All Star Football Classic Returns to Stockton
Football may be fall’s favorite sport, but who says we can’t enjoy it in the summertime? If you’re missing those evenings spent cheering from the bleachers as the heart pounding action unfolds below, then you’re in luck, because its time for the District 4-A1 Lions annual All Star Football Game!
Now in its 46th year, this thrilling display of some of the finest high school athletic talent in the Central Valley is ready to return to its roots. After UOP shuttered their football stadium in 2012, the game went to two other locations, most recently in Tracy. The Lions have found a new venue at Lincoln High School’s Alex G. Spanos Stadium. Appropriate for both the game’s 2019 “Homecoming” theme and the football loving legacy of the stadium’s namesake, it’s safe to say that this year’s game will be extra special.
“It’s really a community celebration,” explains Lion Roy Morales, noting that they’ve invited the alumni – all 3,000 of the players and coaches that have participated from the game’s inception.
The football game itself features the best high school senior football players within the eight counties that make up the Lions 4-A1 District. Last year, 70 high schools were included in the district of 4-A1. The players are then divided into North and South teams, the dividing line being the Stanislaus River.
“It’s organized like the NFL,” shares Elizabeth Olson, chairperson of the All Star Football Committee. “High school coaches choose their best players, send us game footage, ranked and the North and South coaches make final selections.”
The players and coaches are in camp the week before the game, with the North team residing on UOP’s campus, and the South team at CSU Stanislaus. Not only does this give them a chance to bond, but for many of the students, it’s an early taste of collegiate life. Plus, it gives players who were once former rivals the chance to let bygones be bygones.
“The players experience valuable lessons such as team work, sportsmanship and camaraderie,” adds Elizabeth. “There’s no better feeling than seeing them all high fiving after the game.”
At the end of the night, it doesn’t matter which side of the Stanislaus River you’re from – it’s all about the joy of the game. An added bonus: the funds raised from this game go to Lions and local charities. The festivities begin at 6 PM, with a 7 PM kickoff.