - 2025
Frisco, Texas (April 20, 2021) – On September 4, 2021, Ford Center will host the return of quality high school football across America and a time of renewed faith and friendship. Global Football is proud to work with key leaders representing four notable Catholic diocese which will be represented in the inaugural Catholic Bowl on Labor Day weekend. Kicking off the action at 2 pm will be John Paul II High School of Plano, Texas vs St. Thomas High School from Houston. The 7 pm matchup will feature Nolan Catholic High School of Fort Worth vs Little Rock Catholic High School of Arkansas.
“We are excited to welcome not only my alma mater, but all of the teams for the Catholic Bowl at Ford Center. This event represents so many of the reasons our family built The Star and so many of the partnerships that have been created with it,” said Stephen Jones, Chief Operating Officer of the Dallas Cowboys.
The weekend activities of fellowship and competition will lead off Friday with a concelebrated Mass hosting an estimated 800+ attendees from the four educational schools. That solemn occasion will be followed by a festive welcome dinner at Roughrider Stadium in Frisco, adjacent to one of the Drury Hotels, host to the visiting teams, families and alumni. Honorary Chairman Rocky Bleier will be the keynote speaker at the dinner, the ideal representative to relate how his own life has revolved around Faith, Freedom and Football. A Notre Dame team captain and member of the 1966 National Championship team, Rocky’s trail to being a Pittsburgh Steeler 4x Super Bowl champion was interrupted by his service to America as a US Army member in Vietnam. While serving his country he was severely injured and told he would likely never walk again, let alone play professional football. He fought for our Freedom, was buoyed throughout by his Faith, and returned to play Football at the highest level.
Each school is invited to bring its marching band, drill and cheerleaders, as well as ROTC members who will proudly present the American flag for the dinner as well as the games, which will be played in Ford Center at The Star, the Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters and training facility in Frisco, Texas.
Catholic education continues to be a cornerstone in nearly every community across America, with this event paying homage to those who contribute to the continued educational efforts executed on a daily basis. Especially noted will be the administrators, teachers and students who sacrifice daily to instruct, to lead and to learn to the best of their God-given abilities.
The Catholic Bowl is also meant as a special tribute to Captain Emil Kapaun, a priest who served in World War II and Korea as an Army Captain and chaplain. Awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, Fr. Kapaun died in Korea and was declared a Servant of God by Pope John Paul II, the first stage to canonization.
Sponsorships and underwriting opportunities are available for those who share the mission of the Catholic Bowl and its organizing committee, including David Bender, Mary Templeton, Calvin Tolbert and George Teague.
Tickets will be on-sale in late summer at https://seatgeek.com/venues/ford-center-3/tickets
Contact: Patrick Steenberge, Global Football/Global Football Foundation. patrick@globalfootball.com 817.219.7274
David Bender, Haynes & Boone, LLP, Plano, Tx. david.bender@haynesboone.com, Plano, Tx. 972.739.8648
As the inaugural Catholic Bowl continues to take shape and attract broad interest and support from across America and worldwide, the planners are most happy to announce the special activities for Friday, September 3rd which will allow the participating students from our four schools to enjoy an evening of fellowship and fun. With the overall focus of celebrating Faith, Freedom and Football that Labor Day weekend we want to involve a broad spectrum of inspirational persons and meaningful activities that will reinforce this message among all who gather.
The Friday action will all take place in Frisco RoughRiders Ballpark, home to the Texas Rangers minor league baseball team and just minutes’ walk from Ford Field at The Star in Frisco where Saturday’s games will take place. Those will feature John Paul II High School of Plano, Tx. hosting St. Thomas High School of Houston at 2 pm, followed by Nolan Catholic HS of Fort Worth welcoming Little Rock Catholic High School of Arkansas at 7 pm.
The September 3 lineup and times (tentative at this moment):
5:40 pm Presentation of Colors, National Anthem, 9/11 Commemorative Video message
5:55 pm Fr.Emil Kapaun Video on the center field scoreboard screen
6:00 pm Mass on top of the third based dugout, concelebrated by Bishop Olson of Fort Worth and other clerics from the diocese of Dallas, Little Rock and Houston.
6:55 pm Rocky Bleier- The Return ESPN video highlights, followed by the in-person message by Rocky Bleier
7:15 pm Food, games, live music and fellowship throughout the ballpark! VIP hospitality in the Moose Club.
9:00 pm End of program; prepare for Saturday!
*Admission to Friday is limited to the high school Saturday participants representing football, cheer & dance, marching bands, choir, ROTC, along their coaches and chaperones, as well as Catholic Bowl sponsors, committee members, media and invited guests.
For further information about all Catholic Bowl activities September 3 & 4, including opportunities to assist in supporting these events through tax deductible donations and/or sponsorship, please contact:
Patrick Steenberge, patrick@globalfootball.com; 817.219.7274
David Bender, David.bender@haynesboone.com. 214.651.5223
Jacob Flores, jsflores93@aol.com, 817.800.8544
September 4 game tickets will be available August 6 through Seat Geek, Ford Field at The Star in Frisco, Texas
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