The Grambling State University and Louisiana Tech University football teams celebrated their collaboration with each other at a luncheon at the Ruston Civic Center in early June.
The purpose of the luncheon was to bring together both Louisiana Tech and Grambling State football teams for a community service event.
Brian Howard, GSU’s Sports Information Director, said the collaboration was an exciting achievement.
“It was just a collaborative effort to have a lunch to celebrate both schools especially after what happened back in April with the tornado,” Howard said.
One group consisting of Grambling and LA Tech players went to the Boys & Girls Club of Ruston while the other group went to MedCamps of Louisiana, an educational and recreational camp for people living with chronic illness and disabilities.
“Both groups had a fantastic time not only interacting with other members from each team but interacting with young men and young women of Boys and Girls Club as well,” Howard said. “They had a press conference the Friday before, and then wrapped it up with a luncheon on that following Wednesday so it was good for both schools remain separated by less than five miles.”
Howard said the collaboration was a great opportunity for both universities that are separated by only a few miles to get together to benefit the greater Lincoln Parish community.
“It’s very tough when you have one school trying to trying to collaborate with another school, but there are other obligations. I know that they wanted to do the press conference back on April 30 but because of the effects of the tornado and other occurrences, it had to be pushed back,” Howard said.
The luncheon was a celebration of not only their community service efforts but also to promote an upcoming football match between the two schools in the fall.
“This game right here has some significant advantages of being the first in Lincoln Parish the game will be broadcast live on the NFL Network; the first ever NFL Network game to broadcast a college football contest,” Howard said.
The only time the two teams have met was back in 2010. Louisiana Tech won that game 22-6. The game was held on neutral turf at the Independence Bowl Stadium.
“These two teams have met once before with Louisiana Tech winning that game was played in Shreveport,” Howard said.
Louisiana Tech’s External Relations Operations Manager, Paul Epps, is responsible for initiating this collaboration. Origin Bank served as a sponsor of the community service outreach. 