Recently, I was disappointed that The Catholic Messenger had no coverage of the Regina High School football team that has been state champion for the last two years in a row.
This year, there were 26 seniors on the football team and 23 of them have attended Regina from first grade on. That alone could be a feature story! I would like to personally thank the parents of these young men who collectively have spent way over a million dollars to send their children through the Regina Catholic education system.
The Regina football coach, Marv Cook, is a convert to Catholicism. He has had the football team attending the 7 a.m. Mass with Father Mike Phillips at St. Wenceslaus Church in Iowa City every Friday morning during the football season. Father Rudy Juarez (St. Patrick Parish in Iowa City) has led the team in prayers before, at halftime, and after each game. Father John Spiegel (pastor of St. Mary Parish in Iowa City) and Father Wally Helms (pastor of St. Thomas More Parish in Coralville) are sometimes the first ones in the stadium at each event! Our priests have been very supportive of our youth both spiritually and financially.
Regina boys and girls athletics have had 10 state championships in the last four or five years: two football, three soccer, one girls’ softball, and four boys and girls cross country and track teams. This gives Regina and the Diocese of Davenport positive sports coverage throughout the state and these accomplishments should be recognized in our own diocesan newspaper.
Bud Sueppel
Iowa City
