Football team making video of support to send troops for the holidays

As a way of showing its support and appreciation to the thousands of troops deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan during the holiday season, the Chapman University football team is giving back in its own way.

On Wednesday, Dec. 9 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in front of the Argyros Forum, a booth will be set up with a video camera for members of the Chapman community to record a message of support. The messages, along with some football highlights from the 2009 season will be compiled and then distributed to the troops.

"There are things we can do to reach out and support them. Those men and women are making huge sacrifices for our country," said head football coach Bob Owens. "It's a real simple way to say ‘Happy Holidays' and let them know Chapman University is thinking about them and appreciates what they're doing."

Coach Owens first came up with this idea a few years back when former Chapman football player Paul Ramirez was deployed to Iraq. Ramirez played for the Panthers in 2006.

"It really hit me when we had a player here, Paul Ramirez, who was shipped off to Iraq," said Owens. "It's like, one minute you're a college student, the next you're dodging bullets."

Chapman football players Bryan Ziebelman and Jon Martinez are helping to produce the video. Ziebelman, a senior with a minor in broadcast journalism has a cousin currently deployed in Iraq.