Abbie Dymond, Managing Editor
@abbiedcourant
For many New Canaan and Darien residents, the morning of Thanksgiving looks the same. As preparations for Thanksgiving dinner begin, community members bundle up and make their way to the most highly anticipated rivalry game in the county, the Turkey Bowl. The Turkey Bowl is a staple Thanksgiving tradition; however, a CIAC proposal to end Thanksgiving high school football games threatens the continuance of the long-standing Turkey Bowl, which dates back to 1928, adding an extra level of significance to this year’s matchup. The Rams will host this year’s game at Dunning Stadium on Thursday, November 23, at 10 am.
The Turkey Bowl is considered the game of the season, every year drawing a massive crowd to the stadium and requiring additional planning to support the large crowd. “We make arrangements for temporary bleachers to be brought in, which are placed in the end zone. It has to be orderly and safe to support nearly 5,000 people,” athletics director Jay Egan said.
The spirited crowd creates an energetic atmosphere unlike no other, with the enthusiastic cheers making it difficult for teams to communicate. “If I’m in the tent going through our plays, and I’m not seeing the game, I can tell just by the crowd what is going on,” head varsity football coach Lou Marinelli said. “When the crowd is screaming and I can’t hear myself talk, I know things are going well,” he said.
Additionally, as many football alumni return home for Thanksgiving, the Turkey Bowl provides them with an opportunity to get involved with the program and amplify the crowd. “When you have so many alumni home for a holiday, it makes this game the main event of the holiday,” associate football head coach and defensive coordinator Chris Silvestri said. “Instead of just the high school, you get eight years of high school legacy coming to the game with their parents and family.”
With the crowd consisting of alumni, current students and community families, the game cultivates a unique and memorable experience. “When you play in front of that many people, it’s a unique experience. I just think that the level of excitement, based on the tradition of the game, is just a very special and unparalleled experience,” Mr. Egan said.
Another aspect that differentiates the Turkey Bowl from any other high school football game is the strong rivalry that surrounds the game. “When you go to college, you have former players from both teams at the same college, and there is a lot of back-and-forth bravado about who won the Turkey Bowl,” Coach Marinelli said. “Whether they are in college or they work together, the rivalry still exists. It’s amazing to me how, through the years, the rivalry is still so strong and sticks with you from your high school years.”
The strong sense of community also strengthens the robust rivalry surrounding the game. “It’s no secret that the two communities can compete. It’s the same kids, the same families, the same motivation, and it has a lot to do with how intense the rivalry is,” Mr. Egan said.
Due to the anticipation of the game, there is a different mentality going into practice. “The two weeks leading up to the game, there’s just a different mentality than the regular season,” senior and football captain Benj Sibbett said. “It’s a win or die mentality because it’s a must-win game for both towns.”
Similarly, Coach Marinelli also believes that the Turkey Bowl is a must-win game. “We could be 0-9, but we don’t want to be 0-10; we want to be 1-9 at the end of the game, and I’m sure Darien feels the same way,” he said. “That’s what’s good about it: it’s a big game, a big rivalry game, and a contest that both towns want to win more than any other game. These kinds of games are what make high school football great.”
Aside from tradition and rivalry, the Turkey Bowl also instills a strong sense of pride within the football program. “When I was coming up through the program, our captains instilled a strong sense of pride within us,” Benj said. “We’re trying to instill that same pride in the sophomores and the juniors that are now coming up through the program. You grow up looking forward to the Turkey Bowl, and when it’s finally here, it just means the world to win.”
The Turkey Bowl also provides youth players with the opportunity to emulate the accomplishments of the players they watch in the game. “I grew up watching really talented players like Ryan O’Connell and Mike Collins, and when it was finally my turn to play in the Turkey Bowl, it was something special,” said alumni Ty Groff and current kicker at the University of Rhode Island. “Being able to do that and be part of something that’s so important is an honor.”
Additionally, seeing the current players in the Turkey Bowl serves as motivation for the youth players, providing them with a goal to work towards. “It doesn’t give them instant gratification; they know that if they work hard over the next few years, then they will be the ones playing in that game,” Coach Silvestri said.
The Turkey Bowl is significant for many reasons; however, above all, it brings the community together in a celebration of its pride and tradition. “The Turkey Bowl is a really high-stakes game, and you want to win not just for yourself but for the entire town. It’s way bigger than just you,” Ty said.
