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USA Football Kids Magazine Issue 18 July 2001
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Representing their country: Meet the U.S. Under-15 team
MAGAZINEJULY 2011ISSUE #18
A foundation for success Flag football is great first
step for players and parents
Representing their country: Meet the U.S. Under-15 team
KIDS
USA Football Magazine 3
U-15 member Matty Biondich talks footballPAGE 10
Dwight Freeney wasn’t always an NFL starPAGE 12
Football is for girls, too PAGE 13
USA Football Player Academy is summer camp football-style PAGE 14
Health and Safety: Strength exercises utilizing your own body weight
PAGE 20
How the pros do it: finding the first down markerPAGE 22
Eating right before practices and games PAGE 26
Q&A with Chargers running back Ryan MathewsPAGE 15
Puzzle PagePAGE 16
Getting started on a football card collection PAGE 19
CONTENTSISSUE 19 JUNE 2011
Kickoffwith USA Football Executive Director Scott Hallenbeck PAGE 4
FEATURES Flag football teaches the fundamentals needed later for tackle PAGE 6
Introducing NFL FLAG powered by USA FootballPAGE 8
Meet the U.S. Under-15 National TeamPAGE 9
Front page image: SK Photography
4 USA Football Magazine
Football players,
The wait is over. It’s time to play.
The excitement of putting on your new jersey, the anticipation for practice and the butterflies in your stomach just before game time are all part of the fun of football – and it’s back.
The following pages are full of news that will help you play at your best.
You’ll learn how flag football can help you be a better tackle player and discover a thing or two about an NFL all-star who grew up playing the trombone.
Read tips from NFL players, news about the U.S. Under-15 National Team in football (right) and more.
Millions of kids like you love to play football, and it’s our job at USA Football to help you and your league enjoy America’s favorite sport to the fullest.
If you’re a USA Football Player Member, fuel your football knowledge with everything we’ve created for you, including the NFL Films Learning Library, skill drills, your own myPLAYERS web page and the latest in player health and fitness.
And if you’re not a member, check us out at usafootball.com – what you find there will make you a better player.
Have fun, play hard and have a great season!
Sincerely,
Scott HallenbeckUSA Football Executive Director
usafootball.com
SCOTT HALLENBECK
USA FOOTBALL EDITORIAL STAFF
Managing Editor: JOE FROLLO
Contributors: STEVE ALIC, MATTY BIONDICH,
JEFF FEDOTIN, DAVE FINN, WILL FRASURE, MARY KAMINSKI,
RETT LARSON, TERRY MELIA, EMILY NEWELL
To contact USA Football: (877) 5-FOOTBALL
KICKOFF
We want to hear your thoughts about USA Football Magazine. Write to us at [email protected] today.
pressassociation.com
Design / Production:LUKE THORNHILL
Editorial Office: 292 VAUXHALL BRIDGE ROAD, LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM
Commercial: RICHARD NASH
0044 (0)20 7963 [email protected]
Matty Biondich, 2011 U.S.
Under-15 National Team
Executive Director:
TODAY YOU LEARNED THE VALUE OF TEAMWORK
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From backyards to parks to community stadiums across the United States, kids are
playing football.Whether tossing the ball with dad,
in a pickup game with friends or as part of organized leagues, children are having fun, improving their skills and staying fit as they enjoy America’s favorite sport.
Approximately 3 million U.S. children play in organized tackle football leagues, making football among the country’s most popular youth sports.
The appropriate age for a child to start playing tackle football differs from league to league and family to family. For many youths, a season or a few years of flag football helps
build the fundamentals needed to play the tackle game.
For others, remaining with flag football all the way through high school is the right choice.
As long as a player is having fun and learning the game, the transition to tackle is one that parents can decide when it’s right for their child. “Flag football teaches coordination and the basic fundamentals of the game,” said Ray Delgado, who has coached both tackle and flag football in the Los Angeles area for the past 14
years. “Flag can be a good stepping stone to tackle in that it helps a child develop physically and mentally. Even though flag football is not a physical sport, it gets kids in strong physical
shape and ready to run.” The hand-eye coordination
and endurance in flag football transition naturally to the tackle game, Delgado said.
