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For  Information Contact:                                                                              
Patrick McCaskey: 847.739.5361
Angela Tomlinson: 847. 331.6994
atomlinson@sportsfaithinternational.com               

SPORTS FAITH INTERNATIONAL ANNOUNCES

2013 HALL OF FAME PROFESSIONAL AND COLLEGE INDUCTEES

KICKS OFF 2013 ALL STAR CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL COMPETITION

January 15, 2013-LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Sports Faith International announced the induction of eight outstanding athletes and people of faith: Vince Lombardi, Sal Bando, Bob Wetoska, Kerry Fraser, and Fr. Burke Masters will be inducted into the Sports Faith Hall of Fame for Professionals.  Terry Brennan will be inducted into the Sports Faith College Hall of Fame. Kate Ziegler, will be inducted into the Sports Faith Olympics Hall of Fame. Bishop Thomas Paprocki will receive the Light of Christ Award.  The Induction festivities will be held on February 24, 2013.  A Meet and Greet Luncheon Reception, featuring Kate Ziegler, as the Keynote Speaker, will be held at the Deer Path Inn in Lake Forest from 10:30 am-1:00 pm, immediately preceding the Induction Ceremony.  The Induction Ceremony and Sunday Mass will begin at 2:00 p.m. at the home of the Chicago Bears, Halas Hall, in Lake Forest, Ill.  Bishop Thomas Paprocki, bishop of Springfield, Illinois,  also known as the “Holy Goalie” will be celebrating the Mass at 2:00 pm. Rev.  John Smyth, Rev. Burke Masters, Rev. Jacob DuMont LC, and Rev. John A Jamnicky will concelebrate. A pre-Hall of Fame ALL-STAR panel event, offered in conjunction with Sports Leader and hosted by Ron Meyer of EWTN Sports’ Blessed2Play will be held on Saturday, February 23rd 2013 from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm at Northwestern University McCormick Auditorium, and is also open to the public.

Tickets to the events may be obtained at the Sports Faith International website http://shop.sportsfaithhalloffame.com/  or by calling Angela Tomlinson at 847.331.6994.

The annual awards ceremonies, offered in conjunction with Catholic Financial Life, Franciscan University of Steubenville,  Lighthouse Catholic Media, Relevant Radio, Catholic Athletes for Christ, Prayers for Life, Silo Restaurant, Frank J Casella, Pictures People Listen to, and Impressions Count honor world-class athletes who are known for outstanding dedication to sports and their faith. Additional awards will be given to Catholic High School Athletes, Coaches and Teams as part of the 2013 All-Star Catholic High School Contest, including awards for Athlete of the Year, Coach of the Year and Team of the Year. The Prayers for Life-Pro-life Award will be presented to an athlete, coach or team exemplary in the pro-life movement and The Virtue of St. Paul Award will be presented for the athlete, coach or team, with the most inspirational “personal story”.   Nomination and application forms are available at www.sportsfaithinternational.org.  Deadline for applications is January 31, 2013.

The Sports Faith Hall of Fame was created in 2008 by Sports Faith International in order to recognize and encourage excellence in sports and in the Catholic Faith. By providing a forum for the inductees to share their personal stories and accomplishments, the organization’s hope is many will be inspired to aim ever higher.

Sports legend Vince Lombardi, coached football for Saint Cecilia High School, Fordham University, the United States Military Academy, the New York Giants, the Green Bay Packers and the Washington Redskins. In his ten year professional coaching career, he led the Green Bay Packers to five championships and has been inducted into the Packers, Redskins, and Pro Football Hall of Fame. In the NFL he was a legendary motivator who focused on basics and preparation. “Love is loyalty, love is teamwork, love respects the dignity of the individual. This is the strength of any organization.” Lombardi, a daily Mass attendee and communicant, died at 57 years of age. His grandson John Lombardi will accept the award.

