UAB Homecoming: Blazers Show Support For Children's Harbor

BIRMINGHAM, AL — Hosting its third annual Children's Harbor game, the UAB football team welcomes Old Dominion on Saturday for Homecoming at Legion Field. The team will again wear jerseys donning the names of Children's Harbor patients on the back.

Children's Harbor serves seriously ill children and their families through unique, no-cost services at the Family Center in the Benjamin Russell Hospital for Children in Birmingham and at the Lake Martin retreat near Alexander City.

The team has risen to the occasion in each of the previous two Children's Harbor games, winning both. Two years ago, UAB blocked a last second field goal to defeat Louisiana Tech 23-22. Last year, the Blazers outscored North Texas 19-0 in the second half to rally for a 29-21 victory.

"I like to talk history. Going back to that summer of 2017 going into The Return, we wanted to do something special with Children's Harbor," said UAB head coach Bill Clark. "We have been involved with Children's Hospital and seeing patients there, but we wanted to get involved with Children's Harbor and the great work they do, not only in Birmingham, but also at the lake. What they did for the patients, the kids and the families, and what a great group of folks that they were."

Clark said that was what gave the team the idea for the jerseys. "We always talk about playing for the name on the front, not the name on the back, which is not your personal name, but UAB," Clark said. "We said, 'What if we played for the name on the back?' We came up with the idea of putting the patients and former patients on the back. We ran it by the folks at Children's Harbor and they were all in."

Clark added, "It was so cool to see our players really get to know the stories of these folks. As I fast forward to the relationships that have been formed between our players and these patients, it is just that good. I was speaking at an event, and a dad comes up to me and sees me as I'm leaving. He showed me a picture of his son, who was recovering from cancer. He said that this is one of the best things that he has ever seen. I get that all the time. This is so much bigger than us. We are just so proud to be a part of it. As I always tell the players, this is better for us than anyone else. It's great for our players, great to be a part of and we are really looking forward to it. We're really excited about it."

The Blazers are 5-1, and 2-1 in Conference USA.

UAB ranks seventh nationally in total defense. The Blazers lead Conference USA in virtually every defensive statistical category, and they are the nation's leader in fumble recoveries with 10. UAB has yet to allow more than 20 points in any game this season ranks 12th nationally in scoring defense at 16.0/game.

The game begins at 3 p.m. Saturday, but events have already begun on campus celebrating Homecoming.

Some areas around UAB will be closed starting Wednesday for the school’s Homecoming events:

Wednesday, Oct. 16:

13th St. S between 10th Ave. S. and University Blvd. (5 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.)

Friday, Oct. 18

14th St. between 10th Ave. S. and University Blvd (all day)
10th Ave. S. between 14th and 16th St. S. (3 p.m. and midnight)
18th St. S between 10th Ave. S and University Blvd (noon – end of the parade)
University Blvd between 14th and 18th St. S (noon – end of the parade)
10th Ave. S. between 14th and 18th St. S (noon – end of the parade)

Parking around UAB will also be affected. Closures include: Parking Lot 5A (east of the Hill Student Center) on Thursday, Oct. 17, and Friday, Oct. 18th.