Opening Kickoff The month of March completes our fiscal year, so let’s celebrate some of our accomplishments as we “close out the year.” Bowl Season saw a PlayStation® Fiesta Bowl with an electric contest between Oklahoma State and Notre Dame that set offensive records, preceded by the Guaranteed Rate Bowl with a Big Ten/Big 12 matchup where our Midwestern friends from Minnesota were crowned as champions. As the Fiesta Bowl is “More Than Just a Game®” our year-long calendar of events was full. The PNC Fiesta Bowl Par 3 Challenge presented by Chapman Automotive is now annually a sold-out threeday event, our Arizona Bank & Trust Fiesta Bowl Kickoff Luncheon presented by Caesars Sportsbook attracted 1,000 guests and the Fiesta Bowl Parade presented by Lerner & Rowe enjoyed a new date all to its own.
FIESTA BOWL ORGAN I Z AT I O N N E WS L E T T ER
You will read in the newsletter about our volunteer award winners, who returned this season to perform stellar work in our communities, stage first-class events and serve as exemplary hosts to our guests. Added this year is a tribute to Ellie Ziegler for her meaningful contributions in Fiesta Bowl history. This is also the final newsletter in Patrick Barkley’s tenure as Chair of the Board of Directors. Over the three years with him as Board Chair and more than 20 years as a Yellow Jacket and volunteer, Patrick and his family have dedicated their time and made a lasting impact on the Fiesta Bowl and the community. Thank you, Patrick, for all that you have done. You are an important part of the Fiesta Bowl family, and we thank you for your partnership in assisting us serve our community across the board.
JIM HATFIELD Interim executive director
VOLUME 29
NEWS & NOTES LET’S PLAY! Children at Camp Verde Elementary in Camp Verde, Arizona, are now the proud owners of a brand-new state-of-the-art play space. Volunteers from Fiesta Bowl Charities, the Salt River Project and KABOOM! spent the day recently to build a 2,000 square-foot playground from the ground up. In December, children from the school shared drawings of their dream play space – including a highly-desired zip line. Their dreams became reality as their inputs were integrated in a unique one-of-a-kind build, the 11th playground across the state constructed by Fiesta Bowl Charities and KABOOM! Back in October, Fiesta Bowl Charities, SRP and KABOOM! constructed a playground in Mesa at the A New Leaf to serve the organization’s after school program. Get your tools ready to help again this Fall! WATCH NOW
THANK YOU TEACHERS Teachers work hard throughout the year so we honor them throughout the year. The Fiesta Bowl Organization welcomed teachers and their families to two appreciation events in February at Main Event Tempe. After receiving a Fiesta Bowl Charities Wishes for Teachers grant in November and being honored in person at the Guaranteed Rate Bowl in December, teachers were treated to a day of play. In 2021-22, 400 teachers applied for and received a $2,500 award for their classrooms, for a total of $1 million in funding. Over the six years of the program, nearly $5 million has been distributed to more than 1,200 teachers, impacting more than 500,000 children across the state of Arizona. The 2022 Wishes for Teachers application period will open in August.
NEW LEADER After helping the Fiesta Bowl Organization to enhance its position in the College Football Playoff as a premier college football Bowl Season game, grow community involvement and establish a grant process that contributed more than $20 million of charitable funds to deserving nonprofit organizations across the State of Arizona, Mike Nealy announced that he is stepping down as Executive Director of the Fiesta Bowl. Fiesta Bowl Board Chair Patrick Barkley announced that the Board has asked current Board Member Jim Hatfield to step in as the Interim Executive Director of the Fiesta Bowl to help ensure there is a smooth transition of the Bowl’s management and day-to-day operations until a new executive director is retained.
