We are all familiar with college football championship games that have a bowl title like the Rose Bowl or Sugar Bowl. Well, here’s a new one that was played right in Villa Park on Oct. 30: The Cereal Bowl.
A great tradition was honored when Cereal Bowl XIII took place at Jefferson Middle School, 255 W. Vermont St., Villa Park.
The Cereal Bowl is the culmination of the eighth grade boys football league intramural program. The regular season begins the second week of school. The league play is followed by playoffs and finishes with the Cereal Bowl.
The name, Cereal Bowl, is homage to all the other football matches with “bowl” in the title and fitting for one, rather simple reason: Kids love cereal.
This Jefferson School tradition was started in 1995 by former physical education teacher Brian Fetterolf. He started it as a fun way to culminate the intramural flag football season. When he left, Jefferson teacher Dave Clot took over the eighth-grade boys program and the Cereal Bowl duties. He is the faculty sponsor of the event.
“The kids get to select the cereal they want to eat after the game. The catch is, the losing team must pour the milk and cereal for the winning team. The losers have to eat their cereal dry. The winning team also has bragging rights. This year the match-up featured the Cinderellas captained by Nick Oplawski and the Warriors captained by Angel Blass.” Clot said.
The Cereal Bowl traditionally is the early morning of the last Thursday of flag football season. The fall chill usually is in full force, as was the case this year, but that didn’t prevent a large turnout of students, faculty and parents.
During the pre-game introductions, the players were called on to the field one by one just like in any big game.
John Slinkman, a long-time physical education teacher and Cereal Bowl announcer master, introduced the student-athletes at the start of the festivities by announcing their name, what street they live on and their number.
Both teams had cheerleaders and Principal David Katzin handled the coin toss.
There was a lot of school spirit being demonstrated.
The kids just love this tradition and it’s something everyone at Jefferson gets excited about.
Nick led the Cinderellas team to victory this year by a final score of 24-20.
“It was a really fun game,” he said. “It was so great to be out there playing with and against all my friends.”
Nick had another reason to be happy. He was named the games’ most valuable player, but rather than accept the award himself, Nick asked if the award could be for the entire team.
His teammate Kenny Schulte summed up the game in one word. “Energizing. That’s how I’d describe the game” he said. “It was really a cold morning, but it was worth being cold.”
Blood drive
Mark your calendars for Monday, Nov. 10, and take some time to donate blood at a Blood Drive sponsored by Heartland Blood Centers from 5 to 9 p.m. at Nutrition Discounters, 148 W. Roosevelt Road, in Villa Park.
Appointments are appreciated. You can sign up online or at the store. Donors will receive 20 percent off their Nutrition Discounters purchase that day. Call (630) 279-7310 with any questions.
