Walton Weekend News

Thank You!

A huge thanks is extended to everyone who contributed to Walton Weekend. Friends, parents, teachers and alumni alike resoundingly felt it was one of Hawken's finest moments.

If you weren't able to make it to the grand opening, be sure you begin attending our night games under the lights.

In only two days, the lights come on!

A new era will dawn at Hawken School and it's only two days away. So, here's everything you need to know about the grand opening of Walton Stadium.
You'll definitely want to come early when gates open at 4:30 p.m. to...

• Watch students in grades 7-12 play a game of Capture the Flag on the new field.
• Cheer the newly formed Pep Band under the direction of Middle School music teacher Ahren Stock.
• Have your kids experience the KidsZone (read more below).
• Enjoy food provided by Blazin' Bills (read more below).
• Hear DJ Mike Margiotta, a Hawken senior, provide the music for the pre-game festivities.

At 6:30, you'll need to be in your seat for a special ceremony honoring Coach Walton.

But, before you read anymore about the grand opening....

HAWKEN NEEDS YOUR VOTE TODAY!!

This Friday's Hawken vs. Lutheran West football game is one of five games in the newspaper's "You Pick the Game!" contest, where fans pick a weekly Friday night game for the PD to report on. The winning game is determined by online votes. So show your school spirit by going to the Plain Dealer site and casting your vote. Click here and spread the word to others!

Now, here's more information about what to expect during the event.

ERIC CARMEN & THE HAWKEN CHAMBER CHORALE
Eric Carmen, of the Raspberries, and the Hawken Chamber Chorale will sing the National Anthem to kick the game off. Carmen is a Cleveland native and attended Charles F. Brush High School in South Euclid and John Carroll University in University Heights. Two of Eric's songs, "All By Myself" and "Almost Paradise (Love Theme From Footloose)" are among the most-played songs in U.S. pop history.

CORY RYAN IN CONCERT AFTER GAME
Cory Ryan's music speaks to the soul. Raised in Northeast Ohio, Cory has been led by music from his first high school band to Nashville's prestigious Belmont University. His fate was sealed as a singer, songwriter, and electrifying performer. His break-out CD "Blank Slate" has been met with adulation and success. Great reviews coupled with a great live show, Cory is a hit with audiences across the country. Cory has put together an energetic live performance that further enhances "Blank Slate." -- from coryryanmusic.com

In addition to the post game concert, Pierre's Ice Cream will supply All Natural Hola Fruta after the game. Hola Fruta is the new super premium, all natural, pure fruit sherbet from Pierre's Ice Cream Company based here in Cleveland. The product recently has been featured on "The Today Show" and in "USA Today."

BLAZIN' BILLS BARBEQUE
Enjoy food provided by Blazin' Bills. Food packages will be available for purchase the day of the game. The "On the Fly" package is $10 and includes all-you-can-eat hamburgers and hotdogs. The "Fork and Talon" package is $25 and includes chicken and ribs. Each package gives you one beverage per person. Additional beverages will be available for purchase in the concession area.

KIDSZONE
Bring your kids to the KidsZone, where they'll be able to get tattoos and even get their faces painted. The zone will also have Cleveland Browns inflatable games, stilt walkers, a Step2 playground and more.

NEW HAWKEN MERCHANDISE AVAILABLE
Be sure to visit the tent area and pick up the new Nest T-shirt as well as the new commemorative Walton Stadium T-shirt.

BOOSTER CLUB & CAVS RAFFLE
Visit the Booster Club booth as well. You'll have a chance to sign up to be a member of the club as well as enter a raffle for four floor seats to a Cavs game during the 2007-2008 season, worth $8,000. Each raffle ticket is $100.

SIGN UP FOR RACE FOR THE CURE & SUICIDE PREVENTION WALK
Hawken students also will have set up booths in the tent area, so that you can sign up to participate in the Race for the Cure and the Suicide Prevention Walk. Please join our community in supporting these causes.

PEP RALLIES
Upper School and seventh and eighth grade students will host two pep rallies the day of the game. At the Upper School, the rally will feature the fall sports teams, the Cavs Scream Team and Cavs In-Arena Host Ahmaad. The seventh and eighth graders' rally will be held after school and before they board the buses to come to Gates Mills for Capture the Flag.

SPORTSTIME OHIO TO BROADCAST GAME
If you're unable to make it to the game, tune in to SportsTime Ohio at 11:00 p.m. for a special broadcast of the evening's game. You can catch it again on Saturday, September 1 at 2:00 p.m.

PARKING
Enter the campus at either the main entrance off of County Line Road or the Sherman Road entrance. You will be directed to designated areas to park.

Nation’s top sports execs mentor Hawken students and grads

Some of the nation’s top sports marketing executives—people who’ve worked with some of the biggest names in sports including Brady Quinn, Tiger Woods, Venus and Serena Williams, Joe Montana, Eli and Peyton Manning, Maria Sharapova, Muhammad Ali and Charles Barkley—recently pooled all that expertise and converged on Hawken’s Upper School campus for a summer internship program for both current students and graduates.

