Soul Bowl Return To Blue Wahoos Stadium Brings Welcome Community Boost 

For the first time in its three decades, the Soul Bowl didn’t happen in 2020. Another unfortunate event cancellation amid the coronavirus pandemic.

That void has created an emotional backdrop for Saturday’s 29th annual youth football showcase at Blue Wahoos Stadium, which organizers were determined to make happen.

“It was extremely important we have the Soul Bowl,” said Lumon May, long-time director of the Southern Youth Sports Association, along with serving on the Escambia County Commission.

“I have been around sports all my life,” said May, 51, who has been part of this event since the first one was staged. “And so to not have the Soul Bowl… something as significant, particularly to the African-American community in Pensacola as this is… it was very sad, very odd last year.

“This year, all the coaches, all the parents, they were not worried about cancelling the season. They said, ‘If we don’t play any other games, if we don’t play any other Saturday, let’s just play the Soul Bowl. Even if we can’t finish the season, we want to go down to the Wahoos Stadium and play the Soul Bowl.’

“That’s what the Soul Bowl has meant.”

The event will feature five games among five different age divisions between the SYSA Tigers and Albritton & Gant East Pensacola Rattlers. This will be the first football played on the newly resodded Blue Wahoos Stadium, after last Saturday’s scheduled game with the University of West Florida was cancelled.

The continued concern and effect of COVID-19 in the community has led to alterations for this year’s Soul Bowl. There will be Soul Food vendors outside the stadium -- a decision reached Thursday -- but not the mass variety as before.

The Unity Circle celebration in early afternoon Saturday will instead be a solemn memorial to those with ties to the Soul Bowl who passed away from complications involving the horrific virus.

“We’ve lost coaches, cheerleader coaches, volunteers who had been part of this game for a long time,” May said. “So it’s going to be emotional.

“We know we will have some hiccups. But if we can just get the kids out there to play, that’s the biggest win. We may not have the Soul Food trucks and all the outside activity we’ve have had in the past.

“But I thought it was important for the community to have this and most important for the children involved that we do something for them.”

May said there was some debate on whether to put on the Soul Bowl this year. But after talking with Blue Wahoos owner Quint Studer, who led the way 10 years ago for the Soul Bowl to move into Blue Wahoos Stadium from its previous two neighborhood park venues, it reaffirmed a push to stage the 2021 event.

The day-long event is made possible through sponsorship of attorney Troy Rafferty, shareholder in the Levin, Papatonio, Rafferty Law Firm, along with Cox Communications, the Blue Wahoos and other sponsors.

“Quint said, ‘Let’s do it,’ and that was great,” May said. “.And thanks to Quint Studer it has become the signature event for inclusion in downtown Pensacola.”

With favorable weather forecast, the expectation Saturday is for a festive atmosphere and celebration of youth football, which includes parents and spectators setting up tailgate tents inside the stadium and picnic-style atmosphere around kids playing football.

“It’s just a fun thing to see,” said Shannon Reeves, the Blue Wahoos events director who has coordinated as stadium host the past four Soul Bowl games. “The stadium is packed, the music is loud, little kids are everywhere, parents are taking pictures, parents are excited.

“And it really has found its niche here. I feel like people expect it to be here. It’s a well oiled machine from their side (Soul Bowl organizers) of things. Parents know what to expect, coaches know what to expect.”

29th SOUL BOWL YOUTH FOOTBALL

WHO: Southern Youth Sports Association (SYSA) Tigers vs. Albritton & Gant East Pensacola Rattlers

WHEN: Saturday, games are at 9:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 12 p.m.. 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.

WHERE: Blue Wahoos Stadium

ADMISSION: $8 general admission (good for all games) if purchased Thursday or Friday; $10 on Saturday. Children 3-under admitted free.

FORMAT: Games begin with teams ages 6-under, then 8-under, 10-under, 12-under, 14-under for final game. Stadium gates will open at 8 a.m.

RESTRICTIONS: Food purchased outside at one of the food vendors will be permitted inside stadium. But no other outside food or beverage will be permitted to be brought into stadium. Concessions will be open before the first game.