Sal Bando played baseball for Arizona State, the Kansas City and Oakland Athletics, and the Milwaukee Brewers.  He was a sixteen-year major leaguer, a four-time All-Star, and a three-time World Series Champion.  He has been a sportscaster, a baseball executive and a businessman.  Sal led “Batting 1000” a pro-life outreach of professional baseball players, and was a participant in the first ever Vatican conference on sports in 2005.

Bob Wetoska was an Academic All American at the University of Notre Dame and played for the Chicago Bears for nine years, including the 1963 Championship team. He was team co-captain from 1965-1969.  He has been on the board of advisors for community and outreach services at Catholic Charities for over ten years.                                                                                

Kerry Fraser holds the National Hockey League record for most games as a referee and was selected to referee twelve Stanley Cups, the World Cup of Hockey, the Winter Olympics, and two NHL All Star games. Fraser was overwhelmingly selected as the best referee in the NHL through independent polls of NHL players conducted annually by ESPN and the Toronto Sun.  Referee Magazine named Fraser one of the Top Ten Officials of the Century.  Fraser is author of a national bestselling book: “The Final Call, Hockey Stories from a Legend in Stripes”. As a result of a dramatic conversion in 1995 to the Catholic Faith, he devotes himself to public speaking on its behalf.

Terry Brennan played football on three undefeated teams at the University of Notre Dame.  After completing law school at DePaul University, and teaching/coaching at Mount Carmel High School, he became the University of Notre Dame’s head football coach at just twenty five years of age. He is a member of the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame and the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame. Brennan is a daily communicant.

Kate Ziegler,  a two time Olympian (2012 -2008)  holds six World Champion LCM medals: four gold, one silver and one bronze, and four records including the World Record in 1500 meter free style swimming. Kate has earned nine national titles. She is a graduate of Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington Virginia, and a 2012, graduate of   Chapman University in Orange, Ca. with a major in Communications.  She will be Inducted into the Sports Faith Hall of fame as its 2013 Virtue of St. Paul Recipient, and will be the keynote speaker at the Meet and Greet Luncheon.

Bishop Thomas Paprocki, known as the “Holy Goalie”, is a graduate of Quigley Preparatory Seminary South, Niles College of Loyola University, Saint Mary of the Lake Seminary, DePaul University College of Law, and the Pontifical Gregorian University.  He is also a candidate for the M.B.A. degree at the University of Notre Dame. Currently he is the Bishop of the Diocese of Springfield, Illinois. He plays hockey, has finished nineteen marathons and is Chairman of the Bishops’ advisory board of Catholic Athletes for Christ. He will be inducted into the Sports Faith Hall of Fame as its 2013 Light of Christ Award Recipient.

Sports Faith International was so impressed with the accomplishments of Father Smyth, whose life bears testimony to the world-changing power of combining the virtues and influence of sport with mountain-moving faith, an award, was named in his honor. Known as the Fr. John P. Smyth Award, it is awarded annually to an outstanding Catholic athlete or coach pursuing a religious vocation.  This year’s award will be presented to Fr. Burke Masters, a former all-conference and academic All American, who played in the College World Series and Chicago White Sox minor league baseball.  Fr. Burke Masters is currently the director of vocations for the Diocese of Joliet

For more information on the Sports Faith Hall of Fame and Sports Faith International or to ask questions visit www.sportsfaithinternational.com, or email Angela Tomlinson at atomlinson@sportsfaithinternational.com.           

More Info:  The Sports Faith Hall of Fame was created in 2008 by Sports Faith International to recognize world-class athletes who are known for outstanding dedication to sports and their faith. Sports Faith International is a new media initiative dedicated to utilizing traditional and new media to showcase the connection between sports and faith. Programs for Catholic and mainstream media networks will feature some of the biggest names in the world of sports. Sports have been called a metaphor for life that can teach perseverance, discipline, loyalty, trust, dedication, and fair play. The shows will serve as a platform to discuss the many virtues and life lessons that can be learned from sports. It is part of BVM HELPING HANDS, a 501(c) 3, tax-exempt organization.

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