Roger Brown
nhfootballreport.com

Sunday was a day away from football for the New Hampshire and Vermont teams that will participate in this year's Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl. Both teams traveled to Springfield, Mass., to visit the Shriners Hospital for Children. Undoubtedly, it was a sobering experience for many players.

"We left (Kimball Union Academy) around 11 (a.m.) and got there a little after 1 (p.m.)," New Hampshire coach Craig Kozens said. "The head of the Springfield Shriners gave a very interesting speech. He explained who the Shriners are and what they do. He talked about how the Shriners wanted to help the needy, and how that evolved into helping needy kids.

"They broke us up into tour groups, about eight kids at a time, and we got to see the whole hospital and what each area does. The kids interacted with the small children there, and then we had a cookout with Vermont. The coaches from each team mingle a lot, but the teams don't see a lot of each other.

"I think every kid should experience what these kids did today. They learned a lot, including what it means to volunteer. It's definitely why we're here."

New Hampshire will practice three times Monday. This year's game will be played Saturday at Dartmouth's Memorial Field. The opening kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.

Tickets for this year's game are $8 if purchased in advance and $10 on game day. Reserved seating is also available for $20.

"We couldn't be any happier with the team we picked," Kozens said. "We haven't had one issue with animosity. My concern is depth. We have seven offensive linemen and five defensive tackles. We are practicing as two units (offense vs. defense) now, and if we can stay healthy we're fine."

Working on special teams is on Monday's to-do list, Kozens said. He also said the team has voted on captains, and that announcement will be made Monday. New Hampshire Football Report will post a story that includes comments from this year's three captains Monday.

"As coaches we're all having a blast," Kozens said. "The cafeteria food (at Kimball Union Academy) is good and you can eat as much as you want, but we're all dying for a home-cooked meal though. At times it seems like all we do is practice and eat. I know that the parents must be noticing a difference in their grocery bill, because these kids can pack it away."