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Chicago's Junior Bear Football program has been a staple in the city's youth football scene for 75 yearsand in 2024, it will play its final game at Soldier Field, the Chicago Tribune reports.
"For 75 years, Junior Bear Football has been an enduring testament to the Chicago Park District's commitment to strengthening comradery between communities, and teaching sportsmanship to young people at a critical stage of development," Chicago Park District General Superintendent and CEO Rosa Escareno says in a press release.
The game, known as the Mum Bowl, features 10-minute quarters and a halftime intermission that honors both Junior Bear alumni and Walter Payton Award nominees, the Tribune notes.
Junior Bear Football is a free tackle football program that has served children ages 8 to 13 citywide since 1948, and is currently made possible by the philanthropic arm of the Chicago Bears, Bears Care.
Marlenni Laureano, who serves as Senior Program and Event Coordinator at the Chicago Park District, is the first female commissioner of Junior Bear Football in its 75-year history.
Through 75 years, this free program has propelled participants into positions as players and coaches at the Chicago Park District, high school, collegiate, and professional levels of football.
Junior Bear Football alumni are invited to RSVP here for this years' Mum
Selected Grant News Headlines
A customized collection of grant news from foundations and the federal government from around the Web.
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