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U.S. ARMY ALL-AMERICAN BOWL KICKS OFF 10TH ANNIVERSARY

BOWL WEEK ACTIVITIES BEGIN IN SAN ANTONIO

The U.S. Army All-American Bowl celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. For the past decade, the All-American Bowl has been the nation’s premier high school football game, serving as the preeminent launching pad for America’s future college and NFL stars.

The game brings together more than 90 of the nation’s top high school football players and teams them up in an East v. West match-up. In addition to the players, the All-American Bowl also showcases the talents of more than 95 elite high school marching band musicians, who play during half-time as part of the All-American marching band.

Central to the game is the Army Strong Soldier. Each player is paired with an Army Soldier Hero (Bronze Star, Silver Star and/or Purple Heart recipient). Soldiers and player interact in a number of activities throughout Bowl Week.

Bowl Week activities include:

Player Practices: East and West practices begin Monday, January 4, at 10:00am. East practices take place at Gustafson Stadium and West team practices take place at Blossom Athletic Center in San Antonio. A press conference announcing player award finalists will be held on Thursday, January 7, at 3:45pm.

Player-Soldier Skills Challenge: Wednesday, January 6, 8:00am, Alamodome. All-American Bowl players possess similar skills to Army Soldiers. The Player-Soldier Skills Challenge allows the players and Army Soldiers to take the field and compete in a number of football drills. This event allows both sides to showcase their unique talents and strength. Also participating will be Army Wounded Warriors from Brooke Army Medical Center.

U.S. Army All-American Bowl 10th Anniversary Event: Thursday, January 7, 7:00pm, Alamodome. The Army invites the San Antonio community to help celebrate its 10th Anniversary. The free event will help celebrate the game’s presence in San Antonio and will feature performances by members of the Army Field Band, Army Drill Team, in addition to a free concert by country music artist Darryl Worley.

Army Strong Zone: Open Thursday, January 7 - Saturday, January 9 at Sunset Station. This 129,000 square foot interactive area features some of the Army’s latest technologies. From robots to futuristic uniforms, to the Army’s culinary elite, the Army Strong Zone helps showcase the variety of roles and Army Soldier plays. The Army Strong Zone at Sunset Station is free and open to the public. Thursday, January 7: 8:00am to 6:30pm. Friday, January 8: 8:00am to 10:00pm; Saturday, January 9: 8:00am to 11:00am and 2:00 to 5:00pm.

U.S. Army All-American Bowl Awards Dinner: Friday, January 8, 6:00pm, San Antonio Convention Center. The U.S. Army All-American Bowl Awards Dinner provides the Army the opportunity to formally recognize the players for their efforts before the game. The dinner brings together senior Army leaders, players and their families, Soldier Heroes and more. Awards for the Player of the Year, Blanchard Davis, and Pete Dawkins Award are presented during the evening’s festivities. This year’s keynote speaker is retired Brigadier General Pete Dawkins.

10th Anniversary U.S. Army All-American Bowl: Saturday, January 9, 2010, Noon Central, Alamodome. The 10th Anniversary U.S. Army All-American Bowl game will kick-off on Saturday and feature the nation’s top high school football athletes and musicians. The game will be aired nationally on NBC.

For more information on the U.S. Army All-American Bowl and its related events visit www.usarmyallamericanbowl.com  & www.goarmy.com/events/aab.

For questions regarding the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, or to attend any of the above events and schedule interviews, please contact:

Kristian Dyer – Director of Media and Public Relations – SportsLink: 862-7031050 

Christina Smith – Public Relations – U.S. Army All-American Bowl: 512-773-2474