The boys of fall are headed back to Huskie Stadium.
The countdown stands at 23 days until DeKalb County hosts its third IHSA state football championships on Nov. 24-25 at Northern Illinois University’s Huskie Stadium. The IHSA Destination DeKalb Committee, led by chair Wendy West, the DeKalb County Convention and Visitors Bureau and NIU is busy planning to welcome thousands of visitors to the community.
In 2015, more than 26,000 fans cheered on the teams competing for football’s top spots in the state in eight classes.
Sixteen teams will compete for a title. It will definitely be the place to be on Thanksgiving weekend. Our goal is to provide the visiting schools, coaches, players and fans with the best possible championship experience again this year.
Local volunteers play a crucial role in the success of our IHSA State Football Championship weekend.
We are reaching out to area residents, booster clubs and service clubs to help welcome everyone and assist with the event to provide another memorable and first-class experience in 2017. Please join our team Nov. 24-25 and help make the 2017 State Championships another big win for DeKalb County. Volunteers are needed to help with game day operations such as ticket scanners, ushers and parking attendants. More details are available online through the automated volunteer registration. To sign up for the IHSA Destination DeKalb volunteer team, go to destinationdekalb.com.
The IHSA Destination DeKalb Committee is still seeking sponsorships for the state championships to help with the cost of hosting the event. Benefits and sponsorship levels are available at ihsadestinationdekalb.com or by contacting Brad Hoey at bhoey@niu.edu or me at darmstrong@dekalbcountycvb.com.
The “Spirit Zone” will be set up west of and adjacent to Huskie Stadium. We will have a main hospitality tent and individual team tents for the fans of the teams playing. There also will be a performance area for the competing schools’ bands and cheer groups to help pump up their teams’ fans prior to the games.
Fans will battle in the much-anticipated “Spirit Zone” tent-decorating contest between the competing teams from each of the designated classes. The winners will be selected by community judges based on the following criteria: creativity, sportsmanship, overall use of decorations and school colors.
We expect the IHSA state football championship weekend to generate between $800,000 and $1 million for the local economy. It is a valuable opportunity for the area, in terms of economics and exposure!
