Are you ready
for some football?

The Philadelphia Blue Flame, Philadelphia’s police and fire tackle football team, will open its 2007 season on Saturday with a home game against the Los Angeles Fire Department’s "LA Heat" at Northeast High School’s Charlie Martin Stadium. Game time is 1 p.m.
The game will mark the start of the Blue Flame’s fifth season in the National Public Safety Football League.
League championship finalists in 2005, the Blue Flame will have a familiar look as starting quarterback Walt Bartle, a Cardinal Dougherty alumnus, returns to the team with running back and St. John Neumann graduate Dante Coccia in the backfield. Veteran Bobby Collins also returns to lead the offensive line. Collins coaches at the Frankford Boys Club.
Father Judge alumnus Mike McKay will begin his second year as head coach. He also coaches at the Summerdale Boys Club.
In addition to supporting Philadelphia’s former high school stars on the field, spectators will help a series of charities that have been adopted by the team, which is comprised of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5 members and International Association of Fire Fighters Local 22 members.
In four previous years, the Blue Flame has raised more than $65,000 for charities including the Hero Scholarship Fund, the Police and Fire Survivors Fund, the Police Athletic League and the March of Dimes, as well as breast cancer and multiple sclerosis causes.
The team’s board members include Anthony DePaul, president; Joe Hansbury, vice president; Joe Getter, treasurer; Barbara Gardi, secretary; and Bill Roland, community representative.
General admission to Saturday’s game costs $5. Kids age 12 and younger get in free. Team logo merchandise will be available, including hats and T-shirts.
Following the game, team members and guests will gather at Smoke Eaters Pub, 7681 Frankford Ave.
Future Blue Flame game dates include April 14 at the Fire Department of New York Bravest; April 21 vs. the D.C. Generals in Wildwood, N.J.; May 6 at the Chicago Police Enforcers; and May 19 vs. the Bakersfield (Calif.) Police Falcons at George Washington High School.
For information, visit www.BlueFlameFootball.com.••