Confidence carries over, too, and that is a big part of knowing when a child is ready to
don a helmet and shoulder pads.
“It’s more of a mental jump from
flag to tackle,”
Flag football is a great place to start
Whether as a first experience with the game or as a final destination
By Joe Frollo
6 USA Football Magazine
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Delgado said. “It’s a big plus if the kid is bigger, but confidence can overcome anything, and flag football helps build that.”
Anne Pankhurst is a sport development consultant and a member of USA Football’s Football and Wellness Committee. She specializes in age-specific athlete development programs in the U.S. and United Kingdom.
She said football at the flag level teaches teamwork, how to change direction while running and how to follow directions – skills vital to the tackle game.
By learning these abilities before the physical nature of tackle football, players can have an easier time adapting.
Playing flag football also introduces young athletes to the rules and objectives of the game. In the same way, parental fears about their young child playing tackle football could be eased with a season or two in flag.
“Many parents assume every kid will be capable of doing well because they are big or strong or talented enough,” Pankhurst said.
“Some children aren’t ready. Some don’t want to. Some are playing just because their parents signed them up or their friends are playing.
“A younger child could be better served starting out in flag football or remaining in flag football even when old enough to play tackle. In the same way, after a few years of flag, a mother or father might be ready to let their child play tackle because they learn more about the game through flag.”
Most flag football leagues have five players on each side, so it gives each player more of a chance to handle the ball. This direct involvement with play can keep a young player interested and encouraged about the game, said David Fried, a former high school football coach who has run NFL FLAG leagues in the Miami area
for 11 years. “Tackle football is the most incredible sport in the world, but it’s not for everyone,” Fried said.
“In tackle, you are more accountable to the player next to you, and you have more responsibility – especially those without the ball. In flag, you concentrate on basic fundamentals that help you later.”
Delgado said benefits of flag football extend to potential linemen as well – positions not often associated with the more wide-
open game. “The footwork you learn and coordination you gain in flag helps linemen as much as anyone,” Delgado said.
“I’ve had players who are guards or tackles during the tackle season come play a season of flag football with me, and they end up as tight ends because they learn to catch better and play in open spaces.”
In the end, it is each parent’s choice where their child will play.
Some will be ready for the tackle game right away. Some are drawn to flag.
“Experience leads to confidence, and confidence puts a mom’s mind at ease when it comes to letting her child play tackle football,” Delgado said.
“Parents want to see their child progress from not knowing how to play the game to being able to carry themselves on the football field.
“How they get there isn’t as important as the route the journey took.”
Flag football offers a non-contact option for young athletes getting their first taste of the game and for parents who might not be ready to put their child in tackle football
USA Football Magazine 7
NFL FLAG, the country’s most recognizable youth flag football program, is
now powered by USA Football, the official youth football development partner of the NFL and its 32 teams.
The program serves communities of all sizes, offering organized flag football to boys and girls age 5-17 and to more than 150,000 players nationwide.
Whether adding on to existing leagues or starting your own, players learn every position on the field and strengthen their football fundamentals through USA Football’s advanced instructional resources. NFL FLAG powered by
USA Football also incorporates football values of teamwork and sportsmanship while promoting physical fitness as part of NFL PLAY 60, the league’s youth health and fitness campaign, aimed at getting kids active for 60 minutes a day.
NFL FLAG leagues receive NFL team-branded jerseys and official NFL FLAG belts for each player as well as two NFL youth footballs for every 10 children registered.
Full-season registration includes USA Football player membership, which delivers youth flag football resources to educate players and parents on the game’s fundamentals as well as player health and safety material.
Also available with NFL FLAG powered by USA Football:
Drills that can be employed to master flag football fundamentals
A QB/player wristband template already created by USA Football
A place to track season stats and photos with connections to Facebook and Twitter
Eligibility in regional and national tournaments
To learn more about NFL FLAG powered by USA Football, visit www.nflflag.com
A flag football
league for everyone
8 USA Football Magazine
BY JOE FROLLO
USA Football Magazine 9
Twenty-six youth football players from 15 states have been selected to play for the inaugural 2011 U.S. Under-15 National Team, which will represent the United States July 16-24 in Canton, Ohio, during USA Football’s International Development Week. Coached by former NFL
running back and current ESPN analyst Merril Hoge, players were considered through nominations and 2010 USA Football Player Academy skill evaluations.
