Shrine Bowl is attractive

By George Kay
Tuesday, June 10, 2008 1:01 PM MDT

After some tenuous moments and growing pains, the Wyoming Shrine Bowl football game has evolved into a very attractive event.

The 35th annual Shrine game will be played on Saturday, June 14, at the Natrona County High School stadium. The annual North-South all-star game is the main attraction, but certainly not the only activity that takes place during Shrine Bowl week.

The players involved traveled by bus to the Shriners’ Hospital in Salt Lake City over the weekend to tour the facility and visit with the youngsters who are being treated there.

The whole idea behind the game is to raise money and awareness for the Shriners’ Hospital, which serves the entire Rocky Mountain region. That concept was the reason for the birth of the Wyoming Shrine Bowl back in the early ’70s.

At times in those early years, the event seemed in real jeopardy, but the game has survived and grown to the present stature. Back in the early years, the Shrine game was played in Laramie. With lacking interest and support and the event’s future in doubt, Casper’s Art Hill went to work to revive the idea.

The veteran NCHS football coach got the Shrine game moved to Casper, and the change has allowed the event to flourish.

The Shrine Bowl has been amazingly competitive. The South captured the victory in the first game back and dominated for a brief time in the early days.

But the series now stands at 17 wins for the South, 15 for the North, and there have been a couple of ties over the years. Actually, the series was all-even at 15 victories apiece until the South has managed to win the last two games.

T.J. Claunch is in his fifth year as the executive director of the Shrine Bowl, and he has put together an impressive agenda for this week. The game used to be played late in the summer, but is now held in June on the Saturday just prior to the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper.

Efforts are made to attempt to prevent conflicts with the All-Star basketball games against Montana and South Dakota, but sometimes scheduling conflicts cannot be avoided.

The North and South teams have been hard at work this week since returning from that visit to the hospital in Salt Lake City. Those hungry youngsters especially appreciate hearty meals, which are provided by a host of Casper eating places. Those varied meals are far more popular with young football players than would cafeteria dining.

The teams will attend media events on Friday at the stadium. The South team will gather at 9 a.m., and the North meets at 10. Then at 10:45 a.m., there will be a free mini-camp for boys and girls entering grades 5-6. That mini-camp will include a free lunch at noon, thanks to Mark and Tammy Munsell, to be held at the NC stadium.

The annual Shrine Bowl banquet will begin at 7 p.m. Friday at the Parkway Plaza, with Black Hills State University coach John Scott, the featured speaker.

On Saturday, the public is invited to enjoy a free pancake breakfast, thanks to the CNFR and Kiwanis Club to be held at City Park on Center Street.

The Shrine Bowl parade is set to begin at 10:30 a.m. The parade includes the Shrine Bowl players and this year will include the Casper Troopers, who also will entertain at City Park following the parade.

The football game will kick off at 7 p.m. and will be preceded by a public tailgate party from 4-6 p.m. at the stadium.

It’s an ambitious schedule that seems to offer something for nearly everyone. And judging by recent Shrine Bowls, the football on Saturday night should be very entertaining, and the cause is well worth supporting.

I am happy to report that the Wyoming Shrine Bowl is very much alive and well; the 35th annual North-South showdown should be proof of that fact.

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