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Media Day Held For Philadelphia High School Football Teams

Written by Alex Lloyd Gross, August 5, 2023


by Alex Lloyd Gross

Aug. 5, 2023

In some parts of Pennsylvania, a high school football game  is a big deal.  Tens of thousands of people will show up to root for both teams. The away team fans will charter buses  to make sure they are at the game. It almost resembles a small college or NFL scrimmage game. Food trucks, multiple media outlets and overflow parking.

Alex Lloyd Gross Photo-Delaware Valley News.com Just a typical high school football game in Easton Pa.

In Philadelphia it’s just the opposite. A Friday night game in the public league  will have maybe 200 fans on a good night. The players are just as good. PA Football News sponsored a media day to bolster interest in high school football. Few media outlets showed up.  The event, held in Northeast Philadelphia, at the FOP on Caroline Road was a great way to help generate interest in teams.

Vendors  there were selling safer football helmets to avoid concussions, jersey and uniforms as well as fundraising. It costs a lot of money for a football program. In Philadelphia, at Roxborough,  money is so scarce that the visiting team must sit on grass. Benches can be bought for under $500.00. Yet there are none.

Alex Lloyd Gross Photo- Delaware Valley News.com Swoop joins the Eagles Cheerleaders outside for a quick photo at media day.

At the event. team coaches stood up and spoke about their team, with a few players behind them. They came from all over the city to participate. West Philadelphia Speedboys,  Imotep, LaSalle and of course Northeast and Washington were among more than 15 teams present. All teams want to go to  the state championship and win it.  Only two teams get to play there and only one can be number one.

The high school players that are scoring touchdowns  today, are the same players dropping passes in five years  in the NFL. Part of the reason given for the lackluster interest in high school football in Philadelphia is the fact that there is so much to do in town.

At this event, the Philadelphia Eagles sent Swoop and some new cheerleaders. A new team of cheerleaders has been announced and will make their debut this season. This is also the season of the throwback Kelly Green uniforms for the Eagles.  Speaking of Eagles, alumni Barrett Brooks stood up  and told the young athletes to “Respect my sport, put all you have into my sport and do the same in life”.  He then joined Swoop and the cheerleaders for photos with the young athletes.