The event will consist of cultural exchange through football, seven-on-seven exhibitions, multi-country joint
practices and educational seminars for athletes and parents led by football experts, including former NFL coaches and players. Each team will play two games during the week.
Follow this team and all U.S. national teams in football at www.usafootball.com/teamusa.
U.S. Under-15 National Team
Andrew AbnerHometown: Fort Thomas, Ky.
DeShawn SalterHometown: Syracuse, N.Y.
Marvin StewartHometown: Arlington, Va.
Ross TakloHometown: Cle Elum, Wash.
Tony TalbertHometown: Charlottesville, Va.
Levi TeschlerHometown: Fairfax, Va.
Griffin UrlageHometown: Fort Thomas, Ky.
Jake ZembiecHometown: Rochester, N.Y.
Cole McDonoughHometown: Bel Air, Md.
Paul MesaHometown: Riverside, Calif.
Richie PetitbonHometown: Annapolis, Md.
Tyler PolkHometown: Biloxi, Miss.
Andrew RodriguezHometown: Gilbert, Ariz.
Bryce RohrmanHometown: Indianapolis, Ind.
Zac RujawitzHometown: Edwardsville, Ill.
Keyon DilosaHometown: Round Rock, Texas
Christian DrewsHometown: Ramona, Calif.
J.R. GriffinHometown: Richardson, Texas
Dwayne HaskinsHometown: Edison, N.J.
Beau HogeHometown: Fort Thomas, Ky.
Tristen HogeHometown: Pocatello, Idaho
Dorian MaddoxHometown: Bowie, Md.
Matty BiondichHometown: Johns Creek, Ga.
Josh BradyHometown: Hixson, Tenn.
George BrooksHometown: Allen, Texas
Jimique DavisHometown: Carol Stream, Ill.
Merril HogeHometown: Fort Thomas, Ky.
WR-S WR-K-P OL-DL OL-DL RB-S
WR-DB WR-DB WR-S QB QB OL-DL RB-LB
OL-DL OL-DL OL-DL RB-LB RB-LB OL-DL OL-LB
QB-LBWRTE-LBRB-LBWR-CBRB-SRB-LB
COACH
BY MATTY BIONDICH
Ever since I could walk I have played football.
My dad still walks me to my bus stop every day, and we play catch on the way.
My room is painted purple and gold because I am a big Minnesota Vikings fan.
My dad and I often go to a local restaurant on Sundays so we can watch Vikings games here in Atlanta.
When I was 10 we went to the Vikings training camp.
It was pretty neat seeing all the players up close.
I love catching passes and running away from guys bigger than me. I also like to kick and punt. When I was 7 or 8 years old I played flag
football when I lived in Philadelphia. We played on a full field, and I remember how big it seemed to me.
I would run back and forth until I found a hole I could run through.
This is when I realized I was faster than most of the other kids.
When I was 10 I got to meet Joe Montana (top left), Peyton Manning (top center) and Deion Branch at a collectors show with my dad.
I remember thinking that Deion Branch wasn’t very big and that if he could play in the NFL then I could
also. A lot of people compare me to Wes Welker, a wide receiver for the New England Patriots.
Last year, my eighth-grade team won the middle school state championship in Georgia. I had a lot of fun playing on this team.
My coaches played in the NFL and used me in many different positions. I got to play QB, RB, WR, DE and DB. I also punted and kicked.
Playing on the U.S. Under-15 National Team is a great honor and one that I am excited to be part of.
I can’t wait to have Merril Hoge as my head coach.
It will be a lot of fun meeting kids from the other countries.
I just hope some of them speak English so I can talk football with them. If not, we’ll just play catch.
An honor to play for my country
10 USA Football Magazine
Matty Biondich is a member of the U.S. Under-15 National Team and a student at River Trail Middle
School in Johns Creek, Ga., a suburb of Atlanta. A wide receiver, kicker and punter for Team USA, he will take
part in an international weeklong football celebration, competition and football skill development event July
16-24 in Canton, Ohio ...
