Marilu Trainor
College football embarks on its 150th season in 2019 with a multitude of special activities to be staged across the nation giving recognition to the sport and its legacy of creating educational opportunities, building leaders, and enriching communities.
“More than 5.33 million people have played college football since the first game between Princeton and Rutgers on November 6, 1869,” said National Football Foundation Chairman Archie Manning. “Included in that number are many of our nation’s greatest leaders who often cite their gridiron experiences as the key to their success. Additionally, the sport is annually enjoyed by tens of millions of fans, and it has grown significantly over the years with new teams constantly added and more than 80,000 student-athletes slated to play for college programs this fall.”
The special CFB150 logo will appear on uniform patches, helmet decals, field stencils, public service announcements, TV telecasts, social media channels and numerous other places during the season. Additional events are being added and you can stay up-to-date by visiting: https://cfb150.org.
“I hope many of my PebbleCreek neighbors will join as we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the game. Many of you played the game in your youth at the high school, college or professional levels. We know football players come from all walks of life, and, when on the gridiron together, we became a team even though we had to start new each year. I encourage you to reflect on those memories and share in this birthday celebration,” said Herb Orvis.
“Whether you’re one of the 47 million attending a football game or the 163 million watching on television, college football is filled with many unique moments. Football has taught those that have played and those who watch the game some of the most important lessons in life such as hard work, discipline, developing leaders, instilling a positive attitude, which all lead to great team work and success. Those are all the things that can be taught and learned through programs like football while creating unique experiences and lasting memories,” said Orvis.
“Football also builds community such as the band, cheerleaders, Friday Night Lights, parent/booster clubs, painting player names/numbers on the windows of cars or the local stores, whole towns and campuses coming together in support of their team/schools. These are memories and bonds that last a lifetime,” said Orvis.
“Football matters because it is part of the fabric of America,” said Orvis.
Editor’s Note: Herb Orvis was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2016. Orvis’ gridiron career spans a total of 20 years including high school, military, University of Colorado, Detroit Lions and Baltimore Colts. Including the 2019 class, only 1,010 players and 219 coaches have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame from the nearly 5.33 million who have played or coached the game over the past 150 years.