Eastern Michigan Athletics
EMU Football Set to Host Third Annual Victory Day
5/23/2016 10:23:00 AM | Football
The Eagles will host the event Thursday, May 26
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University football team is set to host its third annual EMU Victory Day this week. The event is set up to provide cognitively and physically impaired children the chance to partake in a slew of football related activities at "The Factory" at Rynearson Stadium, May 26, at Noon. Student-athletes as well as the coaching staff will take part in the event.
The day will begin with kids walking on the field through a tunnel consisting of EMU football players and the cheer team. Making their way to midfield, the kids' names are announced one-by-one with their picture and bio information flashing on the scoreboard as if they were part of the starting lineup on an EMU football gameday. A coin toss will follow, beginning the fun day at The Factory.
Among the events, the kids will be going through individual drills, such as stations consisting of throwing nets, agility bags, kicking, and much more. Participants will also get to play in game like scenarios on the gray turf inside The Factory. In addition, all of the participating children will hear from EMU third-year Head Football Coach Chris Creighton following all of the exciting activities.
"It's been a great day for our program the previous two years, and it has grown since the start," Coach Creighton said. "It's the job that our guys do on that day which is most impactful for me; watching them make it a great experience for the Victory Day participants. The Victory Day Participants have an absolute blast and it's something that is very important to us. It is something that we are serious about and we want it to be a meaningful and memorable day."
Victory Day was started in 2010 by Trenton teacher and varsity football defensive coordinator Aaron Segedi. Aaron, a native of Riverview, was diagnosed with cancer in 2005, which was brought on by a rare condition known as primary sclerosing cholangitis. As a football coach, Aaron lives by the philosophy that building character holds equal importance to teaching X's and O's, if not more. Victory Day was developed as a vehicle to teach this virtue, as well as a way to give back to the community. What started out as an idea filled with uncertainty has since developed into a rapidly growing phenomenon as the program has already been adopted by various schools in Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana.
The day will begin with kids walking on the field through a tunnel consisting of EMU football players and the cheer team. Making their way to midfield, the kids' names are announced one-by-one with their picture and bio information flashing on the scoreboard as if they were part of the starting lineup on an EMU football gameday. A coin toss will follow, beginning the fun day at The Factory.
Among the events, the kids will be going through individual drills, such as stations consisting of throwing nets, agility bags, kicking, and much more. Participants will also get to play in game like scenarios on the gray turf inside The Factory. In addition, all of the participating children will hear from EMU third-year Head Football Coach Chris Creighton following all of the exciting activities.
"It's been a great day for our program the previous two years, and it has grown since the start," Coach Creighton said. "It's the job that our guys do on that day which is most impactful for me; watching them make it a great experience for the Victory Day participants. The Victory Day Participants have an absolute blast and it's something that is very important to us. It is something that we are serious about and we want it to be a meaningful and memorable day."
Victory Day was started in 2010 by Trenton teacher and varsity football defensive coordinator Aaron Segedi. Aaron, a native of Riverview, was diagnosed with cancer in 2005, which was brought on by a rare condition known as primary sclerosing cholangitis. As a football coach, Aaron lives by the philosophy that building character holds equal importance to teaching X's and O's, if not more. Victory Day was developed as a vehicle to teach this virtue, as well as a way to give back to the community. What started out as an idea filled with uncertainty has since developed into a rapidly growing phenomenon as the program has already been adopted by various schools in Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana.
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