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Dwight Freeney did not grow up a superstar. In fact, the Indianapolis Colts defensive
end did not even grow up playing football.
According to his mother, Joy Freeney, when young Dwight wasn’t playing video games, his interests were baseball, basketball, music and science.
Joy recently talked to USA Football Magazine to discuss what her famous NFL son was like as a youngster in Connecticut.
She remembers a child who was always active, always trying to be the best and never afraid to try something new.
ON SPORTS: Dwight liked to play baseball, basketball, soccer and miniature golf.
His mother, a native of Jamaica, would not let him play hockey.
“He wanted to but I told him the only thing we use ice for in Jamaica is to keep our drinks cold,” Joy said.
Baseball was Dwight’s favorite. Basketball might have been if he could stay on the court longer in games.
“He loved basketball, but he always fouled out,” Joy said.
ON VIDEO GAMES: The Freeney house was where neighborhood kids gathered for tournaments. Dwight did not like to lose.
“He was very competitive with his friends,” Joy said.
“Whether it was Madden football, baseball, basketball or another game, he’d play and play to get better.”
ON GROWING: Dwight was always among the tallest kids in his class, but he measured himself against the older kids in
the neighborhood, Joy said. “He had a good friend who was really tall, and Dwight never believed he was growing because he was always shorter than that boy.
“I told him, ‘He’s growing, too.’ We had to measure Dwight against a post to prove it.”
ON MUSIC: Dwight played the trombone and piano. He enjoyed that as much as sports.
“His first recital, we had to leave in the middle of a baseball game to get there in time,” Joy said.
ON SCHOOL: Dwight’s favorite subject was science. He took part in a University of Connecticut engineering program for children.
Colts defender was a child who liked all sportsBY JOE FROLLO
12 USA Football Magazine
WHEN THEY WERE KIDS: DWIGHT FREENEY
Images: Freeney fam
ily
Jennifer Blum was jealous. She remembers watching her best friend getting on the team
bus with his high school football teammates.
“It was so unfair,” she said. “I couldn’t play.”
Today, there are more opportunities for girls to play football – not only on the high school level but also at a much earlier age.
Football being just for the guys? “That’s no longer the case,” Blum said.
As a young girl, Jennifer Blum used to sleep with a football. Blum, now 37, remains attached to the game.
During the day, she is a lawyer in River Edge, N.J. At night, she plays flag football and for the New York Sharks, a women’s professional tackle team. A member of the 2010
U.S. Women’s National Team that won a gold medal at the Women’s World Championship, Blum also instructs aspiring players in the game she loves.
At events such as NFL Play 60 and New York Sharks camps, Blum helps girls learn football’s team- and goal-driven concepts. On each successful play, every player must execute her
unique role. Football is special to Blum because every girl can find her niche.
If you like to catch, become a wide receiver. If you have a strong leg,
focus on kicking. Whether in flag football or tackle, there is a spot for you.
“Everybody can find a place that they’re good at, that they like and that they can excel at,” Blum said. “That’s the beauty of football.”
Attitudes toward football have come a long way since Blum encountered resistance and stereotypes growing up.
Faced with those challenges, Blum says keep pushing to become better while absorbing all available instruction.
“Take in everything you can,” she said. “Don’t worry about what’s happening next to you.”
Whether it’s tackle or flag, Blum encourages girls to give it a try.
USA Football Magazine 13
Why football is a game for girls as well as boys
Jennifer Blum, a member of the 2010 U.S. Women’s National Team and wide receiver for the New York Sharks professional football team, urges girls to give football a try.
It’s a fun way to exercise. “It’s a blast,” she says.
To help her squad win, each player must complete a separate task during a play. That builds camaraderie and promotes life lessons. “It’s the ultimate team game,” Blum says.
Football has multiple positions. “There’s so many different options,” Blum says. “There’s a place for everybody.”
BY JEFF FEDOTIN
Practice time is precious. Every extra rep can help a football player improve and get him
one step closer to being ready for the football season.
That’s why the Zionsville (Ind.) Youth Football League has encouraged its players to attend the USA Football Player Academy for Central Indiana on July 18-21.
