Seattle Public Schools will host the Third Annual Memorial Football Classic next weekend, September 9-10. The Classic is a special two-day event to celebrate Seattle high school athletes, to raise money for all Seattle public high school athletics, and to build support for the Metro League.

Seattle Seahawks alumni Paul Johns and Edwin Bailey will join organizers and participants at Media Day on Tuesday, September 6. Johns was a wide receiver for the Seahawks from 1981-84, while Bailey starred at left guard from 1981-91. The Classic will be hosted by Seattle City Council President Bruce Harrell, a Garfield High School and University of Washington alumnus and National Academic All-American First Team in Football. Special honored guests include O’Dea football coach Monte Kohler and football legend Terry Metcalf. The presenting sponsor is the Washington Army National Guard.

Third Annual Memorial Football Classic: 2 Days – 6 Games – 12 Teams When: September 9 – 10, 2016
Where: Memorial Stadium, Seattle Center

Friday, Sept. 9
5:00 p.m.: Archbishop Murphy Wildcats vs. Bishop Blanchet Braves
7:15 p.m.: Memorial Classic Icon Award to O’Dea High School Coach Monte Kohler (see attached) 7:30 p.m.: Shelton Highclimbers vs. O’Dea Fighting Irish

Saturday, Sept. 10
12:00 p.m.: Cleveland Eagles vs. Kennewick Lions 2:30 p.m.: Juanita Rebels vs. Garfield Bulldogs 5:15

Program and Presentation of Awards
Memorial Classic Legends of the Game Award to Terry Metcalf 5:30 p.m.: Roosevelt Rough Riders vs Ballard Beavers

8:00 p.m.: Skyview Storm vs. Eastside Catholic Crusaders
Tickets: Available at the door, students $5/day, adults $10/day

On Saturday, youth football players in uniform accompanied by a coach will be admitted free. Military veterans with veteran ID admitted free to all games.

According to the founder of the Classic, Garfield High School Football Coach Joey Thomas, “high school athletics brings schools together in a way nothing else does. And playing your fellow high schools brings a city of public schools together. The celebration also benefits a good cause, raising money to support the many needs of all high school athletics.”

Seattle Public Schools Director of Athletics Eric McCurdy also points out that high school sports give us another reason to celebrate: “Students participating in athletics have higher GPAs, better attendance, lower dropout rates, fewer disciplinary problems, higher graduation rates, and better success in college than non-participants.”

The Third Annual Memorial Football Classic aims to bring students, friends, family, and the community together to celebrate and support our students and athletes. For more information, visit www.memorialfootballclassic.org.

Memorial Football Classic Icon Award
Coach Monte Kohler

Awarded to Monte Kohler for his long and distinguished career coaching high school football in the greater Seattle area

Coach Monte Kohler has been the Head Coach at O’Dea High School since 1985. In his 31 years of coaching, he has led his teams to three State Championships (1991, 1994, 1995), 23 League Championships, and 22 consecutive State Tournament appearances. Kohler’s teams have qualified for the WIAA State football Championships 28 times; they have been State finalists 7 times. In his coaching career he has an overall record of 299-51, which ranks Kohler 3rd for number of wins among all football coaches in the state of Washington. Kohler’s teams have also been named Academic State Champions three times (1993, 1995, 1999).

Monte was inducted into O’Dea High School’s Wall of Fame in 2000, the Washington State Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2010, and the Pacific Northwest Hall of Fame in 2014. He has served as O’Dea’s Athletic Director for 30 years and teaches A.P. History. Monte enjoys spending time with his wife, Jana, son John-Edward, daughter Cody-Marie, step-daughter Ashley, and step-son Race. They also have two grandchildren: John-Phillip and Parker-Marie.

The Memorial Football Classic Icon ward is presented annually to a distinguished member of the Puget Soun