On August 22, the Chicago Bears practiced at Vernon Hills High School as part of their community outreach initiative. The first 5,000 students and community members to order tickets received them on July 18. Attendees were able to watch the team practice, acquire autographs and finish their night off with a firework show.

The bleachers were filled with people waiting for the Bears players to arrive and start their practice. Some families chose to watch the practice from a more relaxed spot, laying on sheets and mats on the grass.

Families from all over Lake County took advantage of the opportunity to witness the Chicago Bears practice up close on Rust-Oleum Field. Parents and children watched as the professional football team practiced on the field as if they were in Halas Hall, their home practice field.

Brian McDonald, Athletic Director at VHHS and main coordinator of the event, said the high school has been asked to host this event for several years from the Bears themselves, but the dates never worked out until now.  

The community expressed joy about having the Bears practice at Vernon Hills High School.

“We are such a small school and the fact that they [the Bears] can acknowledge how great our school is means a lot to me,” Neil Mehta (9) said.

Patrick Gallagher, a Vernon Hills resident, has been a fan since 1970 and attended the practice in his Bears jersey.

“This is something brand new and I think they should do it again next year, because it seems to have filled up [the stadium] with absolutely no effort at all,” Gallagher said.

Some families sat on the visitors side of the field, where the bleachers are lower and visitors can stand on the track.  A few kids were playing catch and other football games on the track.