The personalized, age-specific instruction available for players 7 to 14 years old is what young athletes need to get ready for the football season, said ZYFL board member Mike Garrett.
“We look at our job as one to prepare the kids for middle school football, then high school football,” said Garrett, the Zionsville youth league equipment manager and the Indianapolis market coordinator for USA Football.
“We want to keep that passion burning, the fire lit to have them enthusiastic when it’s time to return to the league.”
Nearly 200 ZYFL players have signed up for the Player Academy being held at Zionsville Community High School.
The developmental camp is designed to help athletes master football fundamentals, focusing on skill development and drills that are appropriate for
specific ages and positions. Players learn techniques and philosophies in a fun and challenging environment.
As the official youth football development partner of the NFL, each USA Football Player Academy allows players to learn in small groups from top youth and high school coaches.
Along with having fun and becoming a better
player, Player Academy participants: work in small groups, receiving
individual attention with modified contact
review what they learn each day in classroom sessions
receive a $50 gift card to Sports Authority
have the chance to earn a free Riddell Revolution Speed helmet through a refer-a-friend program
14 USA Football Magazine
Summer camp: football-styleBY JOE FROLLO
Player Academy teaches the fundamentals for success
USA Football Magazine 15
Ryan Mathews looks for every edge he can get on the football field. A 6-foot,
218-pound running back for the San Diego Chargers, he ran for 678 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie last season.
Mathews recently joined with Shock Doctor – the official mouth guard partner of USA Football and U.S. National Teams – to promote the company’s Custom Mouthguard and Ultra Carbon Chin Strap, which he will wear at practice and in games this season.
Mathews discussed the importance of mouth guards and his new partnership with Shock Doctor along with growing up, vacation spots, favorite foods and more.
What’s your favorite meal? I love orange chicken. My favorite spot is a little hole in the wall in Bakersfield (Calif.).
Who was a key influencer in your life?My mom. She is strong, brilliant and comforting. She is my rock. Without her encouragement and love, I do not think I would be the young adult I am today.
How do you personalize your mouth guard?I have the phrase “Catch 24” on my mouth guard. I am one step from a big play every time the ball is in my hand. I feel like every member of the defense is always chasing me.
What do you like to do in your free time?I love being outside, sitting in the ocean catching a wave, standing on the back of my boat in the water, sitting in the snow or smelling the dirt at the race track.
If you weren’t playing professional football, what would you be doing?If I were not blessed with the ability to play in the NFL, I’d race professional motocross or ride snowboards.
When did you start to realize you had the potential to be a pro football player?It was always a dream, but I didn’t understand how good I could be until my second year in college.
Where’s your favorite place to vacation?Being as young as I am, I haven’t had the chance to travel the world like some of the people I know. As of right now my favorite place to go is home. Bakersfield and Fresno are where my heart is and where I most enjoy going to.
Why do you like Shock Doctor’s mouth guards?I’ve used Shock Doctor mouthguards for as long as I can remember. I used them in basketball and football, too. Shock Doctor’s Custom Mouthguard is so comfortable that it feels like I don’t have a mouth guard in there, and it really makes breathing and speaking a lot easier while not compromising protection.
Ryan Mathews knows mouth guard is vitalChargers running back has personalized Custom Mouthguard
BY EMILY NEWELL
Photo: Shockwave
16 USA Football Magazine
ACROSS2, Chargers4, Jets6, Ravens8, Texans10, Bills11, Chiefs12, Packers13, Jaguars
DOWN1, Patriots2, Steelers3, Falcons5, Browns7, Saints9, Eagles10, Buccaneers
Match the NFL team with its starting quarterback...
Girls toy + fish’s arms ....................IOUs .............................................One dollar for corn .......................
Thieves ..........................................Peter and Paul ...............................Seven squared ...............................
Used to be women .......................Bug fighters ..................................Two under par ...............................
