The New Carlisle-area based semi-pro football team, the Ohio Crush, is making the holiday wishes of three local families come true by adopting them for Christmas. Woody Bowers and his son, Bradley Bowers, co-own the team; and Woody says being able to adopt families for Christmas is a dream come true for them and the club.

“We are so happy to be able to adopt families this year. We’ve been building the program for several years...(When) we found we actually had money left at the end of this year, we were very excited! We decided to adopt local families for Christmas...It’s a great feeling to know you are able to help someone and to make Christmas special for someone in your community.”

The Ohio Crush head coach is Andre’ Pogue and the team boasts a 65-player roster. The team’s inaugural season was 2011, and the Crush won the Ohio Football League Championship in 2016. As a non-profit club, the Ohio Crush holds several fundraisers each year, including a popular bowl-a-thon. Those monies, along with admission and concession receipts, help pay all of the team’s expenses.

The players and owners make no money from the team.

The Ohio Crush’s popularity continues to grow. A DFUSA National Analyst writes, “(The) Crush have grown into a regional power and a nationally known team (...).”

With a loyal and growing fan-base, and a heart big enough to makes Christmas dreams come true for local families, the Ohio Crush football team is definitely “crushing it.”