|
 Many viewed this past MLK Day as another holiday. Students experienced a three day weekend, and a good number of employers did not require their workers to come in. And while some recuperated with much needed rest and others spent the day on a beachfront, roughly 300 people returned home from an annual event that would have made the late Dr. King, Jr. smile.
Launched five years ago, the Playmaker Bowl, hosted by the Tampa Bay Church, is a mid-January flag football tournament that unites various cities and churches together in a fun and fulfilling weekend. Co-envisioned by Ronald Michel and Stevan Alvarez and brought to fruition by them and their executive board, the competition has grown from roughly five Floridian metropolitans in 2004 to include representatives from over ten cities throughout Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, and Delaware.
Yearly participants immediately realized the growth of the event. One participant stated, "This is simply amazing—no one would have thought this small vision of unity would have spread so quickly like wildfire."
However, the reason for the tournament’s sensation is obvious. The engagement is a blending pot of various cultures that utilizes the strength found in diversity to promote teamwork. From Hispanic and Black to Oriental and White, the function continues to be refreshingly different. It is a beacon of inspiration that shines brighter each successive year it is held.
 Everything was done with a Christ-first attitude. This ranged from the competition itself to the collective times of fellowship and prayer. Noticeably during the tournament, players gathered together to pray against injury and for true sportsmanship. As a result, no one went away disappointed. Neither hostile attitudes nor derogatory statements were to be found.
Competition was stiffer than ever this year as each team upped its game for the coveted trophy. Nearly every coach orchestrated plays by specific routes, and man-on-man defense was at an all time high. Cheerleaders were prepared with chants and shouts from the sidelines as football fever soared in the air. The dominating vibe was one of excitement and anticipation, which only intensified during the semi-final games. These games were played by Fort Lauderdale, Gainesville, Orlando and Tampa and were matched up as follows: Fort Lauderdale versus Gainesville in field one; Orlando versus Tampa in field two. Fort Lauderdale was Tampa’s rival in the Championship Game.
In the end, Tampa proved victorious, joining the prestigious Championship club, a group that consists of winners from previous tournaments. This group formerly included the Orlando Church (2004 & 2006), the Gainesville Church (2005), and the South Florida Church (2007). However, no one just settles for one trophy in any competition. Likewise, Tampa will be back in January 2009 with everyone else, with more hype and with the same burning question that pursues every year: "Who will be next?"
2008 Champions: Tampa Bay
|
