For the first time ever, Milam County rivals Rock-dale and Cameron will hold their first ever sportsmanship banquet at the KC Hall on Friday, August 9, starting at 6 p.m.
The banquet was thought of by Milam County Judge Steve Young after talking with respected businessmen in May who advised him to find a way to bring residents of Milam County together.
“The Rockdale and Cameron football game is the single biggest event in Milam County,” Young said. “And historically there’s been so much division between both communities.
“But we need to come together. So after that meeting I raced right back home and told the coaches we needed to do something like this.”
Rockdale High School football coach and athletic director Jeff Miller also liked the idea and sees it as a great opportunity for both teams.
“He actually tried to get something together this past year,” Miller said. “But the schedules didn’t really work out so we weren’t able to get something planned.
“However, since we already talked about it in the past, everyone had more time to plan ahead so we could make it happen this year. This was all really Young’s doing.”
Miller also said that this will be a great opportunity for both teams to mingle more than they usually get to.
“These kids have been playing against each other for most of their lives in many different sports,” Miller said. “They know each other but a lot of them don’t really know each other outside of competition.
“It will give them an opportunity to get to know each other and hang out, and I know in the past once our kids get to know each other they usually get along.”
The banquet will feature a catered meal that hasn’t been determined and will have several speeches including a keynote speaker to give a speech on sportsmanship and another to talk about the corporate benefits of Rockdale and Cameron working together.
“We want the kids from both schools to know that when you’re on that field to play hard and put up a fight,” Young said. “But when you leave that field, leave that all there.
“For the other 364 days of the year, we have to get along. Rockdale’s not the enemy, Cameron’s not the enemy, the enemy is somewhere else.”
The two teams will face each other on Friday, October 25, for the 65th annual Battle of the Bell.
This will be the first ever Bell game played at the new Tiger Stadium.
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