Many college football teams are still battling for wins to become bowl eligible.On Sunday afternoon, November 11th, seven area teams who are already bowl eligible will battle for a bigger cause: to help defeat breast cancer.
The ninth annual Dave Ross Bowl will take place at Dwight Bogle Stadium, home field for both Cave Spring and Hidden Valley High Schools, in Southwest Roanoke County.
Seven teams from Roanoke City, Roanoke County and a local travel team will compete in six games throughout the day with players in the 8-under, 10-under and 12-under age groups. The games have a tradition for an exciting and family-oriented afternoon on the same artificial turf that many of the area’s top high school players have displayed their exceptional football talents over the years.
The event began in 2000 when current co-director K.C. Bratton realized that there was no championship game in Roanoke County for the younger kids.
“A bunch of parents and myself got together to have this,” Bratton noted in a recent phone interview. “We approached Dave Ross to add his name to the event because of his long history of being a supporter of high school and youth sports. We thought it would be exceptional to have his great voice booming over the field, doing the play-by-play over the loudspeaker. It’s something you never saw at a youth game.”
“We also approached Susan G. Komen, Virginia Blue Ridge local sector to donate all proceeds to their efforts to find a cure for breast cancer,” Bratton added.
Having the Komen group involved had an addition connection to Bratton, whose mother had been diagnosed with cancer.
“Anyone who goes through cancer with a loved one knows the difficulty,” Bratton pointed out. “In 2010 the trend had just started to wear pink to make people aware of the importance of cancer screening.”
Along with the hard work of co-director Timberly Robertson, Bratton noted the Dave Ross Bowl has raised over $25,000 heading into this year’s games.
“I was very honored when they asked to use my name,” Ross said. “The original name was the Dave Ross Biddy Bowl, reflecting the emphasis on the younger players. But, tackle football transitioned to flag football for the youngest players, so the name was changed.”
“The Dave Ross Bowl helps players learn the fundamentals of football as well as the importance of hard work, dedication and good sportsmanship,” Ross emphasized. “It’s also for a great cause and shows all the positive aspects of football. Many of these young players are the stars of the future, but more importantly can go on to be productive citizens.”
This year’s games also have special meaning for Ross, falling on Veteran’s Day. Ross served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and received the Bronze Star for meritorious service.
“This year will be very special to me, falling on Veteran’s Day,” Ross said. “I have many friends who are Veterans and we will honor and respect on that day the men and women who have served this country.”
Bill Turner