Turkey Bowl draws crowd to Buffalo Township neighborhood
BUFFALO TWP — Nothing says Thanksgiving like family, chilly weather and football. On Thursday morning, all three of those elements came together in an empty Buffalo Township lot where, for over a decade, families from across The Oaks neighborhood have gathered for a few hours each year for a game of football.
Hours before the pro games kicked off on Thanksgiving, dozens of young players from around Butler County duked it out in their own football games on the empty lot behind the Paga household on Julia Road.
Michael and Michelle Paga organize the event each year, along with Dave and Jennie Kane.
The tradition began roughly a decade ago, when eight children from around the neighborhood gathered for what was called an “impromptu” football game outside of the Kane home. The following year, the game was moved to the Paga lot.
Michelle Paga estimates this year’s Turkey Bowl drew upward of 50 players.
The Paga lot, which is measured at 0.47 acres, was lined and divided into two miniature football fields — one for older players and another for younger players.
Michelle said she and Michael decided to purchase the undeveloped lot behind their home a few years after they moved into their home.
“We decided to buy the property because we have three kids, and we thought it would be a perfect opportunity at the time,” Michelle said. “And we kind of just use it as a neighborhood play yard.”
Before Thanksgiving, the players and teams for the Turkey Bowl were decided on a “draft night” which was overseen by members of the Paga and Kane families, including Michael and Michelle’s son, Brady.
"We do a ‘snake draft.’ We pick five of the older kids, and then they just snake draft everybody and make it all fair and make the teams all even,“ Brady said. ”The guy that picks last gets to pick twice and then it goes back like a snake order.“
The older players were divided into five teams. Each team played every other team once before embarking on a single-elimination playoff tournament. Meanwhile, the younger children were divided into two teams that played each other continuously.
The Turkey Bowl even attracted a few visitors who made the trip from out of state. One of them, David Miller, came all the way from Maine to visit his sister, Michelle Paga.
"We’ve been coming down here for the turkey bowl for 10 years,“ Miller said. ”Ever since it was over in the other neighbor’s yard.“
Also coming from out of state were Michael and Melanie Hatzfeld, who came from Michigan, also to visit Michelle.
“It’s nice to see this many people come out in a small community and play a sport together,” said Michael Hatzfeld.
Although gray clouds loomed overhead for much of the morning, neither rain nor snow threatened the games. In fact, according to Michelle, it has never rained in the decade-plus existence of the Turkey Bowl.
"We have been blessed, truly,“ Michelle said. ”A Thanksgiving blessing.“
Just as in the pro ranks, the Turkey Bowl games were preceded by the national anthem. Shortly after the instrumental of the Star-Spangled Banner started playing, it was cut off when the Bluetooth speaker ran out of battery. The players then took it upon themselves to break into song and finish the anthem.
The Turkey Bowl isn’t just a Thanksgiving get-together; it’s a Thanksgiving get-together for a good cause. There is an entry fee to participate in the Turkey Bowl, and that entry fee is five cans of nonperishable food to be donated to local food banks.
This year, the organizers collected canned goods to be taken to the Highlands Family Center in Tarentum, which provides family support and childhood development services in Allegheny County.
Michael Paga estimated that they collected 700 items of canned goods and other food items. Leftovers from the catering table meant for players and spectators during the day also will be donated.
