ARGOS MOVE PRACTICE TO SCARBOROUGH HIGH SCHOOL IN CELEBRATION OF 2ND SEASON
OF LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD

PROGRAM RETURNS FOOTBALL TEAMS TO TORONTO DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD STUDENTS AT SIR ROBERT L. BORDEN, DOWNSVIEW SECONDARY & THISTLETOWN COLLEGIATE

TORONTO, Sept. 14 /CNW/ - For the first time ever, the Toronto Argonauts are moving a practice to Scarborough to celebrate the second year of a multi-faceted mentorship and funding program entitled Level The Playing Field, sponsored by Tim Hortons. Level the Playing Field, a partnership between The Argos Foundation, the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) and the Toronto Foundation for Student Success, will see football teams return to three Toronto-area high schools and the revitalization of ten other football programs.  Through a $10,000 donation to each school, Downsview Secondary School, Sir Robert L. Borden B.T.I. and Thistletown Collegiate Institute will each field a football team this fall, after many years of not having teams.  In all, TDSB high school football will receive $80,000 in funding in the 2010 season through Level The Playing Field.

In its inaugural year, the Level the Playing Field program helped return football teams to four TDSB high schools, North Albion Collegiate Institute, C.W. Jefferys Collegiate Institute, Eastern Commerce Collegiate Institute and Lester B. Pearson Collegiate Institute.  More than funding, Level The Playing Field features mentorship, education and events including Argos player ambassadors, cheerleader ambassadors, pep rallies and an Argos Game Day to honour each high school football team. 

Bob Nicholson, Toronto Argonauts President and CEO, remarked, "Mentoring youth and growing the sport of football are the two top community priorities for the Toronto Argonauts and the Level The Playing Field program does both.  It has been so rewarding to see the return of football to TDSB high schools and to see our players interact with the students.  The Argos would like to thank our partners at Tim Hortons and at the Toronto District School Board for helping make this program possible.  We look forward to seeing these new teams compete on the field and come down to our home games this season."

Here are the details for the special practice on Wednesday:

EVENT:	Toronto Argonauts Scarborough Practice in celebration of the 2010 Level the Playing Field program
DATE:	Wednesday, September 15
TIME:	11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
WHO:	Toronto Argonauts full team, coaches, executives and cheerleaders, TDSB representatives, entire Sir Robert L. Borden student body, Downsview Secondary School and Thistletown Collegiate Institute football teams, Tim Hortons representatives
LOCATION:	Sir Robert L. Borden Business & Technical Institute 200 Poplar Road (Morningside Ave. & Lawrence Ave. E.) Scarborough, ON

Anthony Hack, Principal, Sir Robert L. Borden, enthused, "Football will provide an opportunity to keep our students engaged. When students are engaged they do better academically and socially. I am excited about the opportunity this will provide to have our students connect with positive role models."

New for 2010, the football players on the Level the Playing Field teams will have the opportunity to attend the Parry Sound Tim Horton Memorial Camp from September 24 - 26. The students will come together for bonding and team building exercises in addition to a one of a kind camp experience. The weekend of adventure will wrap up with all the teams watching the Argonauts battle the Eskimos on TSN live from Moncton, New Brunswick on September 26.

Also added to the 2010 program, the Toronto Argonauts granted funds to revitalize existing football programs.  Through an application process, the following TDSB schools will receive Level The Playing Field grants: Central Technical School, Danforth Collegiate & Technical Institute, David & Mary Thomson Collegiate Institute, Humberside Collegiate Institute, Lakeshore Collegiate Institute, Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute, Richview Collegiate Institute, Sir Sandford Fleming Academy, Weston Collegiate Institute and Westview Centennial Secondary School.

The Toronto Argonauts continued its subsidy of athletic therapists at all TDSB football games for a third year, thereby ensuring the health and safety of all high school football players.  The Argos have taken a further step to ensure health and safety for the 2010 season with a new helmet certification program for high school football players on all teams in the Board.

The Toronto Argonauts are North America's oldest professional football club, celebrating their 137th anniversary in 2010.  As Toronto's #1 community team through player involvement, community programs and The Argos Foundation, the Toronto Argonauts, a member of the Canadian Football League (CFL), have 15 Grey Cup championships to their credit. For 2010 season ticket and group sales packages, please contact the sales team at (416) 341-ARGO.  For more information on the Toronto Argonauts Football Club, please visit argonauts.ca.

For further information:

Beth Waldman
Director, Communications
Toronto Argonauts Football Club
[email protected]
[phone]