Match these NFL team nicknames with the correct phrases... we’ve given you one for starters
Dolphins
N C Y C X A R R V L L B T D Q
F U G E I J N G O O L Q G U E
L A R W X P E V I H A G A T M
K C Z F V S G U J W B R V A D
D I N Y N H K S C B T S E C K
O F F E N S E O D E O E W K N
N N F Z Z U A L R F O U E L N
F E W M L C E B M G F Q L E X
D W K O H K A N V E S S A P K
X O O E D C N W O D T S R I F
D Q B K K H K H A Y T R B S Y
R J A S N L C Z E G J L M O X
U X C E L W U U N E O M P Z N
T N B R F T D M O R P X M C N
V U E K D I Q C B T U Q F N F
Can you find these words in the grid?
coachquarterbackfirstdowndefenseoffensefootball
helmettackletouchdownpassrun
Can you name this Chargers quarterback?
Answers are on page 24!
18 USA Football Magazine
USA FOOTBALL REGIONAL MANAGERSAmerica’s favorite sport is powered by you – dedicated youth league commissioners, coaches, game officials, players, parents and volunteers. For each of you, there is a face and name to place in your football Rolodex: your USA Football Regional Manager.
USA Football regional managers are football enthusiasts who are equipped and trained to work for you. Each has the experience needed to help you make your league or team even stronger with USA Football resources.
Contact your USA Football regional manager to learn how you can kick off your free commissioner membership or ask about League affiliation, the nearest USA Football Coaching School, Player Academy or State Leadership Forum. Stay in touch with your regional manager, whether it is to share news about your league or team or to ask about member resources. You may also contact our office – through usafootball.com or by phone at (877) 5-FOOTBALL. Let us know how we can serve you better. Together, we’ll ensure that teamwork and leadership continue to serve as the laces binding our favorite game.
Northeast
Ed
Passino
(317) 489-4437
Great Lakes
Scott
LeVeque
(317) 489-4434
West
Bassel
Faltas
(317) 489-4426
Central
Joe
Owens
(317) 489-4436
Southeast
Rick
Peacock
(317) 489-4438
Mid-Atlantic
Deno
Campbell
(317) 489-4422
(240) 351-7392
Pacific
Mountain
(877) 5-FOOTBALL
usafootball.com
South
Dave
Fanucchi
(317) 489-4427
USA Football Magazine 19
BY TERRY MELIA
Collecting football cards can be intimidating at first. That’s why it’s important to set goals and
limits when you start. A good rule of thumb is to collect
players and teams you like. That way, even if they don’t gain
in value, you’ll always like the cards you have.
Here are some tips to get you on your way to a fun time collecting and trading football cards.
GETTING STARTED: A single pack of cards can range from 99 cents all the way up to $500.
The bigger the buy-in, the better your chance for a valuable card. These include what’s called “insert cards,” items that look a little different and often include an autograph or special markings.
Because packs are random there is never a guarantee the one you are buying holds a rare card. It’s simply the luck of the draw.
If you can’t find a hobby shop or card-collecting store near you, another way to get started is by visiting Upper Deck’s online store.
ROOKIE CARDS: Before insert cards gained in popularity, many collectors sought the rookie cards of certain players. Investors saw this as a way to capitalize on young players they hoped would blossom into Hall-of-Fame performers.
A card’s value is simple – the better the player, the larger his popularity, the more the card is often worth. How rare it is and the condition of the card also factor into how much a player’s rookie card gains value.
COMPLETE SETS VS. RARE CARDS: Years ago, collectors went out of their way to get every card in a set. But with more and more insert cards popping up, not everyone can afford to complete an entire set.
While base-level cards have value, it’s usually the coveted inserts – autographs, game-used jersey cards and even Upper Deck’s new
Evolution video cards – that collectors look for.
PRESERVATION: Keep your cards organized and in good condition so it is easy to find particular cards when you need them to trade.
Invest in three-ring card binders with nine-card pocket sheets. This allows you to store cards cleanly and safely. Keep cards out of direct sunlight, which can fade the colors. For your most prized cards, invest in airtight cardholders. That keeps the cards in mint condition and allows you to show them off for years.
Terry Melia is the public relations manager for Upper Deck.
How to start out in football card collecting
20 USA Football Magazine
You don’t need to know what a power clean is or work out with weights to succeed in
youth football. Pushing and pulling your body
weight can create raw strength. These three exercises will give you
the most payoff for your effort:
Velocity push-upsFootball players need to move people, so when it comes to push-ups, I put their hands at chest – not shoulder – level with their elbows in tight to the torso. This builds strength by lifting players up and pushing them back.
