Notre Dame And Allstate Combine To Provide A Coveted First Football Experience

By John Brice
Special Contributor

For months, Marcus Freeman could not shake the feeling that he, but more importantly the entire Notre Dame football program and campus community, could do more to embrace local youth – and in the process perhaps expose South Bend-area youth to what might be their first-ever college football game experience.

Moreover, Freeman paused to think about the first time he attended a collegiate spring football exhibition game growing up in Ohio.

It wasn’t in elementary school, nor was it middle school.

“I didn’t get to go to a spring game until I was a recruit and got invited,” Freeman said.

Now, Notre Dame’s charismatic, civic-minded head coach is putting action behind his thoughts – and very likely making dreams come true in the process.

At Freeman’s behest and with Notre Dame putting into action its Together Irish initiative with corporate partner Allstate, the Fighting Irish are welcoming in the entire St. Adalbert Catholic School student body, parents and family members, as well as the school’s teachers and staff, for Saturday’s annual Blue-Gold Game inside Notre Dame Stadium.

“I remember going around and asking all the classrooms, who has ever been to a Notre Dame football game,” Freeman said. “Raise your hand if you would like to go to a Notre Dame football game.”

With the entire student body gathered inside the school’s cafeteria, gleeful shrieks and shouts, as well as a near-instantaneous room full of raised arms, met Freeman’s charge.

“That’s what I like to see,” Freeman said. “I have a surprise for you: We’re going to give every student in this building and your families tickets to the Blue-Gold Game.”

Cognizant that while complimentary tickets are a great start, logistical hurdles remain; Allstate is supplying roundtrip bus transportation from St. Adalbert’s southwest South Bend location to Notre Dame.

The full-day event also includes an exclusive campus tour for participants, complimentary lunch and, of course, a reserved section of seats inside venerable Notre Dame Stadium.

“When he came for Martin Luther King Day, Coach Freeman asked how many of the kids had been to a game. There were several classrooms and just a few kids raised their hands. So many of our kids need help with financial resources and for so many tickets to a game just aren’t something that they could afford,” said St. Adalbert Principal Jenni Crain. “The ability to take them to do something fun is just such a luxury item. Did you see our kids crying? Crying for this opportunity, it was so beautiful. 

“Our students come from a little bit of a different demographic from the rest of the city. To see people who look like them in impactful positions doing things for them, that’s the key. We roll out the red carpet for people, but not very often do people roll out the red carpet for us. They’re excited.”

Added St. Adalbert Pastor Father Ryan Pietrocarlo, “I think it’s just something very exciting for our students. This is not something that they often can get to experience and to give that joy and excitement, it just means more.  It means a lot to them. I saw that in the excitement the kids had (during Freeman’s announcement).” 

While Notre Dame is an globally recognized and iconic institution, its leadership is quick to recognize its community outreach should be organic. 

“It’s an opportunity not only for us to be here and learn a little bit more about the experience on this side of town that another portion of our community navigates on a daily basis, but also for us to say, ‘Come in, come with us,’” said JP Abercrumbie, Notre Dame’s Executive Associate Athletics Director for Culture and Engagement, while on hand for Freeman’s announcement. “I think that means the world to us. There’s the Holy Cross connection, which I think is another tie that binds, but for us it’s not just about reaching out to the platform or the brand but it’s about starting out at home. It’s about making sure that we take care of things right here in our own community.

“I know that’s important to Coach Freeman, and it’s certainly important to (University Vice President & James E. Rohr Director of Athletics) Jack Swarbrick. To bring more folks from our department into this initiative just means the world to us.”

The natural synergy resonates with Crain. 

“It’s neat to have the opportunity to take them to Notre Dame to be a part of that culture as well,” said Crain, marveling at Freeman’s vision for outreach as something almost entirely unique to her 20 years with St. Adalbert. “Our school is an Apostolate to the Congregation of Holy Cross. There are many things about Holy Cross that trickle over to our school. They help feed our kids, they help get our kids clothes and do a lot of social outreach.”

Director of Notre Dame’s Center for Civic Innovation, Dr. Jay Brockman, from his office three miles southwest of campus, is fully immersed in the South Bend-area community. 

A forward-thinking, civic-minded approach is a crucial element of community stewardship, Brockman explained. 

“I think for our center, looking at the big picture, Notre Dame is an important neighbor in a city that really has no other neighbors,” Brockman said. “The mission for our center is to work together with a variety of cultures, city government, neighborhood associations, various cultures within the community and to work together to build a stronger community.

“We will hire college and high school interns over the summer and we’ll have a number of Notre Dame student-athletes this summer from several different sports. We’ve found a lot of our students are eager to apply their knowledge in the community.”

Brockman has discovered an emerging community, one eager to work in concert with its global neighbors at Notre Dame. 

“Whether it’s our center or a coach, there are a lot of great ideas and innovations that come from the community itself,” Brockman said. “Sometimes on a college campus we may think we’ve got a lock on good ideas, but the South Bend community is a community with a lot of assets. The more our people get out and see our area schools, neighborhoods and cultural elements the more they can realize how fortunate we all are to be part of this community. 

“We want to be that reciprocal nature as has been said, ‘Is Notre Dame a better university because of the community it’s in? And is the community better off because of Notre Dame?’ We are in a community that really has a lot to offer and it’s important to get out and not only see it, but work together for everybody’s benefit.”

Which brings this back to the vision of Freeman and behind-the-scenes work of myriad others. As Notre Dame’s most visible employee wraps up sharing his good news with St. Adalbert’s student body, a precious youngster bellows a question. 

“Do we have to pay for anything?”

To which Freeman emphatically responds, “Nothing” while making a zero with his hand. Allstate will be funding the entire day of activities for those on the trip, including tickets, lunch and any transportation costs. 

It’s now time for classes to resume at St. Adalbert’s and for Freeman to get back to the Irish’s spring football preparations. 

He wraps up his surprise visit by leading the student body in a trio of “Go!” “Irish!” cheers, the third and final one the loudest.

Well, until Saturday’s experience of a lifetime.