Over 60 active NFL players attend 'Bring The Juice' Pro-Am in Madera
· Yahoo Sports
This weekend, Dragonfly Golf Club is filled with NFL talent.
"The horse races are gone from the Fresno fairgrounds, why not make this the weekend where everyone who went to the horseraces is now watching golf with NFL players," Frank Dalena said.
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Dalena is the brains behind this tournament.
A former walk-on wide receiver at Fresno State, who tried Skeleton after his career on the grid-iron, now diving headfirst into podcast called "Bring The Juice."
"No one likes the idea in the early days but when you come out of the mud, you start turning heads," Dalena said.
Now in year four, his golf tournament bringing 60 active NFL players to Fresno.
"Let's get the best golfers in the NFL to come partake in this," Dalena said.
While that includes former bulldogs like Daron Bland, Ronnie Rivers and Mykal Walker, many of the players have no connection to Dalena.
"A DM goes a long way," he said. "
The focus isn't on the quarterback or the star receiver but any player who loves the game.
"There's so many NFL players that are in the league that don't get recognized as much so I'm taking care of those guys that maybe aren't the most known," Dalena said.
"It's cool for someone to recognize that we're still elite guys to come out here and have a good time," Rasad Weaver said.
This year's big name, New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo, who roomed with Frank's brother Mac at the NFL combine and then wore his 'Bring The Juice' hat on gameday before taking on the defending Super Bowl champs.
"That's where Skattebo comes into play, next year he brings Jackson Dart," Dalena said. "
This year, there's cigar bar and even a drive through espresso martini bar.
"Not encouraging bad behavior but if you've been on a golf course there's certain things you see often," Dalena
And then there's the things you don't see often, like a double decker bar on hole 12 which Dalena calls the student section and a stadium on hole 16 to watch tee shots over the water.
"It's such a fun day you get out and enjoy the weather, sit next to this guy," former Fresno State head football coach Jeff Tedford said.
Friday night, tournament sponsors will get to bid on players like Tedford and Marcus McMaryion to play in the Saturday morning pro-am.
"Frank's my brother but to see him do this stuff it's just like wow," Mac Dalena said.
Proceeds are going to the Juice Foundation to support local youth sports programs like Madera Youth Boxing or even funding an NIL program for walk-ons at Fresno State.
"Cause when you're a walk-on, you don't always get the same meal plan as a scholarship player," Dalena said.
Part Pebble Beach Pro-Am, part Waste Management Phoenix Open, Dalena hopes to make next year even bigger.
"To play a round of golf with Cam Skattebo in Fresno California isn't something you see every day. Creating those experiences where it's a nice sunny day in the Valley," Dalena said.