Your body needs to be rigid from chest to ankle, and at the bottom of the push-up, only your chest should be making contact with the ground.
Once you’ve mastered the basic velocity push-up it’s time to try the quad push-up. Get three teammates and set yourself in a square, with each player’s legs on another’s lower
back. All at once, attempt to do a push-up and hold it for three seconds at the top position. The only parts of your bodies making contact with the ground should be your eight hands.
Forward walking lungesThese are ideal because they work the muscles that help you motor forward and steamroll opponents.
Keeping your chest upright, step forward and don’t stop descending until your back knee touches the ground. Start with five sets of 10 on each leg and work up to 30. To
make these harder, stay in one place during your lunges but place your back foot – laces down – on a bench behind you (left) so you can’t use it as much.
Jumping pull-upsPull-ups are the gold standard of bodyweight exercises because they demand you move all of it.
To work your way up to regular pull-ups, stand under the bar and jump into the exercise. You can add a cardiovascular element by trying to do as many as possible in 60 seconds – or work toward full pull-ups by only doing five sets of eight but lowering yourself for a slow five-second count on each rep.
Rett Larson is director of coaching at Velocity Sports Performance and is a certified strength and conditioning specialist. He also is a member of USA Football’s Football and Wellness Committee and serves as USA Football’s expert in sports performance training.
Use body weight to build strengthBY RETT LARSON
Quad push-ups
GIVING IT YOUR ALL ON THE FIELD
We’re committed to helping student athletes become stronger and more determined achievers. That’s why PNC is proud to be the official bank of USA Football.
Stop by any PNC branch, call 1-877-CALL-PNC or visit pnc.com.
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Receivers who know where the first down marker is and reach that point on a catch
can be the difference between a win and a loss.
Call it field awareness or football IQ – smart players make smart plays, and those add up to victories.
Hines Ward of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New Orleans Saints’ Marques Colston are among the NFL’s best receivers when it comes to knowing where to go to earn first downs.
“You just have to be disciplined in your route,” said Ward, who has the most career third down catches for first downs (183) among active NFL players.
“It’s about being on the same page as your quarterback and the quarterback trusting you to get the proper depth and that you’ll make a play for him to get the first down.
“You have to know the down and distance.”
Colston has moved the chains on 82 of his 95 career third down receptions since coming into the league in 2006.
He is a major reason why the past five years have been some of the most successful seasons in the Saints’
44-year history. “Most receiving conversions are caught underneath the coverage and turned up and advanced for the first down,” Saints head coach Sean Payton said.
“The important factors are understanding the coverages and having the toughness to make the extra yards that you need to get the first downs.
“Marques has been a quick study since his rookie year.
“He enjoys learning and wants more and more knowledge.”
Tom Moore was the Indianapolis Colts’ offensive coordinator from 1998 to 2009, helping the team earn eight consecutive playoff berths, two AFC Championships and a victory in Super Bowl XLI.
“Whatever we did in practice, whether it was a drill, seven-on-seven or ‘team,’ we had down markers in place so that our receivers were always cognizant of where they had to go for the first down,” said Moore. “We scripted our plays accordingly with that in mind.”
22 USA Football Magazine
Field awareness can have a huge impact on the gameBY STEVE ALIC
Hines WardMarques Colston
Michael C. Hebert / New Orleans Saints Mike Fabus / Pittsburgh Steelers
24 USA Football Magazine
USA FOOTBALL’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Ray AndersonExecutive V.P. Football Operations
National Football League
Joe BrowneSenior Advisor to the Commissioner
National Football League
Tom CovePresident and CEOSGMA International
Alexia GallagherDirector, NFL Charities and Youth
Football FundNational Football League
Bob GardnerExecutive Director
National Federation of State High School Associations
Roger GoodellCommissioner
National Football League
Merril HogeNFL Alumnus and ESPN NFL Analyst
Desmond HowardNFL Alumnus and ESPN College
Football Analyst
Mark MeanaChairman
Fairfax County (Va.) Youth Football League
Carl PetersonChairman
USA Football
Grant TeaffExecutive Director
American Football Coaches Association
Deborah A. YowAthletic Director
North Carolina State University
See your pics in this magazine!
