More than 150 Shippensburg area elementary school children took over the field at Seth Grove Stadium as the Shippensburg University Red Raiders football team prepared to take on the Bloomsburg University Huskies, on Sept. 26.
This was the first time in several years that the group, nicknamed the Red Raider Pack, ran alongside the Red Raiders football team. Up until a few years ago, the event was open for all elementary school children in kindergarten through fifth grade to run at every home game. After several years, however, the event was cancelled indefinitely due to a lack of student interest and because of the major commitments it required.
When Tricia Maciejewski’s son began attending Grace B. Luhrs Elementary School at SU she, as well as several other leaders and the SU athletic department, offered to bring the tradition back for another home game.
“This is a huge opportunity for the kids; to be living in a college town, being able to be in a college stadium under the stadium lights, and running on the field with the big Red Raider football players. And because my husband [Mark] is the head football coach, football is something that is near and dear to our family,” Maciejewski said.
Maciejewski said the event brings a lot of positive attention to a post high school education, and highlights this year’s fantastic football team.
At the start of the game, which began at 1 p.m. on Saturday, SU’s marching band played the National Anthem, the Shippensburg Fight Song and the Alma Mater. Then they formed a funnel like opening for the players and the students to run through, marking the beginning of the Raiders’ fourth game of the season.
Each student who wished to be a part of the event was instructed to send in a registration form, along with a $5 fee to pay for the T-shirt that they would be wearing on game day. Students who could not afford to pay the fee were told to send in their forms alone and the cost would be covered. Every child who participated received a voucher for a hot dog and a bottle of water from the stadium concession stand. Several parents after the event said they were “grateful” for this opportunity. Their children said their favorite part was “getting to be on the field with the football players.”
“[The Red Raider Pack] is a great way to get the community and the players energized, and for the kids to intermingle with the players,” Maciejewski said. “It’s a win-win for everyone.”
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