SPEAKER_01 0:00

There is a pretty big football game happening this weekend on Sunday that you do not want to miss.

SPEAKER_03 0:04

Am I right, Nance? And we've been involved with the Big 33 football game, with the PSFCA for so many years. And uh we have Gary Cathel, we have Nicole Whitmeyer, and we have Linda Johnston from Renewal by Anderson, who is the title sponsor and has been for many years. Linda, why do you love doing this so much and bringing Renewal by Anderson into the Big 33?

SPEAKER_02 0:27

Good morning, Nancy and Newman. Renewal by Anderson, through our Renewal Cares initiative, really believes in supporting our community. And what a better way to support the central Pennsylvania region and beyond than through an awesome football game. You know, it's often called the Super Bowl of high school football. But in addition to a great football game, the Buddy program is so meaningful and uplifting. The salute to our veterans that happens during the game and everything. So it's an easy connection for us to continue to sport the Big 33 and their football classic.

SPEAKER_03 1:05

And Renewal by Anderson, pretty much all over the state, just like we have a lot of the football players coming in from everywhere. Absolutely. Yep. We have Gary Cathal, who has been we're in the 69th year of the Big 33, where the best of Pennsylvania and the best of Maryland get together. Gary, how long have you been involved and what would you tell somebody that's not that familiar with Big 33 how far it's come?

SPEAKER_04 1:28

Well, thank you and good morning to you and Newman. Uh we're so happy to be uh with you today. I wish I could say I was at all 69 games, but uh I can't do that right now. This will be my 11th year on the Big 33 side, but it'll be my tenth game. And the game itself is just a wonderful event. It's the premier high school football all-star game in the country. There's been so many great players that have played in this game, and we try to do everything with all of our events to honor all these great players and present players and all the other parts of the event on game day. It's been a labor of love for a lot of us here in the office, and you know, we're excited to get it going.

SPEAKER_03 2:12

Uh Gary is the executive director of the Big 33, and Nicole Whitmeyer, Chief Operating Officer. You've been with Big 33 how long? And then tell us what we can look forward to on Sunday.

SPEAKER_00 2:22

Hi, Nancy. Hey, so this year marks my 21st game. Actually, I've been around for a while. My dad was always the Pennsylvania team coordinator. So when I was a kid, I've been working 21 games, I've been around the game for many more years than that. But we're excited. We have a full day coming up on Sunday, May 24th at Chapman Field. We have um we're gonna start out by opening our gates at 10:30 in the morning. And at 11:30 and 1245, where we we have a round three of our girls flag football tournament games, and that will feature um players from the uh Steelers, Ravens, Commanders, and Eagles. So we have four different clubs represented in our third annual Girls Flag football tournament. Uh following those round three games, at three o'clock PM we have our championship game. So the the best two teams from the four that are there will play in our championship game. At three o'clock to six o'clock, we have a free community fan fest. So we'll have inflatables, a DJ, food trucks, games for the kids. So we encourage, you know, anybody to come out to this free event. And then at 6:30 is kickoff to the 69th Big 33 Football Classic. Um, but we start our pregame around 5:45. So we encourage everybody to come into the stadium early. Uh we'll you'll get to meet our players and our buddies, and then we also have a really special military tribute that that will happen. Um, gosh, we have the the US Navy Leapfrogs parachute team, weather permitting. Uh they're gonna be bringing in the game ball and some other fun things. So we're really excited to to get this started. A lot of planning has gone into it, and here we are.

SPEAKER_03 4:14

I think the day I would say you take the week off after the Big 33 game and then you start planning for the following year. Uh also Newman knows uh Dave Bray is gonna be in um to do the national anthem. So he is all about um being patriotic, and that's what I love about it. You know, veterans, uh current military and veterans get in for free to the Big 33 game. And it is an entire day, like you said, Nicole, starting at 1030, all the way up until game time at 6:30. And it's just it's uh a big, big deal in central Pennsylvania and beyond. And kids come from all over the state to play in this.

SPEAKER_01 4:54

So does the record still stand? Or are we like every Super Bowl that has been played has featured a player that played in the Big 33? Is that still a record?

SPEAKER_04 5:02

Yes, it is. Never been a yeah, never been, never been a Super Bowl without a Big 33 player, coach, or alumni. In some respects. So uh we're very proud of that streak. And and on Sunday, I think everybody they really got to come in and and watch Linda drive into the stadium on a motorcycle.

SPEAKER_03 5:21

Yeah, that's my favorite on the motorcycle.

SPEAKER_04 5:24

We try we tried to get her to do the parachute in, but she says, maybe not this year.

SPEAKER_03 5:29

We've got to work on that with you, Linda. Yeah, yeah. Maybe maybe next year.

SPEAKER_02 5:34

No.

SPEAKER_03 5:35

Um Gary or Nicole, is there anything else that we missed that you want to make sure people know about for the Big 33 game on Sunday?

SPEAKER_00 5:42

Uh, you have all the details. You can go to our website to purchase tickets ahead of time, which is big33.org, um, or you can get tickets at the gate. So either way, you can still come out. Uh, and we just, you know, want to thank Linda and all our other prominent sponsors to who helped make this possible. You know, the Cumberland County, um, the state, uh, and all the sponsors we have in the local area have just really welcomed us um, you know, into Cumberland County into having the game here. And, you know, we're just really excited to be able to continue to grow our initiatives and grow the game and you know, really showcase all these athletes and buddies and host families and everyone involved.

SPEAKER_03 6:22

Oh, and the cheerleaders, the buddies. And what's nice is this is really a destination day because you can come early, stay through the game. It's all about family and the patriotism Memorial Day Sunday. So um, thank you guys for taking the time, Gary, Nicole, and Linda, for uh continuing to bring the big Big 33 and all the pride we have for our our football players and everybody else that goes along with it. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 6:47

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday, Sunday, go to the game.