SAN DIEGO - “Marines are known for their mental, moral, and physical achievements; those are the qualities that this competition, [the Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl] breeds.”
-Maj. Brian Donlon, the commanding officer of Marine Corps Recruiting Station San Diego.
The Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl brings together the nation’s top high school football athletes to battle in a game of West Coast versus East Coast players at the StubHub center in Los Angeles, Jan. 5, 2014.
As the most talented high school football players from across the nation prepare for the upcoming SFAAB, so have the Marines of Recruiting Station San Diego.
In recent weeks recruiters from Southern California and the Las Vegas area passed out SFAAB posters, spoke on local radio stations concerning when and where to view the game, and presented team jerseys to athletes from Las Vegas and North Las Vegas.
A final jersey presentation will take place in Fontana, Calif., Dec. 8.
The three players from the RS San Diego area participating in the 2014 game are Tyrell Crosby, from Green Valley High School, Nick Gates from Bishop Gorman High School and Erik Brown from Summit High School.
Crosby, Brown and Gates will be playing the positions of offensive tackle, offensive guard and wide receiver respectively for the West Coast team.
Like Marines, many of the SFAAB players demonstrated physical strength and skill as well as established themselves as a leader among their peers.
“[Brown] is always looking to help the other kids on the team,” said Cesar Villalobos, the Summit High School varsity football coach. “He will take the others under his wing at practice to work with them on specific drills. He is definitely a leader and someone who the other players look up to for guidance.”
Both Gates and Brown are also leaders in the community through volunteer work with organizations like the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Marine and Wild Life Conversation in Santa Barbara, Calif., and various religious based charities.
These are America’s top athletic leaders at the high school level and the SFAAB serves as an excellent opportunity to associate the Marine Corps brand and image with their level of achievement in the community, explained Donlon.
“Doing these jersey presentations in person also gives the Marine Corps exposure to areas where we don’t necessarily have a lot of recruiter presence,” said Donlon.
For more game information visit www.SemperFidelisFootball.com, and to watch Crosby, Brown and Gates on the field tune into Fox Sports 1 Network at 6 p.m. Pacific Standard Time, Jan. 5, 2014.