Hero Bowl

Add Feedback

Share |

First responders from San Diego and New York City recently met in San Diego for the 4th Annual Hero Bowl, a charity football game that is played as part of the National Public Safety Football League (NPSFL).  Firefighters from the FDNY Bravest faced off against firefighters and police officers from the San Diego Enforcers.

This game is one of four games that the NPSFL requires each team to play.  The league is made up of 22 teams comprised of firefighters, police officers, EMT's, corrections officers, and military personnel from cities and counties across the United States.  According to James Sullivan, President of the San Diego Enforcers, the teams follow rules set up by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the same rules used by Division I College football teams.

According to Lieutenant Troy Roberts of the FDNY and President of the FDNY Bravest Football Club, "There are teams in the league that actually have former NFL Players that have become police officers and firefighters."

Teams are usually comprised of a mixture of first responders from various agencies, but the City of New York is different in that the FDNY Bravest is made up of firefighters only, and the NYPD has its own team of law enforcement officers.  The rivalry between the FDNY and NYPD is intense, with Lieutenant Roberts saying that the teams are each others' strongest opponents every year.  The two teams began in 1972 when New York City firefighters and police officers came up with the idea of the "Fun City Bowl", an event that has been held for the past 38 years.

Steve Orr, a retired member of the FDNY and Vice President of the FDNY Bravest Football Club says, "That was basically the first cop/fire game, I think, around the country."

The FDNY Bravest is a team rich in tradition.  Before every game, players touch a board in remembrance of team members that were killed on September 11, 2001.  Of the 343 firefighters who perished that day, 8 were rostered members of the football team, while 14 were alumni players.

Roberts says, "We lost 22 guys that we were very close with, had been playing with just the year before, and it was a real tough time for us."

Another tradition the team carries is the singing of "The Wild Rover" after every game, regardless of the outcome.  According to Roberts, this tradition was started by "Bronco", one of the players lost on September 11th.

Because the teams are all 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations, the players must raise funds, obtain sponsorship or pay out of their own pockets to travel to each of the out-of-state games.  FDNY Firefighter Paul Neuman of Ladder 28 and Running Back with the FDNY Bravest says of his experience, "It's an honor to be on this team...you get to meet a lot of nice guys that do our job from across the country."

At every home game, teams play for the charity of their choice.  San Diego Enforcers' James Sullivan says that the Hero Bowl is a marque game for his team, and this year they chose the Susan G. Komen Foundation to be the beneficiary.  Money raised from ticket sales and the sales of special edition fan apparel will go towards finding a cure for breast cancer.

The FDNY Bravest play for several charities throughout the year, including the New York Firefighters Burn Center Foundation and the Thomas R. Elasser Fund for firefighters who are killed outside the line of duty while serving as active members of the FDNY.  Another large charity that the team plays for is the Fire Family Transport.  According to Steve Orr, it was founded by FDNY firefighters who purchased vans that are available for use by firefighters, family members and FDNY personnel for transportation to and from medical institutions for care and family support in the cases of fallen or injured firefighters.

The FDNY Bravest won the Fourth Annual Hero Bowl, with a score of 20-11.  According to James Sullivan, the National Public Safety Football League is made up of an Eastern and Western Division 1 and 2, and at the end of the season, the top teams in each division meet in a National Championship game.  The FDNY Bravest won the title in 2003 and 2008.

First responders from three to four cities are currently considering joining the National Public Safety Football League for the 2011 season.  For more information on how your city or county can become part of the league, visit www.NPSFL.com.


Author:Barbara Brooks - FDNNTV.com