Tony's® Pizza Announces Council Grove, Kansas 9U Boys Baseball Team As Tony's HomeTeam Contest Winner

"The contest was developed to show appreciation for the communities where our employees live and work and to recognize the time and effort that kids, parents and coaches put in to instill pride in their communities through youth sports," said Brian Van Otterloo, senior director brand marketing for Tony's pizza, which is made in Salina, Kansas. "We felt the Council Grove 9u Boys Baseball team exemplified this in every way, and we're excited to award the city of Council Grove the grand prize to help expand their youth sports programs."

The winning submission was submitted by Amy Lif, a parent of one of the players, and wife of one of the coaches. "This past season, our boys played against baseball teams who had multiple sponsors, top-notch equipment and more. Our boys had cotton shirts, as close to matching pants as they could, and were responsible for sourcing their gloves and any other additional equipment needed," said Lif.  "They had two things that no dri-fit, name-brand shirt could ever replace: pride and heart."

After winning their district competition, the team held a bake sale and car wash fundraisers to help with costs of team and family traveling expenses.

"What made my heart swell was watching the way this community rallied behind them. It was truly amazing and we are so proud to call this place our home," said Lif. "These boys know what it's like to lose and also what it feels like to win as a team. They represented our little town with pride."

The Council Grove 9u Boys Baseball team is made up of 11 kids and four coaches, all parents of players who volunteer their time. The team meets twice a week for practice and games, competing against surrounding areas in Kansas including Canton, Marion, Peabody and Chase County.

The Tony's pizza HomeTeam Contest received 126 entries from teams in communities all over the state. Entries were evaluated based on the submission description, submission photo and the percentage of community votes received. The Salina Sounders second-grade girls soccer team and the Salina Burn Track & Field Club were the runner-ups, each receiving $2,500 as a prize.

Tony's pizza has a rich Kansas heritage, beginning in the 1970's when Marvin Schwan bought the Tony's pizza plant, now called SFC Global Supply Chain – Salina, and set out to share the delicious pizza across the country. The plant, based in Salina, is a large Kansas employer and continues to invest in the community, most recently with the title sponsorship of the newly renamed Tony's Pizza Events Center, a multi-purpose arena, convention and exhibition facility.

About Tony's^® pizza
Tony's^® pizzas are part of the national brand portfolio of Schwan's Consumer Brands, Inc., the retail grocery subsidiary of Schwan's Company. Based in Bloomington, Minnesota, Schwan's Consumer Brands, Inc. has marketed and distributed premium frozen foods since 1970. Its brands include Red Baron^®, Freschetta^® and Tony's^® pizzas, Pagoda^® snacks, and Edwards^® and Mrs. Smith's^® desserts. The brands are represented in more than 50,000 retail outlets across the United States. For more information, visit www.tonys.com.

Contact:
Tarsha Rice, for Tony's pizza
[email protected] | 507.537.8550

SOURCE Tony’s pizza

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