When the leaves begin to fall and high school football season opens in Michigan, local fans know to head to Eastern Michigan University’s Rynearson Stadium for what has become an annual tradition – the Big Day Prep Showdown.
Developed in 2005 by the Detroit Metro Sports Commission – now Detroit Sports – the Big Day has become the premier opening week showcase of high school football in Michigan with a college bowl-game like flavor complete with player and coach visits to Beaumont Hospital pediatric patients, player and coach visits to Detroit Lions practice and other exciting special events leading up to the games. The event has captured national attention and was named the Outstanding Locally Created Event of 2008 by the National Association of Sports Commissions.
The 2009 Big Day Prep Showdown will be held Aug. 28 and 29, and will feature seven games in two days with match-ups featuring a statewide mix of perennial powers and emerging programs including four of the top 25 teams in the state led by 2008 MHSAA Division I champion and the winningest all-time team in Michigan, the Muskegon High School Big Red.
New to the Big Day in 2009 is a partnership with the Close the Gap, an educational initiative, sponsored by Boston Scientific, aimed at addressing disparities in cardiovascular care for the underserved patient populations of women, black Americans and Latino Americans. The initiative also addresses the issue of sudden cardiac death in young athletes through various partnerships and educational activities. Detroit Sports and Close the Gap have secured the support of local head football coaches including University of Michigan’s Rich Rodriguez; Eastern Michigan University’s Ron English; the Detroit Lion’s Jim Schwartz, and Inkster High School’s Greg Carter to create a series of heart health-focused public service announcements that will be played during each of the seven games of the Big Day Prep Showdown.
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A highlight of the event this year will be a host of major Division I college recruits who will display their talents including three 2010 University of Michigan commitments in Inkster High School quarterback Devin Gardner; Ann Arbor Huron wide receiver Jeremy Jackson and Ann Arbor Pioneer wide receiver Ricardo Miller. Other top players include two future Michigan State University Spartans’ in quarterback Joe Boisture from Saline and running back Nick Hill from Chelsea, and also Iowa-bound linebacker Austin Gray.
New to the Big Day Prep Showdown this year is a social media-rich website www.bigdayprepshowdown.com and a Facebook presence that features unique videos and photos of players, coaches and others involved in the event. Fans visiting YouTube can check out unique Big Day video content on the participating teams and players, coaches and officials at bigdayprepshowdown3, and hundreds of photos on Flickr.
Advance tickets are $7 for students and $9 for adults and are available at the participating schools, or by calling 313-202-1982. All tickets are $10 at the gate on the day of the event. Children age five and under are free. All tickets provide admission for all games on the day of ticket purchase.
Don’t miss the Big Day Prep Showdown V!
