A prep pigskin benefit

JEREMIAH BARTZ/ Frontiersman sports editor

ANCHORAGE - Initially, most see the Al Aska Shrine North/South Football Classic is one more game for seniors at the end of the prep schedule.

It is one more chance to lace up the cleats. One more opportunity to put on the shoulder pads. One more shot to run the ball, block or make a tackle.

But for those involved, it goes beyond the line of scrimmage and off the field. For nearly three decades, the Shrine Football Classic has built a tradition of raising money and awareness for the Shiners Hospitals for Children.

Rodney Young, an Anchorage-based Shriner who has organized the North-South game for the last seven seasons, said he sees it every year. Players are amped to play one last game, and that is the primary thought. But after they realize what the game represents, the feelings are changed.

As part of the festivities, the Al Aska Shrine Temple hosts a spaghetti dinner for the players, coaches and their families. Before the dinner, the group is shown a 12-minute video detailing the work the Shriners Hospitals for Children does.

&#8220I don't care who they are, or what neighborhood they grew up in. They're all humbled by what they see,” Young said.

&#8220It's a real positive,” Palmer head coach Rod Christiansen said. &#8220The players see through their sport, they can help the community at large.”

The game is patterned after the East-West Shrine Game, a collegiate all-star game. The proceeds from that game benefit 24 Shriners Hospitals in four different countries.

The Al Aska Shrine Football Classic was created to help the Alaskan children who require the services of the Shriners hospital. There are currently 565 children in Alaska being treated by the doctors of the Shriners Hospitals. Of that total, 79 are from the Mat-Su Valley. Young said the 191 Shrine centers across the nation raise 625 million dollars per year for patients who require the special care.

&#8220That's no tax money. No state taxes No federal taxes. No parent receives a bill,” Young said.

Now in its 28th year, the Al Aska Shrine Football Classic has attracted more than 100 players from schools all over the state, Young said. To give players from distant communities such as Juneau and Fairbanks the opportunity to practice for a week in Anchorage and compete in the game at Anchorage Football Stadium, Young and the local Shrine center have been able to secure sponsorships from hotels and restaurants. Young said this year Days Inn donated 20 free rooms for the entire

week.

Sponsorships have also allowed the local Shrine center to give away more than 2,000 tickets to the game. Coaches, like Christiansen, were able to give away tickets throughout the week, and free tickets are available at the gate on Saturday. The Shriners also accept donations at the gate, with all proceeds going to cover the medical care of the Alaskan children in the Shriners program.

Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday at Anchorage Football Stadium. Gates open at 1 p.m.