HOLIDAY TRADITION
Families spend Christmas Eve morning playing football in annual Christmas Eve Bowl
WILTON, N.Y. >> Lots of local families spent Christmas Eve morning at Gavin Park playing football in the annual Christmas Eve Bowl, a growing holiday tradition within the Wilton community.
Wilton resident Erik Geckler grew up playing football with friends every Christmas Eve in his hometown near Rochester.
“It was a small game played amongst friends,” he said. “We really enjoyed it.”
This tradition, which started when Geckler was a child, continued on among the guys from the neighborhood until they were well into their 20s.
After everyone moved away and had families of their own, their annual game was just a memory - until Geckler revitalized it in his new hometown of Wilton.
Over the past few years, what is now known as the Christmas Eve Bowl, has grown from Geckler’s son and a neighbor in their yard to more than a hundred children of all ages gathering at Gavin Park to play two-hand touch football every Christmas Eve.
“I reached out to some of the neighborhood dads,” the event founder recalled, “and I said ‘Want to get the boys together and play a football game?’”
Though Geckler wasn’t sure whether or not people would show up to play football on Christmas Eve,
the first official Christmas Eve Bowl attracted 35 youth players with just about a day’s notice.
“Everybody had such a great time, and everybody said ‘This is really cool, we’ve got to make this an annual tradition,’” he continued. “The feedback was incredible.”
The following year they did it again, with about 80 players - boys and girls of all ages ranging from about four to 12, all from throughout the Wilton community. “We had all gotten to know each other through youth sports, and through the kids being in school together,” Geckler explained.
Now, “It’s something that it seems like everybody looks forward to,” he said, noting that kids and parents alike get excited about the game.
Tuesday’s event, which drew more than 150 players and a large crowd of spectators, was the fourth annual Christmas Eve Bowl, and the largest to date.
With such a big community gathering, organizers decided last year to make it about more than just football. The game has also become a way for attendees to give back to the community just before the holiday.
“It’s pretty rare to be able to get 200 people plus together on Christmas Eve morning,” Geckler said, explaining why he wanted to make it an event for the greater good.
With the help of Cub Scout Pack #24, the 2018 Christmas Eve Bowl collected more than 200 winter hats and gloves to be donated to local charity Things of My Very Own.
This year, organizers chose to collect toys for the Capital Region Toys for Tots campaign, which collects and distributes toys as Christmas gifts to needy children in the area.
“It’s fun to be a community member that morning,” said local resident Shane Kalil, one of the Cub Scout Pack’s leaders.
“It’s just a lot of fun,” he continued, “and now it’s become a tradition in Wilton and it’s growing every year and picking up steam.”
“Our campaign here is so big, with probably over 170,000 families we’ll serve this year, so any assistance we can get is always welcomed and needed,” said Steve Gordon, director of communications for Capital Region Toys for Tots, while attending the game on Tuesday morning.
“I think what’s great about this event is already starting kids at a young age to realize that there’s some folks out there that aren’t as fortunate as them, and although these kids are able to enjoy a nice morning of some football, and probably aren’t wondering where the gift is, there are some kids in the region that at this point are sitting here today not knowing if Santa’s going to come for them tomorrow.
“I think that’s what makes this event particularly exciting.”
Looking ahead, Geckler and Kalil predict that the Christmas Eve Bowl and its charitable giving initiatives will continue to grow in years to come.
For many community members, the event has truly become a treasured Christmas tradition.
“I never thought it would get to this point. I never did,” Geckler said, but with the amount of holiday cheer the Christmas Eve Bowl brings each year, “It can’t stop now.”