To view additional photos of the Reading Super Bowl, visit the Photo Gallery by clicking on the following link: http://photos.suburbanonesports.com/g/maingallery
J.D. Dzurko was in the midst of signing his football photo cards at last week’s Reading Super Bowl when he was approached by a young student carrying his autographed card.
“She walked up to me and said, ‘Can I sell this on e-Bay?’” Dzurko recalled. “I told her ‘Sure you can, but you’re probably not going to get anything for it.’”
The value in Dzurko’s football card or his visit to that youngster’s Montgomery Elementary School classroom cannot be measured in dollars and cents, but this is an annual event that has an impact on both the children and football players alike.“It’s a great opportunity for the students here to see a different side of these boys, which is such a great thing,” said Judy Bader, reading specialist at A.M. Kulp Elementary School. “The kids are asking questions about all kinds of things, and the boys are coming up with all these great answers.
“This is such a wonderful opportunity for both sides.”
Seventy-seven North Penn football players visited 219 classrooms in 13 elementary schools. They read to more than 5,000 youngsters - many at the elementary schools they attended, and they all returned with their own stories to share.
Sophomore T.J. Smink read the book ‘Scoop’ to a class of eager kindergarteners at General Nash Elementary School.
“Some of the things they said were just random,” he said. “In my book they wrote about the FP Club (Front Page Club), and I asked them what they thought FP stood for.“One of the kids brought up how he saw a police in a restaurant. I don’t know where that came from.”
Smink is one of a handful of participants that has seen the Reading Super Bowl from both sides. Not only did he have a chance to go back to his elementary school and read, he has memories of three North Penn football players reading to his class when he was a student at Nash.
“I thought the football players that came into my class looked awesome – they were nice and big,” Smink said. “I always knew I wanted to play football, but I could say it inspired me a little bit.
“It made you want to pay attention.”
The football players – dressed in their game jerseys – had an attentive audience wherever they went.
“It brought a smile to their faces when you read to them, and I had a smile on my face when I was reading,” Smink said. “It was fun when they actually asked for autographs.
“It’s also nice to see all the teachers again because I really haven’t seen them since elementary school. It was nice to catch up with people.”
Smink had a big surprise later that afternoon when his younger brother – a student at Nash – brought home notes the students had written to him after his visit.“They were like, ‘You’re my favorite football player,’” he said. “I really enjoyed it.”
Cheryl Neubert – a former football parent - introduced the event in 2005 to promote an interest in reading. She continues to oversee it and takes special pride in seeing players who are leery about participating not only participating but finding it to be both enjoyable and rewarding.
“There was one kid who was really, really nervous about going this year and didn’t know if he wanted to participate,” Neubert said. “We actually had a hard time getting him to come down that morning.”
The player not only went, he enjoyed it.
“When he got back, he said, ‘Mrs. Neubert, it was awesome,’” she recalled. “I said, ‘So you’ll do it again next year?’ He said, ‘Yup.’ He was a kid who was evidently concerned about going out and reading in front of the kids, and when he did it, he came back and was fine. For me, that’s the whole thing.
“I’m glad to have kids that are enthusiastic to go out since day one. That’s awesome, but to have the kids that are concerned about how they’re going to read the book in front of the kids – when they come back enthusiastic, that’s what makes it. You sit there and say, ‘You know what – this is why you do it.’ To show kids they can do it.”Neubert went on to recount the story that was relayed to her of a player who’d been asked by a kindergarten student what you have to do to play football.
“The player said, ‘Well, you have to work really hard and keep your grades up,’” Neubert said. “It’s more than just football.
“These players are there saying – ‘Work hard in school. Keep your grades up.’ It’s an impact that is beyond the Friday Night Lights.”
And a program that began five years ago with 30 players visiting eight elementary schools to encourage youngsters to read has grown by leaps and bounds, but its message has never changed.
“It’s so great for these kids to go out to represent North Penn football as athletes in their community and to give back to that community that they are part of,” Neubert said. “The teachers love to see their past students. The players enjoy seeing the teachers that had as youngsters as well as cousins, siblings, nieces or nephews who attend those schools.
“North Penn football is a family affair, and that family includes the community.”For Dzurko, who has accepted a scholarship to play football at the University of Delaware, the Reading Super Bowl was once again a most enjoyable experience.
“It’s fun to go back and reminisce,” he said. “Unfortunately, a lot of my teachers are gone, but there are still a few of them left, and it was fun to talk to them.
“Also, a lot of the kids had been to games. When I tell them I was the big tackle kid, they kind of remember me. They just love seeing North Penn football players, and they look forward to the Reading Super Bowl.”
It’s a day when the community’s Friday night heroes are in the elementary school classrooms showing youngsters that they are much more than just football players.
“All the kids look up to you,” sophomore Corey Ernst said. “We were signing cards. I actually liked it.”
While the day may have inspired some youngsters to pursue football, it just might have been the inspiration others needed to start reading. 
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