NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Contact: Robert Robinson, Dir. of Marketing & Communications
443-841-3674 – rrobinson@loyolablakefield.org
Loyola Blakefield & Hamilton Football Forge Partnership On and Off Field
Towson, Maryland — Loyola Blakefield and Hamilton Football are pleased to announce a partnership that combines the mission and philosophies of both organizations, and seeks to enrich young men in mind, body and spirit. Overs its 15 year history, Hamilton Football has provided a competitive youth football experience for boys in grades 6-8, with an emphasis on academic success and preparation for high school. “Hamilton Football’s dedication to advancing young men in multiple aspects of their lives matches our mission,” said John Marinacci, Principal of Loyola Blakefield. “The discipline, character and commitment involved with participating in athletics go hand in hand with the lessons taught in the classroom and when conversations began with them this winter, it seemed like a natural fit.”
In addition to utilizing facilities at Loyola for football, boys participating in the program will be provided academic support via Loyola student tutors. The football coaching staffs of Hamilton and Loyola will also collaborate and mentor all participants as they prepare for the rigors of the gridiron and the classroom. “We are excited by the Academic opportunities that this partnership affords our student-athletes,” said Hamilton CEO, David Franks. “Our kids are now better positioned for academic success.”
One added element of this partnership is Ignatian formation for adults. Hamilton’s coaching staff will take part in the same formation program as Loyola’s coaches and parents of Hamilton players will also be invited to participate in Loyola’s parent formation program. “This is such a great exchange for us and I am looking forward to having members of the Hamilton family join our family,” said Marinacci. “We each have a proud tradition of excellence and together we’ll be committed to making sure that the boys are getting the academic enrichment they need to prepare them for high school while having some fun on the field along the way.”
About Hamilton Football: Hamilton Football is a middle school football program designed to prepare youth players for high school football. Hamilton competes throughout the state and plays in the premier Unlimited Football league in Maryland. Over the past 15 years, the program has gained recognition throughout the area for producing winning teams and for its commitment to academics. Since implementing an academic monitoring program more than a decade ago, many of the young men in the program have excelled at various city public school as well as many of the top private high schools in the area.
About Loyola Blakefield: Loyola Blakefield is a Catholic, Jesuit, college preparatory school founded in 1852, for boys in grades six through twelve located in Towson, Maryland. Loyola Blakefield offers a challenging college preparatory curriculum that provides a broad range of major course offerings including honors and advanced placement courses, complemented by a selection of enriching electives and co-curricular activities. Ignatian Service, in the Jesuit tradition, is the hallmark of a Loyola education. There are 17 interscholastic sports teams at Loyola Blakefield, as well as musical and dramatic performing arts ensembles, and many clubs and student organizations.