Please see the letter below from Steve Shatynski  '78, the President of the Loyola Gridiron Vanguard. Steve was a standout defensive lineman on Loyola's 1977 Del Rey League champion squad that advanced to the semifinals of the CIF Southern Section Big Five Conference playoffs. Steve continued his playing and academic careers at the U.S. Naval Academy.  Following his graduation from the U.S. Naval Academy, he advanced to the rank of Commander.  Steve currently serves as Vice President - Investments with Wells Fargo Advisors.

For those who revere Loyola High School and Cub Football, the Vanguard is calling upon you for your support.  The Vanguard is providing financial assistance to the 2017 Cub Football Academy, currently scheduled for June 12-13 for youngsters from grades 3-6 and June 15-16 for campers in grades 6-7.  Please spread the word about the Cub Football Academy.  The registration information is on the Athletics site at loyolahs.edu.



Dear Vanguard members and Cub Football supporters,
 
First of all, on behalf of the Loyola Gridiron Vanguard, I would like to thank each you for your support of Cub Football and the Vanguard.  The turnout for the Vanguard’s second annual cocktail reception and dinner on March 28 was excellent, and the passion so many alumni and supporters exhibit in supporting Loyola and its legendary football program is off the charts.  We hope to double the number of attendees at next year’s function.  We also have plans for fall celebrations in the works for the 2017 Cub football campaign.  There is no question how important our history and tradition are to countless alumni, parents, friends and supporters, as those in attendance at the dinner included many alumni who hail from the last five decades of the 20^th Century and the first two decades of the New Millennium. 
 
As you know, the mission of the Loyola Gridiron Vanguard is not only to celebrate and honor our school’s great football history, but also to play a positive role in strengthening the program and sustaining it for the foreseeable future.  As was discussed at the dinner, one of our roles is to assist Cub Football financially, as needed.  The 2017 Cub Football Academy camp, a four-day fundamentals training camp for young elementary and middle school student-athletes will be held in mid-June.  The camp provides an excellent opportunity for families to see firsthand Loyola’s impressive campus and facilities and to gain a small glimpse of life at Loyola.
 
The Vanguard has committed to help defray some of the upfront expenses of the camp, including such things as marketing, insurance, food and refreshments, camper attire, facility lease expenses and, of course, coaching stipends.  We also want to provide an opportunity for campers with limited family resources to attend at reduced or no cost.  The Vanguard has committed $5,000 to help the Cub Football Academy (which is not a school entity) with those expenses.
 
As you may recall, at the dinner, I indicated that I would defer my “ASK” until we had something concrete. This is my official ask to all Vanguard members! 
 
 
On behalf of the board, we request that each of our members make a donation to support the Cub Football Academy.  I’m confident that if we expose young men to Loyola’s campus - that we win!
 
Please make your donation by going to the Loyola Gridiron Vanguard website (loyolagridironvanguard.com) and clicking on the membership tab.  If you haven’t already renewed your membership, now is an excellent time to do so. Also, add in a little extra to support the Cub Football Academy. 
 
Thank you for your great and generous support of the program we all hold so special.
 
Go Cubs!
 
Steve Shatynski '78
President
 
PS - We’ll keep you informed on the progress we make toward $5,000. Thanks to all my football brethren in advance for your support!!!!!