Touchdown Club to host Golf Tournament

Friends and fans of Niwot football are invited to kick off the Jeremy Lanter Era at the 4th Annual Cougar Classic Golf Tournament on Friday, Aug. 4 at Saddleback Golf Club in Firestone.

Hosted by the non-profit Niwot Touchdown Club, the 18-hole scramble tournament is in need of players, sponsors and volunteers. Tournament entries are $475 per foursome or $125 per individual, and all players receive an 18-hole round, riding cart, two complimentary (non-alcoholic) beverages, a buffet lunch, and a special gift bag at the end of the day. There will also be hole prizes, raffles, and other gifts. Club co-chair Kelley Matthews said she expected this year’s event “to be the biggest one yet.”

This year’s main tournament sponsor is Sierra Instruments, but additional spots are available. Hole sponsorships start at $300, and include a custom sign the near the tee box as well as special recognition during the luncheon and in promotional materials. The Club will also accept direct cash donations, as well as donated prizes and gift certificates.

All proceeds from the event will benefit the Niwot football program, which has a number of pressing needs this season, including new, safer helmets for the linemen, and sturdier shoulder pads for the quarterbacks. The team is also hoping to replace its outdated video and film equipment.

“There’s a great need to help kids out,” said Niwot head football coach Jeremy Lanter, who also noted more everyday needs such as meals before games and scholarships for camps. “Football is such a huge drain for money on just the equipment alone.”

The Niwot Touchdown Club was founded by football parents in 2013 to help the program with supplemental fundraising and other activities. Earlier this summer, funds raised by the Club provided scholarships for 15 players to attend the CSU-Pueblo full-contact team camp.

Matthews said this year the team and Club plan to focus on community involvement in the hopes of attracting more local fans to the program. So far this summer, Niwot football players and Touchdown Club members have been spotted volunteering at a number of local events, including Prospect Sound Bites, Niwot 4th of July and Rock & Rails concerts.

“We’re hoping to start this year off on a great note,” Matthews said. “Coach Lanter has really emphasized the importance of community awareness and community participation, and we are really hoping to build the awareness of our football program at Niwot.”

For more information about the Cougar Classic or to learn more about helping out the Niwot Touchdown Club, contact Kelley Matthews at 720-383-2680 or Steve Bock at 303-591-5655.