The University of Toledo football program shared the joy of victory with approximately 40 special needs students from Toledo Public Schools and around the area at its 10th annual “Victory Day” inside the Fetterman Training Center on Saturday.
Participating students met Rocket football players, ran drills on the field and heard their names announced over the public address system as they scored a touchdown.
Rocket football players cheer as one of the Victory Day participants carries the football downfield inside the Fetterman Training Center on Saturday, Aug. 16. Photo by Bree Bee.
Victory Day is an opportunity for special needs students to have their “moment in the sun” on the football field. Each student was partnered with a Toledo football player who served as his or her mentor for the day. Toledo cheerleaders were also there to cheer on the participants.
Head Coach Jason Candle said Victory Day is a great opportunity for the youngsters who participate, as well as a chance for his team to gain some perspective from the experience.
“Our players are going through preseason camp right now and we’re here all day long doing football stuff. This is just an opportunity to break and gain a little perspective, to be able to brighten the day of these young people,” Candle said. “It just provides unbelievable perspective. It’s just a very humbling day for everybody.
“A lot of the children have been coming back to Victory Day for years. The parents are very appreciative of it, and we’re very appreciative of them for bringing their kids back year after year. They’re the real heroes here, the parents. This is not about Toledo or Coach Candle or our players. This is about these kids and these parents having a day where they can sit back and let us handle the load here a little bit. This is something we’ll always do, and we’re very proud of it.”
Victory Day was started in 2010 by Aaron Segedi, a teacher and football coach from Trenton, Michigan. Segedi is a cancer survivor whose life was saved thanks to a liver donation from his sister, Rhonda. Since then, the Victory Day program has been adopted by high schools and universities throughout the country. The Rockets first celebrated Victory Day in 2014.
Owen Gibbs, a senior linebacker, shares a smile with a local child during Victory Day on Saturday, Aug. 16. Photo by Bree Bee.
“It just it just shows you that there’s really more to life than just football,” said senior quarterback Tucker Gleason, who participated in his fourth Victory Day. “These kids, they come out here and for one day they can hang out with football players, they can be a football player. You can just see it on their faces. This is just some of the most fun that they’ll have. So it’s really awesome to be able to contribute to that and make a day that’s special for them.”
The Rockets open the season at SEC foe Kentucky on Aug. 30 before returning to Toledo for their home opener, “The Biggest Party in Toledo,” vs. Western Kentucky on Sept. 6. Contests vs. Morgan State (Sept. 13) and the Homecoming game vs. Akron (Sept. 27) round out action in the Glass Bowl in September.
Season tickets are on sale now. To order tickets or for more information, visit UTRockets.com/fbtix, call or text 419.530.GOLD (4653), or stop by the Rocket Ticket Office located in the Sullivan Athletic Complex at Savage Arena during office hours.
