Minium: ODU Football Lineman Zach Barlev, Stephon Dubose-Bourne Honored at Cure Bowl Press Conference
By Harry Minium
ORLANDO, Fla. – Offensive lineman are usually anonymous and for the most part, they like it that way.
As Old Dominion left tackle Zach Barlev said, “If you hear my name on TV, it’s probably because I missed a block.
“I’d rather no one know my name.”
But Barlev and right tackle Stephon Dubose-Bourne stole the show at the StaffDNA Cure Bowl press conference Monday afternoon at the Orlando Renaissance Hotel.
ODU takes on South Florida on Wednesday at 5 p.m. in the 11th annual Cure Bowl.
And for both, it had little to do with football and everything to do with their big hearts and their desire to help others.
Barlev was called out by ODU Head Coach Ricky Rahne for his insistence that the Monarchs include pink in the logo on their helmets.
The Cure Bowl raises money for cancer research in the Orlando area and the 10 previous games have raised nearly $7 million. And a ton of the funds donated for cancer research are dedicated to breast cancer, hence the emphasis on pink in all things Cure Bowl related.
Rahne told the three dozen or so reporters and bowl officials that Barlev put together a presentation to the athletic staff to include pink on the helmet.
“Zach really felt passionate about it,” Rahne said. “Not only was he passionate about what it meant and the impact it would have, but he also did a presentation. And that was a pretty cool thing.”
Dubose-Bourne was honored as Rahne, Barlev and defensive lineman Kris Trinidad were autographing Cure Bowl helmets at the back of the interview room.
As they posed for a photo, Alan Gooch, the Executive Director of the Cure Bowl, began to talk about how the bowl is dedicated to helping people in need, and not just those with cancer.
“We always want to respect and give acknowledgement to and honor those who are doing great things of community impact,” he said. “We understand Stephon, that you are doing that in your area.
“So, we would like to present you with the Cure Bowl Medal for the Community Soldier.”
Dubose-Bourne, a graduate of Chesapeake’s Indian River High School, beamed as Gooch spoke. A large medal resembling an Olympic medal, that included his name, was draped around his neck.
Dubose-Bourne was asked to explain what he’s done in the community, and he said he’s done work with both his fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha, and with ODU football.
Asked to describe what he’s done, he skimmed the surface.
“We go to a lot of elementary schools and talk to kids,” he said. “We usually go to the first day of school and make sure the kids are doing OK. We put together food packages for hurricane victims in Jamaica. And we go to Blair Middle School and talk to the football players there. We give them advice and make sure their heads are on straight as they’re getting ready to go to high school.”
ODU’s football team has adopted Blair, the feeder school for Maury High School, and the Monarchs frequently visit with football players there. On a visit I made with the team to Blair they spent an hour or so going over grades and homework with players, and also talking to them about life in general, then played a pickup basketball game.
ODU football players also often deliver meals to Norfolk’s city-owned homeless shelter.
“I do this because, you know, when I was younger, no one reached back to help me,” Dubose-Bourne said. “So, I reach out to help kids whenever I can.”
Gooch then surprised Rahne by presenting him with a Cure Bowl hat and asked him to wear it during Wednesday's game. Rahne isn't exactly a hat guy. Since he came to ODU im 2019, I've never seen him wear a hat.
"But I'll wear this one," he said.
Rahne is also passionate about the Cure Bowl -- his mother, Deb Rahne, is a breast cancer survivor.
Barlev, a senior who transferred from Illinois two years ago, has also mentored students, helped feed the homeless and helped pack food for hurricane victims.
He said he attacked the lack of pink in ODU’s helmet like a school assignment.
“I wrote a whole petition,” he said. “I asked the players if they wanted to sign a petition with me to get this thing done. And a lot of people did, and they all had stories. I spent two or three days on the presentation.
“There are a lot of people in every-day life who have been affected by cancer. (Offensive lineman) Elijah Hoskin, he’s one of my best friends. I know his Mom had to deal with breast cancer. She had a good ending. She’s a survivor.
“We have players on the team that just have a lot of passion for it. I wanted to be a voice for their passion.
“So many people have been affected by cancer. I wanted to make sure that we honored all of them.”
And for their good work, Barlev and Dubose-Bourne lost a little bit of their anonymity.
The ODU Bowl Season is presented by Miller’s Home Comfort. For over 40 years, Miller’s has remained a powerful presence in the Hampton Roads community. From our initial start as a simple oil company to our growth as one of the area’s leading heating, cooling, IAQ and plumbing businesses, we've thrived because our customers trust our knowledge, honesty, reliability and professionalism.
Minium is ODU's Senior Executive Writer for Athletics. Contact him at hminium@odu.edu or follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram
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