Latest news, weather, high school sports for Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

MARQUETTE -- The schedule has been finalized for the 2009 U.P. Football All-Star Week.

The all-star game will be played at the Superior Dome, on Saturday, June 20.  Game time is set for 3 p.m., with the doors opening at 2 p.m.  The game will be broadcast on tape-delay by WLUC-TV6, and will be aired at a date to be determined.  Many activities are planned throughout the week for the community and players.

A Charity Golf Outing will get the week started on Sunday, June 14. The outing will take place at the Heritage Course in Marquette.

Monday, June 15, the players and coaches check in.  There will be a food drive for the Beacon House food pantry taking place at the check-in, which is at Woodland Park.  The time will be from 10 a.m.-noon.  All community members are invited to stop by, welcome the players, and make a donation to the pantry.

Tuesday evening, June 16, will be the team and individual pictures, as well as media day.  Players and coaches will be available for interviews from any media personnel that are present.  Media Day will take place from 7 p.m.-9 p.m. at the Dome.

Wednesday, June 17, will be the Players’ Skills Challenge.  The players will compete for the titles of Fastest Man, Strongest Man, Best Receiver, Quarterback, Kicker and Punter.  The coaches will take part in a round of golf and compete in the East-West Coaches Golf Challenge.

Thursday, June 18, is the All-Star Reception.  All players will get introduced, and a guest speaker will motivate all in attendance and give them some words of wisdom and advice to live by.  The guest speaker will be officially named tomorrow, along with a complete bio.

Friday evening, June 19, will be the Youth Football Camp, for players in grades 1-8.  The camp instructors will be the 2009 All-Star Players, who will instruct the youth players on basic football skills and drills.  The youth players will block, catch, run, and throw, while being counseled by the All-Star players.  There will even be a padded pit for the players to practice making diving catches.  The players also will run a 40-yard dash through a tunnel of cheering fans.  No pre-registration is necessary.  Register at the Dome.  Fee is $10.

Saturday morning before the game will be the Recruiting Combine, which will be held for any players who will be in grades 9-12 for the upcoming school year.  All athletes will be physically tested in speed, strength, and agility, and the results sent out to colleges all across the country.  Registration must be done in advance online.

The U.P. Football All-Star Game will be donating proceeds to the following U.P. charities:  Beacon House, the U.P. Sports Hall of Fame, YMCA-Strong Kids Program, as well as two individual U.P. high schools.  Those two schools will be announced on Friday, June 12.  A lottery drawing will be performed to select the two schools, and donations will be made directly to the football program of those schools chosen.  Each year, new schools will be chosen until all U.P. schools have received benefits from the game.