Discovery Center to Host Butler Community College Day

Looking forward to football season? There’s plenty of football to enjoy now at the Flint Hills Discovery Center with the new Football exhibition and special events planned to honor football programs in the Flint Hills region.

Grizzly fans can show their school pride at a special Butler Community College football-themed event at the Discovery Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 12, including a meet & greet with BCC coaches, football players and other members of the athletic department. In addition to special guest appearances by local football celebrities, Grizwold, the official mascot of Butler Community College teams, will be on site to bolster Grizzly pride. Butler athletics football program is the No. 1 program in the National Junior College Athletic Association, has won six national championships and 13 bowl championships and holds the highest win total in NJCAA since 1998 with 169 wins.

Football, a popular traveling exhibit developed by the Museum of Discovery, is a 3,000 sq. ft. exhibition that introduces visitors to the science, mathematics and technology behind the game and how they relate to everyday life. The highly interactive exhibition provides hands-on learning, covering a wide array of science topics through football-themed areas such as Forward Pass and Game at the Line of Scrimmage.

“The game of football is a uniquely American sport that millions of Americans have embraced and participated in for more than a century,” said Fred Goss, FHDC director. “The Football exhibition at FHDC provides a unique view of the sport with the visitor gaining a greater understanding of the game in a way not seen from the stadium seat or living room.”

Goss also said the exhibition is a new way to look at and experience the unseen forces that impact the outcome on the field of play in every game.

Football is composed of nine different zones, each addressing a different aspect of the game, from the physics of tackling to the balance needed for cheerleading. Each zone features a mixture of artifacts, text, videos and hands-on activities. Visitors to the Discovery Center on April 12 can match their skills against Butler players and record results on individual scorecards available that day.

While the exhibition enables visitors to relive all the excitement and experience of playing football, it also teaches about the science that makes it all possible. Test your throwing skills in the Passing Cage area and learn what people truly mean when they say someone has a “rifle arm.” Try and match the speed of an NFL running back and learn the ideal trajectory for kicking a field goal. Football covers everything from the history of the game to the science of catching a pass.

Football is available to visitors through June 1 in the temporary gallery at the Discovery Center. So what are you waiting for? Put your helmet on, get in there and score a touchdown at Football!

• Butler Community College Day – April 12

• Regional High School Day – May 10

To learn more about the Flint Hills Discovery Center’s exhibitions, programs and special events, visit www.flinthillsdiscovery.org, call 785.587.2726 or visit 315 S. Third St. in Manhattan.

Saturday Programs: Show your school pride by joining the FHDC for special football-themed Saturdays including meet and greets with local football celebrities. Discounted admission is available with current student ID. Adults $9 | Military, College Students, Seniors (age 65+) & Professional Educators $7 with ID | Youth (age 2 to 17) $4