The Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl: A Tradition of Sportsmanship and Hope

The 69th annual Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl was played on August 6 at Castleton University in Vermont. One of 30 Shrine football games held each year across the country, the Maple Sugar Bowl brings together young athletes, patient ambassadors, Shriners and the entire community to support world-class specialty pediatric care provided at Shriners Children’s locations in Boston and Springfield, Massachusetts and Montreal, Canada. All three facilities were represented at this year’s event, with patient ambassadors Mason, Giavanna and Jenson participating in the festivities.

The annual contest is played in August between two all-star teams of graduated high school seniors from Vermont and New Hampshire. This year’s game was a defensive thriller, with New Hampshire prevailing 7-0.

Former player and Shriners Children’s New England patient Mason led the New Hampshire team onto the field. Born without a left forearm and hand, Mason was fitted for a series of prostheses as he grew that helped him participate in many different sports and activities. He became a three-sport varsity athlete in high school, competing in football, ice hockey and baseball.

A New Hampshire resident, Mason was slated to play in the 2020 Maple Sugar Bowl, bringing together his love of sports and the organization that helped him succeed as an athlete. Unfortunately that game was canceled due to COVID, but he attended in 2021 and again this year as a patient ambassador. Mason is now a thriving college student who hopes to one day become a professional coach.

Shriners Children’s patient ambassadors Giavanna and Jenson attended the pre-game banquet with their families, where they met the players and received commemorative apparel from the Mt. Sinai and Cairo Shrine Center leaders. At the start of the game, they were introduced at midfield and each presented with a football from the players.