MSU President's column for Traill County Tribune

July 1, 2017 

Mayville State to host Shrine Bowl athletes and coaches in July

 

For the sixth year in a row, Mayville State University will host the North Dakota Shrine Bowl players and coaches during their week of training prior to this year’s 9-man and 11-man games. The Shrine Bowl will be held at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks on July 16. The North Dakota Shrine Bowl is sponsored by the Kem and El Zagal Temples of Grand Forks and Fargo, N.D. Participating players and coaches are selected by the North Dakota High School Coaches Association.

The 128 members of the East and West 9-man and 11-man teams and their 16 coaches will practice at the Mayville State. Accommodations will be provided in Mayville State residence halls and dining services. Shrine game players and coaches will arrive at Mayville State about noon Tuesday, July 11 and check out the morning of July 16.

In addition to the regular practice schedule, a few special activities are planned for the football players. On Wednesday evening, July 12, they will be treated to a private showing at Mayville’s Delchar Theater. Thursday is Patient Ambassador Day/ Press Day. Individual and team photos will be taken, and the Shriners will be giving a hospital presentation for the players. There will be a dinner outing for the Shrine Bowl participants at Mayville’s Island Park Thursday evening. Friday, it’s back to “business as usual” with practices in the morning and afternoon. Mayville State will provide entertainment Saturday evening.

Players and coaches will check out of the Mayville State residence halls Sunday morning and proceed to the Alerus Center in Grand Forks for the annual banquet which begins at 10:30 a.m. The 11-man game will begin at 4:00 p.m., followed by the 9-man game at 7:00 p.m. The games are open to the public and tickets can be purchased at the Alerus Center on game day.

This marks the 43rd annual North Dakota Shrine Bowl. Teams are made up mostly of athletes from North Dakota and a few from northwest Minnesota, areas included in the Kem and El Zagal territories. The 16 coaches are all members in good standing with the North Dakota High School Coaches Association. Selections were based on the coaches’ respective 2016 seasons.

We’re thrilled to be hosting all of the players and coaches. Three of the coaches are Mayville State graduates. Brady Schwab, a 2001 graduate from Thompson is head coach for the 9-man East team. Jason Monilaws of Hankinson, a 1998 graduate, is an assistant coach for the 9-man East team. Mike Zier, a 1998 graduate, is an assistant coach for the 9-man West team.

For more information about the North Dakota Shrine Bowl, go to NDShrineBowl.com. Shriners International is a fraternity based on fun, fellowship, and the Masonic principles of brotherly love, truth, and relief. Their philanthropic efforts are committed to the Shriners Hospitals for Children. The hospitals are changing lives every day through innovative pediatric specialty care, world-class research, and outstanding medical education. The 22 Shriners hospitals focus on four specialized areas of care: orthopedic care, burn care, spinal cord injury, and cleft lip and palate care.

We look forward to having the 2017 Shrine Bowl athletes and their coaches on our campus. Our new and updated facilities will help us to provide a great atmosphere and experience for them. I invite you to come over to campus and watch practices between July 11 and 15 to get a preview to the Shrine Bowl 2017.