TC Patriot Game

12th Annual TC Patriot Game Set for October 20th - Tickets on Sale Now

The 12th Annual TC Patriot Game takes the annual football clash between the TC West Titans and TC Central Trojans and combines a focus to honor Veterans, first responders, active-duty military and area heroes who died while serving our country. Each year, Student Senate members from both schools determine a beneficiary for the event. Proceeds from this year's t-shirt sales will support Veterans for Peace Chapter 50, American Legion Post #35 Bowen-Holliday, and Veterans of Foreign Wars Cherryland Post 2780.

Tickets for the October 20 game are now available at External LinkGoFan.co for $7 each. Tickets will also be available at the gate on game day beginning at 5:30 p.m. for $8 per ticket or $7 on GoFan.com. All Veterans, active duty and first responders receive free entry for the game and can enter Thirlby Field at the 13th Street rolling gate or through the 14th Street main entry. TCAPS highly recommends purchasing tickets in advance at GoFan.co. On game day, there will be separate lines on the 13th and 14th Street entrances for cash, credit card/apple pay, and GoFan.   

This year, Titan supporters will wear red shirts while supporters of the Trojans will wear blue. The minimum shirt donation is $10. Commemorative t-shirts are available for student sales October 16 - 19 during lunch.  

The public can purchase t-shirts at both schools at specific time periods Monday, October 16 through Thursday, October 19. Traverse City West fans can purchase shirts by the school’s main entrance 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. TC Central fans can purchase shirts 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the main entrance atrium and in front of the gymnasium. Any remaining t-shirts will be sold at the game. 

Additionally, to help with parking, BATA will provide free rides to Thirlby Field. From 5:30 p.m. to 7:15 p.m., fans can park in the Meijer parking lot (north end near the pharmacy/garden center) where a BATA bus will be waiting to take them to the Thirlby Field north entrance on 13th Street. After the game ends, buses will run every 15-20 minutes departing from the 13th Street entrance and returning fans to the Meijer parking lot for one hour (roughly 9:45 p.m. to 10:45 p.m.)

For more information visit www.tcaps.net/tcpatriotgame or contact the TC West Athletic Office at 231.933.7780.

The TC Patriot Game is bigger than football

Take the biggest cross-town high school football rivalry in northern Michigan, add an event that honors active duty military, Veterans, first responders, and those from northern Michigan who recently died serving their country – and you have a game that attracts over 10,000 enthusiastic fans.

The TC Patriot Game invites active duty military, Veterans and first responders onto the field in a pre-game ceremony that honors their service and sacrifice. The names of those who have been killed in action are solemnly read aloud. 

This game began as a way to teach students and the community that men and women from northern Michigan are making a sacrifice every day to protect the freedoms that we enjoy.

Through the sale of commemorative t-shirts, students help to raise money to support a Veteran organization that works in northern Michigan. Student Senators from both schools (Traverse City Central High School and Traverse City West Senior High School) select one area Veteran group that will receive the proceeds. The groups selected for the 2023 Patriot Game is Veterans for Peace Chapter 50, American Legion Post #35 Bowen-Holliday, and Veterans of Foreign Wars Cherryland Post 2780.

Active duty military, Veterans and first responders can attend the game for free. 

The TC Patriot Game – honoring northern Michigan heroes.

Past Recipients

The annual TC Patriot Game has raised thousands of dollars for area Veterans groups including:

2023 Veterans for Peace Chapter 50, American Legion Post #35 Bowen-Holliday, and Veterans of Foreign Wars Cherryland Post 2780 - $4,765.15

2022 Mid-Michigan Honor Flight - $7,500

2021 Reining Liberty Ranch - $10,760

2020 Celebrate Service  - No Fundraising due to COVID-19

2019 Veterans In Crisis - $24,000

2018 Warrior Sailing - $16,000

2017 22–2-None - $13,000

2016 Veteran To Veteran – $15,000

2015 Dogs in Honor - $10,000

2014 Reining Liberty Ranch - $5,000

2013 Grand Traverse Horses - 4 Heroes at Reining Liberty Ranch $13,000

2012 Operation American Soldier $9,000

TC Patriot Game T-Shirt Sales

One of the students’ most treasured keepsakes from the game each year is a commemorative TC Patriot Game t-shirt. Students love to wear their red or blue shirt to show their team spirit and show respect for those who sacrifice so much, or all, for others. This year, the Titan fans will wear red shirts; the Trojan fans will wear navy blue shirts. The cost for each is $10.

TC West T-shirts - October 16-19

Students: T-shirts are $10 dollars: student senate will sell shirts at all 3 lunches.
Community Fans: Traverse City West fans can purchase shirts by the school’s main entrance 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

TC Central T-shirts - October 16-19

Students: T-shirts are $10 dollars: student senate will sell shirts at all 3 lunches for students.
Community Fans: TC Central fans can purchase shirts 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the main entrance atrium and in front of the gymnasium.  

Any remaining shirts will be sold at the game.  

TC Patriot Game Ticket Sales
 

  • All Veterans, active duty and first responders get into the game free and can enter Thirlby Field at the 13th Street rolling gate or through the 14th Street main entry. Gates open at 5:30 p.m.

  • Tickets:  External Linkhttps://gofan.co/event/1021355?schoolId=MI10300
    Step 1: Search Traverse City West
    Step 2: Filter by Category by selecting Football
    Step 3: Scroll down to Upcoming Events, Friday, October 20th 7pm and click "Buy Tickets". Tickets are $7 on GoFan. 

  • At the gate on game day
    $8 per ticket, or $7 for GoFan/credit card
    Tickets on sale Friday, October 20th beginning at 5:30 p.m.
    There will be separate lines on the 13th and 14th Street entrances for cash, credit card/apple pay, and GoFan. 

TCAPS highly recommends purchasing tickets in advance at External Linkgofan.co/event/1021355?schoolId=MI10300