SCC serves as host for Fiesta Bowl team

Each year Glendale hosts the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl one of the biggest games in college football. And each year, SCC’s facilities are utilized for one team’s practice activities.

For over 30 years now teams such as Notre Dame, Texas and Florida have taken over the SCC sports complex, making it a home away from home. It will still be about three weeks before it is known who will be calling the SCC practice fields home, but preparation for the team’s arrival has already begun. The SCC football team has now moved its practices off the practice fields and onto the game field.

“The Fiesta Bowl has brought their crew on and have already started the over-seeding process on the practice fields,” said SCC athletic director Art Becker.

However the Fiesta Bowl does not interfere with SCC’s football season, so once the Artichokes season concludes, the full preparations begin.

“They’ll touch up the main field after we’re done,” said Becker. “The equipment people will clean out the locker room and prepare it for the Fiesta Bowl people.”

The Fiesta Bowl isn’t the only big event SCC has been a part of; back in 1996 SCC was the host to the Pittsburg Steelers when they played in Super Bowl 30.

Aside from the mere privilege of hosting a Fiesta Bowl participant, the opportunity to see how these legendary collegiate programs operate is the main joy for the participating SCC staff.

“Just to see how they do stuff, you can really tell what teams live up to their reputations,” said assistant athletic director Ed Yeager who maintains constant involvement in assisting the visiting teams. “You’re seeing the people you always see on TV, then to see them in real life and see what they’re really like.”

Throughout his experience, Yeager has met legendary coaches such as, Lou Holtz (Ohio State), Joe Paterno (Penn State) and Bobby Bowden (Florida State). He has also seen future coaching legends such as; Urban Meyer (Florida) and Mack Brown (Texas).  Yeager says ever team is different.

“West Virginia only bought 30 people in two vans, Miami had 106 players, 20 coaches and 40 support staff,” said Yeager. “Every team is different.”

The bowl game is the culmination to every team’s season and to reach the Fiesta Bowl is a huge accomplishment in itself. Those at SCC involved in hosting the visiting team, work hard to ensure their stay is a memorable one.

“Whatever team comes here, we’ve made their stay the best they’ve ever had,” said Becker.