Connections, Relationships add flavor to the Shrine Bowl
The past will be present when the Kansas Shrine Bowl kicks off on July 29th at Carnie Smith Stadium in Pittsburg. To be sure, all of the players and many of the coaches will be participating in the state’s premier all-star game for the very first time. Yet, traces of previous games will be found through family and coaching relationships, through players representing their families for the second or even third time, and in 2006, through a former Shrine Bowl All-Star who will return as one of the on-field officials. Family relationships are quite evident in the 2006 game. Two players will be the third one chosen to represent their families in the annual charity contest. For the West, Seth Homolka of Great Bend will join brothers Josh (1999) and Cullen (2001) as Shrine Bowl selections. Both older Homolkas played high school football at Claflin. For the East, Jeff Smith of Pittsburg Colgan will follow the lead of his two older brothers, Nick and Mark. Homolka says it’s a special honor to be chosen after having watched his two older brothers perform in previous games. “It’s very exciting for my family”, he says, “especially my Mom (Katherine). My uncle was so excited about my brothers playing that he bought the game ball (at a post-game auction) both times.” Homolka (6’2”, 200 pounds) is a defensive end that helped lead the Panthers to a 7-3 overall record and a berth in the 5A playoffs in his senior season. In his last two years, he was credited with 15 quarterback sacks and 127 tackles. He was a consensus all-5A defensive player in 2005. Like others who have had older brothers play before him, Homolka has tried to glean something about the Shrine Bowl experience from Josh and Cullen. “They’d told me the best experience was going to the hospital in St. Louis”, he says, referring to the annual trek made by the Kansas teams to the Shriner’s Hospital in St. Louis. There will be history wearing stripes on the field, too. Shannon Haydock (Andale) will be officiating his fourth Shrine Bowl. He’s a former player, performing for Fredonia in the 1982 game. There are other connections at this year’s Shine Bowl. For only the second time in Shrine Bowl history, both head coaches will have their own sons as part of their respective squads. East head coach Bob Lisher (Lawrence Free State) will be coaching his son, Brett, and West Coach Marvin Diener (Salina Central/Gardner Midway) will have the services of son David. Diener will have a former high school player, Alan Schuckman of Wichita Bishop Carroll, as one of his assistants. Like Diener, Schuckman will have a special player to watch. His son, Luke, will be a linebacker for the West.
Other connections to previous games will include: *Scott Penny, Lawrence High is the brother of Jon Penny, a 1997 Shrine Bowl player, also from Lawrence. *Michael Allard, Rose Hill, is the son of 1976 player Joe Allard (Topeka Hayden). Joe Allard served as a Shrine Bowl official in 1996. *East assistant coach Don Simmons (Chanute) has served as an assistant Shrine Bowl coach 1991 and 1996. He was the head coach in 1997.
Proceeds from the game support the Shriner’s Hospitals for Children, a network of 22 hospitals that provide expert, no-cost orthopedic and burn care to children under 18. Advance reserved chairback tickets are $20.00 in advance, $21.00 on game night. Adult general admission tickets are $9.00 in advance, $10.00 on game night. Student tickets are $5.00 in advance, $6.00 on game night. Banquet tickets are $20.00, and must be purchased in advance. Advance game tickets and banquet tickets can be purchased through the Shrine Bowl office by calling 1-800-530-5524 Additional information and a link to Shriners Hospitals for Children can be found at http://www.ksshrine.com. |