collection

Kansas City Chiefs Summer Training Camp Program Records, 1990-2009.

• 1990-2009. (Creation)

3 cubic feet (2 archive boxes, and 2 flat boxes). There are also 5, 3D items associated with this collection that are stored separately.

Between 1991 and 2009, the Kansas City Chiefs called UWRF their summer home. For a few weeks during the summer, the Chief’s players and staff would convene in River Falls to hold their summer training camp. The team utilized services on the UWRF campus, including lodging in the campus dorma. During the programs 18-year period, the training camp had an immensely positive social and economic impact on the River Falls community. Special events were held throughout the camp for community members and visitors to interact with players. Events included a parade, Family Fun Night, scrimmage games, and other social events where fans could meet players on the field for autographs and pictures.

The Chiefs played scrimmage games against other teams, in what was called "The Cheese League," comprised of other National Football League teams that also spent the summer training in Wisconsin, teams included, the Green Bay Packers, New Orleans Saints, and Chicago Bears. The promotion and recruitment of the teams were pursued by then Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson seeking to promote tourism in the state. Mary Halada, who served as the Camp Coordinator, and Mark Kinders, Director of the News Bureau, ran the program.

This collection contains program administrative files, promotional materials, newsletters, and newspaper articles. The materials document the camp’s activities, and events surrounding the program each year. There are also materials for the year preceding their arrival, concerning the decision to relocate to River Falls for summer training. In addition, there are materials that were gathered to put together a 15th-anniversary booklet in 2005.

Alphabetical by folder title.

COLLECTION STORED, ALL or IN-PART, AT ARC: Collection can be requested for transfer through the Area Research Center (ARC) Network, consult Reading Room Staff.

Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. Copyright transferred to the University of Wisconsin-River Falls

Some of the materials previously in this series were in a university small series, but with the donation of several more materials from the Sports Information Office in 2006, it was decided to make the series into a regular series as opposed to a small series.