Email us your football photos, and we might publish them in USA Football Kids Magazine.
Send a JPEG image to [email protected]. We will look through the submissions and post some in the magazine as well as some at www.usafootball.com.
Nicknames: Girls toy + fish’s arms ... Dolphins; IOUs ... Bills; One dollar for corn ... Buccaneers; Thieves ... Steelers; Peter and Paul ... Saints; Seven squared ... 49ers; Used to be women ... Bengals; Bug fighters ... Raiders; Two under par ... Eagles.
Crossword: Across: 2, Chargers ... Rivers; 4. Jets, Sanchez ... 6, Ravens ... Flacco; 8, Texans ... Schaub; 10, Bills ... Fitzpatrick; 11, Chiefs ... Cassell; 12, Packers ... Rodgers; 13, Jaguars ... Garrard.Down: 1, Patriots ... Brady; 2, Steelers ... Roethisberger; 3, Falcons ... Ryan; 5, Browns ... McCoy; 7, Saints ... Brees; 9, Eagles ... Vick; 10, Buccaneers ... Freeman.
ANSWERS FROM PUZZLE PAGE
GIRLS GETTING INVOLVEDPhoto Courtesy the M
iami D
olphins
The Miami Dolphins held a Girls High School Football Clinic at the team’s indoor practice facility recently. Current and former Dolphins players and coaches taught position-specific skills to more than 450 Miami-area residents who took part.
BY DAVE FINN
You are what you eat: It’s an everyday catchphrase especially important for young football players striving to be at their best on the practice field and
on game days.
Kim Schwabenbauer, a nutrition expert and corporate dietitian with Super Bakery as well as a member of USA Football’s Football and Wellness Committee, has some valuable advice on the matter.
The ideal pre-competition meal, three to four hours before practices or games
Medium serving of lean protein
Big serving of starchy carbs
Colorful fruits or veggies in moderate amounts. Avoid salads and raw veggies.
Plenty of caffeine-free fluids
Breakfast and lunch ideas for pregame meals
Peanut butter and honey on toast and instant breakfast drink
Fruit and yogurt smoothie along with low-fat granola
Oatmeal with brown sugar and almonds, skimmed milk and banana
Low-fat cottage cheese, apple butter, crackers and fresh grapes
Lean hamburger on bun with lettuce and tomato, side salad and yogurt-fruit parfait
Turkey and swiss sandwich, fruit and sports drink
Low-fat tuna melt sandwich, fruit cup and fat-free yogurt
Eat a small snack and hydrate 30 to 60 minutes before practices and games. The closer you get to practices or games, the more fluid you should drink.
Sports drink or waterSports gel, sport beans or gummies, sports barPiece of fruit or jam sandwich
Don’t eat or drink anything on the following list before practices and games. These items have little to no nutritional value and are detrimental to performance.
Fried foodsHigh-fat meatsCreamy sauces, soups
and graviesCreamy dressings (e.g. ranch
or mayonnaise)BiscuitsSpicy foodsEntrée saladsCakes, pies, regular ice creamSugary cerealsSodaWhole milkFoods you have never
tried before
Don’t forget recovery nutrition. Get adequate nutritional recovery within 30 minutes of practices and games.
Carbohydrates, approximately 50 to 100 g
Protein, approximately 10 to 20 g
Sodium, approximately 500 mg
Fluid, approximately 24 ounces for every pound of body weight lost
Remember to eat within two hours after the game or practice is over to replenish what you lost.
26 USA Football Magazine
Follow Kim Scwabenbauer’s nutrition plan and you will be in the best possible condition to
take part in practice or play in a game
Pregame meal is a foundation for success
Marriott® is a proud new sponsor of USA Football.Tournaments, training, tryouts. When your passion for the game means you’ll be hitting the road, we’ve got over 3,400 locations—offering a complete range of hotel experiences—for all of your football travel needs. And whether you’re playing, coaching or cheering for your team, Marriott makes sure every stay is a winning one.
Visit Marriott.com/usafootball or call 877.MARRIOTT to book your stay.
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