UCBAC To Run All-Star Football Showcase

All-star football is coming to Harford County.

The Upper Chesapeake Bay Athletic Conference — which governs athletics for Harford and Cecil counties — will hold its own showcase game for its top football players at 1 p.m. Dec. 11.

The idea was a dream by the coaches in the conference — particularly Patterson Mill’s Josh Mason and North Harford’s Ken Brinkman — who have been involved in a regional showcase, the Baltimore Touchdown Classic.

“We just said, let's do something with our kids, with coaches in town, and you’ll get a chance for our kids to play,” Brinkman said. “It’ll be a really good thing in the long-run.”

Brinkman said it was simply time Harford and Cecil counties provided the same opportunities for their student-athletes as other communities. So the coaches took matters into their own hands.

“I think it’s very important for us to be able to go back and showcase our kids in the offseason,” Brinkman said. “Everyone else has one. We felt the need for our kids to have an all-star game.”

Brinkman gave credit to Harford County Administrator of Athletics Ken Zorbach for coordinating the use of facilities for the practices and game.

“We’re going to make sure this thing runs like clockwork,” Brinkman said.

Officials and a trainer will be on site, and volunteers are being sought  to run the press box and the game clock.

The conference will be broken into two teams.

Two practices will be held — Dec. 5 and Dec. 9 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The South team will practice at Bel Air, the North team will practice at Havre de Grace. Both facilities have turf fields.

The cost per player to participate is $50. Jerseys — with names on the back — will be provided for players to keep. Players also receive a t-shirt, hoodie and game film. An MVP trophy will also be handed out.

Tickets for the game will be $5.