Saline Football Alumni & Friends Night Recap
Like Season, First Alumni Football Event A Success
by J.P. Dimaggio
About 60 former and current players, coaches, School Board officials and community members joined in an evening of football, food, fundraising and fun at the first Saline High Football Annual Alumni & Friends Night on Thursday (March 14).
“Saline has a great football tradition,” second-year head coach Joe Palka said. “We know where we came from. This is a way of bridging the past with both now and the future.”
The event at Mangiamo’s Restaurant in downtown Saline was one of many off-season activities planned for the successful football program, which celebrates its 110th season of play in 2013.
Palka announced the Inaugural Hornet Casino Cruise to the Greektown Casino in Detroit this Friday (March 22). The bus departs from the local WalMart from 4:15 p.m. and returns at 11:30 p.m. Cost is $45 and includes the ride to and from the Casino, refreshments on the bus and a $20 slot play. There will be bus “door prizes” and raffles, with all proceeds going the football program.
Following dinner at the Alumni & Friends Night, Palka introduced his coaching staff and players, then shared video and slide presentations about the program, its principles and how it’s being built. There also was a silent auction fundraiser.
“We want to use football to promote the qualities and values of Saline Area Schools,” Palka said. “We are fast paced and we compete in everything we do. Decisions are based on what we need to do to get better and win.”
Hired in January of 2012, Palka did an amazing job of achieving success in his first season at the Hornet helm. The Toledo native – along with a deep and experienced coaching staff – directed the team to a school record-breaking 10-2 record, the SEC Red Division championship and Division I Regional and District championships.
The Hornet campaign only came to an end with a 21-14 semi-final loss to eventual state champ and perennial powerhouse Detroit Cass Tech, well known for populating Division I grid programs like Michigan’s.
School Superintendent Scot Graden, a Saline alum, said Palka conceived of the Alumni event.
“He came up with it,” Graden said. “This first one is a good step. We’re proud of our football program and we hope to rally the entire community around it. It was nice to see the former players.”
“I thought it went well,” Palka summed up. “We had key people, from former players to the current group. I thought it was well organized and I could feel the positive vibe in the room.”
One former SHS gridder, 1958 graduate Larry Lange, was among the many in the room energized by Palka’s enthusiasm.
“With this guy,” Lange said, “even I’m ready to get out there and play! My knees… well, that’s another matter.”
Former football players like Lange who would like to be “in the know,” but were not contacted prior to the event, should go to salinefootball.com to sign up for notification of future activities.
