LB Carson Schwesinger played a lot of football growing up. But he never experienced an event similar to the Jr. Browns Bowl that he helped coach with LB Quincy Williams.
For Schwesinger, the event was a chance to provide an impactful moment for local youth athletes that enjoy playing the same game that he grew up with and has turned into a career.
"This is what we were doing when we were this age," Schwesinger said. "And being able to take part in that again and give back and develop the love of the game in these kids and show them how to go out there and play football. Whether they have questions about football or just random questions because they have no idea who we are, either way, I'm having a lot of fun doing it. And so, it's fun to see that they're able to come out here and have a whole lot of fun too."
With Schwesinger and Williams as coaches, the Browns hosted the third annual Jr. Browns Bowl on Sept. 22 in partnership with Cleveland Parks and Recreation at the Cudell Recreation Center. Elementary school and middle school aged athletes were selected from five different recreations centers in Cleveland, including Cudell Recreation, Estabrook, Gunning Park, Halloran Park and Michael Zone. The athletes were split up into two different teams to compete against one another in a flag football game. Both Chomps and Brownie also made appearances, adding to the excitement.
The Jr. Browns Bowl began with an opening statement from the Browns Youth Football Pathways team before revealing Schwesinger and Williams as the captains. To start the game, the young players – along with Schwesinger and Williams – made a grand entrance by running onto the field with their team through a Browns flag football themed banner.
"We're talking inner city youth, and a lot of times with role models, when they see Cleveland Browns (and) any sports figure, their eyes light up," Commissioner of Recreation for the City of Cleveland Sam Gissentaner said. "They see these players, and they turn around and say, 'Hey, I can do the same thing they are doing.' When you're talking about the Browns giving back, these kids are excited."
Jr. Browns Flag Football program, which the City of Cleveland Recreation Centers are a part of, is the Browns' official youth flag football program for children aged 5-14. The program gives boys and girls the chance to play in one of the fastest growing sports in America. The athletes who participate in the program receive an official Browns Flag jersey for the season, in partnership with the City of Cleveland Recreation Center.
"The Browns supply us with all the equipment that we've got," Deputy Commissioner of Recreation for the City of Cleveland Maryann Fields said. "We just got a donation yesterday from them, $25,000 worth of equipment. So, jerseys, flag belts, pylons, down markers, everything that we need to run our flag football league. We run our flag football league at our 20 rec centers across the city, so every rec center has a flag football program. And at the end, we have a tournament where they compete against each other. So, without (the Browns), we wouldn't be able to do it. They supply everything that we need to run the program."
There were big plays made by the athletes all game, including multiple deep touchdowns and timely interceptions. Both Schwesinger and Williams dished out high fives to the athletes while coaching up their teams. On one play, after his team returned an interception for a touchdown, Williams imitated an airplane all the way down the field before jumping back-to-back in celebration with the defender who made the big play.
Following the conclusion of the game, the athletes were presented with championship rings while Schwesinger and Williams stayed to take photos and sign autographs. Food and lemonade provided by Deal's Fresh Lemonade Food was available, along with an ice cream truck.
"Just to see the kid's faces and to know the commitment that the Browns and the Browns players make, it gets better and better each year," Fields said. "Sometimes I think I'm worse than the kids because I'm so excited and into it. It's electrifying."
The Jr. Browns Bowl emphasized teamwork and sportsmanship while celebrating the young athletes from the five City of Cleveland Recreation Centers. The Browns continue to highlight their commitment to giving back to the community through their focus on youth football development and flag football programming.
To learn more about the Jr. Browns program and other opportunities to get your child involved, reach out to youthfootball@clevelandbrowns.com.
