SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – A Thanksgiving tradition: turning the gridiron into a place of remembrance. A game of flag football was held to honor the life and legacy of the former Notre Dame Prep High School football coach.Â
Local perspective:
The friendly game held each year on Thanksgiving Day, has one person in mind.
Players and fans cheering them on are celebrating the life and legacy of Coach Scot Bemis, the former high school football coach of Notre Dame Prep.
What they’re saying:
“On the football field he was known as a leader — around the campus and the community,” said Tro Panosian, Team Bemis Co-Founder.
In the fall of 2011, Coach Bemis was diagnosed with cancer. That’s when Bemis Bowl started.
“We felt we needed to band together as a team to raise money for him and his family,” Panosian said.
His enduring legacy keeps the event continuing year after year, even after his passing.
“We decided to keep his legacy alive through this specific event, which is the Bemis bowl, every Thanksgiving Day to celebrate his life, legacy and make sure that we can support future lung cancer research,” Panosian added.
Dig deeper:
The event is used to remember his impact on and off the field.
“Coach Bemis meant a lot to me. He’s the first person who believed in me as a football player and gave me different opportunities that maybe I wouldn’t have had if he didn’t have that faith in me,” said Grant Martinez.
“15 years onward, it’s been really special to have that through this recurring fountain that we come back to enjoy each other’s company and also remember the life and legacy of Scot,” Panosian said.
Why you should care:
Proceeds from the Bemis Bowl event go toward lung cancer research and providing student scholarships.
The Source: This information was provided by the co-founder of Team Bemis and a former athlete who was coached by Scot Bemis.Â