PG 2
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volunteers of the year In a year that saw a return to the full Fiesta Bowl event schedule and community activities, the Fiesta Bowl Organization selected its Volunteer of the Year award winners for 2021-22, recognizing six outstanding individuals for their service and enthusiasm. The honorees were selected from the Fiesta Bowl volunteer program, with a base of more than 3,000 volunteers, Yellow Jacket Committee, Ambassadors and Board of Directors. Each year the Fiesta Bowl honors six volunteers who have enhanced the organization through their commitment, dedication and extraordinary efforts in a variety of areas. The awards are selected based on evaluations and nominations from Fiesta Bowl volunteers, board members and staff. Newly-named in honor of a personable, selfless leader, the Ellie Ziegler Fiesta Bowl Chair of the Year Award goes to the event chair who provides significant leadership and exemplary effort. READ MORE
F I E S TA B O W L . O R G
PG 3
NEWS & NOTES GREATNESS AWAITS THESE ALUMNI After their college careers finished in Bowl Season, the next chapter started with the NFL Draft Combine in Indianapolis. There were 37 alumni of the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl and Guaranteed Rate Bowl who participated before NFL scouts. Highlighting the list was 2020 PlayStation Fiesta Bowl Offensive MVP and Perry High School graduate Brock Purdy after his Iowa State career and new PlayStation Fiesta Bowl recordholder Jack Coan, who passed for 509 yards on 68 passing attempts with five touchdowns in Notre Dame’s slim loss to Oklahoma State. Oregon defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux is the highest projected former PlayStation Fiesta Bowl player, as most mock drafts have him among the top four selections in the NFL Draft on April 28.
PG 4
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better to give than receive At the heart of the Fiesta Bowl Organization is a simple mission: to enhance organizations that contribute to the success of their communities through youth, sports and education. Through its two annual bowl games in the Valley, the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl and the Guaranteed Rate Bowl, as well as community events throughout the year, Fiesta Bowl Charities selected 51 Arizona nonprofits through its 2021-22 Grant Cycle. Over 575,000 Arizonans will be impacted by the Fiesta Bowl Charities Grant Recipients!
2021-22 Projected Numbers 406,941 youth impacted 258,610 benefiting from sports programming 346,945 benefiting from educational programming 6,180 books distributed 20,000 pounds of fresh produce provided
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F I E S TA B O W L . O R G
PG 5
VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT First Year as Volunteer: 2015 First Year as Fiesta Bowl Board Member: 2015 Favorite Fiesta Bowl Game: While I have many favorite games, the Oklahoma/Boise State game in 2007 ranks at the top. It had everything – Cinderella story with Boise, back-and-forth action, trick plays, enthusiastic fans, pageantry and the outcome wasn’t determined until the very end!
Gary Hanson Principal, Hanson Strategy Group
Favorite Fiesta Bowl Moment: My favorite Fiesta Bowl moment is awarding a deserving teacher money and granting their wish in the Wishes for Teachers program. Seeing the passion teachers have for their students and helping them to fuel that passion is so rewarding. Why I Serve the Fiesta Bowl: I serve the Fiesta Bowl for my love of college football and the ability that the game gives us to help so many nonprofit organizations and those less fortunate throughout the entire state of Arizona. Favorite Job: Board Liaison for team hospitality for the Guaranteed Rate Bowl. The opportunity to be with the team, visit their campus and experience the game from their perspective is fascinating. Interesting fact: I have had the privilege to attend multiple Super Bowls, college football championship games, Final Fours, College World Series, MLB World Series, Formula One races, three golf “Majors” and the Ryder Cup. Call it a sports junkie’s dream!
PG 6
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NEWSWORTHY
Fiesta Bowl Charities, SRP and KABOOM! Build New Playground at Camp Verde Elementary School FRONTDOORS MEDIA
1989 Fiesta Bowl Marked a Significant First in College Football FIESTABOWL.ORG
Western’s Leadership Covers All Angles On and Off the Field FIESTABOWL.ORG
F I E S TA B O W L . O R G
Way Too Early 2022 Bowl Season Projections 247 SPORTS
A big Bowl game for the Tri-state: Field used in Phoenix to be installed in Fort Mohave MOHAVE DAILY NEWS
College Football Playoff expansion? Fiesta Bowl will be ready CRONKITE NEWS
PG 7
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