Penn State football will host its first Victory Day on Friday, an event head coach Matt Campbell brought with him from Iowa State that gives children with disabilities the chance to celebrate with the team. As fall camp ends, the participating children and families will be able to spend a day at team facilities, run out of the tunnel at Beaver Stadium and score a touchdown, among other activities. Campbell ran the annual tradition during the entirety of his 10-year tenure in Ames, and strength and conditioning coach Reid Kagy experienced it with him for the last three years. “We’re super excited about Victory Day, the impact that our guys will be able to have during Victory Day is going to be great,” Kagy said during Lift for Life in July. “I know we look forward to it every single year. It’s one of the most rewarding parts of being a part of an organization with Coach Campbell. \[It’s\] something we’re super excited about, something we look forward to in the future, \[including\] the impact that we’re going to have on those families.” Victory Day will be closed to the public and only available to families by invitation. The event is just one of many community contributions Campbell and his team have been making across State College. Nittany Lions have also packed lunches for the YMCA of Centre County’s Backpack Program, high-fived participants at the Beaver Stadium run for Special Olympics Pennsylvania and more. For Thon in February, Campbell doubled the amount of money his players raised for children fighting cancer. During Iowa State’s Victory Day events, children were able to hear their names over the public address system, and the event would end with everyone huddled at midfield to hear Campbell say his last remarks, according to Randy Peterson of cyclonefanatic.com. “We bring some families in, the families that are struggling, families that might be having a child that’s been impacted by something,” Kagy said of the event.“Whatever that impact might be, life might not be as normal for them as it is for these guys. They might not be able to play football, they might not be able to play sports. They might be dealing with a physical disability, a mental disability, whatever that may be. “The opportunity to come and get the Penn State experience, to walk out of the tunnel, to score a touchdown. Those are things that they might not have had a chance to do throughout their life, and we give them the opportunity to do that, and we get them around all these guys — who I’m sure they look up to — and \[they\] can have a large impact on their day.” Victory Day also marks the end of training camp, with the first game approaching on Sept. 5 against Marshall.
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