Kids Get Some Halftime Fame

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Kids get some halftime fame

Brandon Musselman

Daily Reporter

October 05, 2005

NT’s student population and athletic department gave back to the community at Tuesday night’s football game as NT played Troy State University.

Special Spectators receive instruction before being featured in halftime festivities during the NT football game against Troy last night.

Special Spectators, a non-profit organization that gives children with life threatening illnesses the chance to watch a live collegiate football game, had a tent set up in the Mean Green Village. The tent filled with more than 100 children, their families and student athletes.

“We like to get as much of the family involved as possible,” said Blake Rockwell, executive director of Special Spectators. “It’s good to have the entire family together.”

Special Spectators started when Rockwell combined his love for college football and his love for helping seriously ill children, such as Rockwell’s brother, Chucky, who died when he was 10 years old of congenital heart problems. Rockwell decided children should have the opportunity to have a fun day out at the football field.

The group, which is in its third year of existence, has experienced a rapid accumulation of benefactors.

From a humble beginning of only two participating universities, the group has added schools exponentially. Last year the group worked with 22 universities.

North Texas will be the first Texas university to sponsor the group. However, Texas Tech University and Southern Methodist University will soon be on the list of participating universities.

NT offered a record 600 tickets for the game to the children and their families.

Rick Villareal, NT athletics director, speaks highly of the philanthropic organization.

“It’s a great thing,” Villareal said. “Kids who normally wouldn’t be able to see the game are able to come out and enjoy the festivities. … We’re excited to have them.”

The activities included a barbeque cookout, a trip to the bounce house and a special halftime ceremony where the children were acknowledged on the Jumbotron.

NT student athletes visited and ate dinner with the children before the game. Afterward, they escorted the children to the game.

“It’s a really good opportunity to be able to associate with these kids,” said junior volleyball player Heidi Johnson. “It’s awesome for the kids.”

Tennis, track, golf, swimming, basketball and volleyball were among the many NT sports represented at the event.

Attending the event is not the only thing the athletes did this week. They also reached out to the children by visiting them at their respective children’s hospitals earlier in the week.