The students, who are overseeing the sales and merchandising, game operations, public relations, communications and marketing for Walton Weekend, the school’s grand opening celebration of its new $1.95 million stadium, are primarily being led by former IMG Senior Corporate VP Stephanie Tolleson and Buffy Filippell, founder of TeamWork Online, an online executive search firm that recruits executives for the NBA, NFL, NHL and MLB, but have had a cadre of other executives visit to help them.

Throughout the summer, top football agent Tom Condon; Peter Johnson, the former IMG CEO of Sports and Entertainment; Paul Garofolo, former VP and General Manager of the Cleveland Force and current President and CEO of Signature Sports and Marketing, Inc.; IMG Senior VP and Director of Worldwide Fashion Event Operations Jeff Orloff; Alan Zucker, IMG Senior VP of Athlete Sales and Marketing and Senior VP of Business Development Group; sports media coaching consultant Lisa Bercu-Levine; IMG consultant Terri Bell; and Mike Rielly, former Senior VP and Managing Director of IMG Japan all lent their time to offer advice for hosting a successful weekend as well as tips on how to succeed in the competitive world of sports marketing.

"You have to be inquisitive, you have to be aggressive, you have to be the smart guy out there and you have to want it more and work harder than any one else,” Tolleson told the interns in a meeting with Condon.

“So that's why this summer, we're trying to expose you all to these things."

Pierre's Ice Cream to supply Ice Cream After Opening

Pierre's Ice Cream will supply All Natural ¡Hola Fruta!™ at the ice cream social follow the opening game at Walton Stadium on August 31st. ¡Hola Fruta!™ is the new super premium, all natural, pure fruit sherbet from Pierre's Ice Cream Company here in Cleveland, OH. The product recently has been featured on "The Today Show" and in "USA Today."

National Anthem Singers Announced

Eric Carmen, lead singer for “The Rasberries” and most noted for his song, “All by Myself” will perform the national anthem with the Hawken Chamber Chorale at the Opening of Walton Stadium, Friday, August 31st. Don’t miss it! Admission is free

Kids Zone Update

The Cleveland Browns have agreed to sponsor the Kids Zone, a playground atmosphere for kids of younger ages that will be accessible prior to and during the Hawks opening night game against Lutheran West. To go along with face painting, clowns, and stilt walkers, the Cleveland Browns will be showcasing two of their well-recognized inflatables that will be sure to enthrall and entertain!

Chief Caterer Confirmed

Blazin Bill's has been confirmed as the chief caterer for the BBQs taking place on Walton Weekend and throughout the rest of the Hawks' football season. They will offer combinations of all-you-can-eat ribs, chicken, sides and more, which can be purchased here.

The Nest

A likely dialogue between two Hawken students in attendance of a football, soccer, or field hockey game at the new, state-of-the art Walton Stadium in 2007:

"Gee, Martha, we're here at the football game at this amazing new stadium."

"That’s right, Susan. Look—the game's about to start. Where should we sit?"

"How silly of you to ask, Martha. All of the cool kids are going to stand in the 'hip' and new student section called The Nest! Everyone will be there."

"Wow, Susan! Let's go to The Nest all the time! GO HAWKS!"

That's right, sports fanatics: The Nest is coming to Walton Stadium. Every salt needs a pepper; every bat needs a glove; every mitten needs a hat; every burger needs fries; and every bird needs a nest. The Hawken Hawks are no different.

Encompassing the entire Hawken student body (K-12), The Nest is the student section to end all student sections. Located on the north end of the main bleachers, The Nest's cry will resonate throughout Walton Stadium.

Students: get ready to get loud! Get ready to get rowdy! Vocal chords will be broken. Bleachers will be shattered. Opponents will cower in fear. Bring your boxing gloves, bring your elbow pads, bring your "Walton Weekend honorary jersey," and bring your roll-on deodorant—because The Nest is going to make Walton Stadium explode with energy!

The Water Tower

This fall, there will be a new hawk in attendance at Walton Stadium. In addition to the mascot hawk roaming the stands and the predatory hawks scouring the nearby skies, Hawken welcomes its newest hawk to the mascot family—on the water tower!

Hawken's water tower has received "Fresh New Wings." On one summer, June day, Hawken parent Raymond Koren painted a larger than life Hawken Hawk across the North end of Hawken's water tower. The Plain Dealer featured a picture of his work July 1, on page B4 of the Metro section. Special thanks to Hawken parent and photographer Thomas Ondrey.

The hawk is large enough to be seen from the farthest baseball field, and intimidating enough to scare rodents from venturing too close to Walton Stadium. In any case, the Hawken sports teams will now have the comfort that for every home match, he is watching and he will see that his fellow hawks soar.

Walton Stadium Announced

Hawken's new stadium was announced in April to an enthusiastic Upper School. Read the full story here and be sure to listen to addresses given by Mr. Looney, the school's headmaster, and Coach Walton.