USA Football Magazine Issue 14 Fall 2010

8/8/2019 USA Football Magazine Issue 14 Fall 2010

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The Art of The Drive Block

PAGE 14

Quickhitter Grid

PAGE 15

Ngata and Welker have All-

Fundamentals attributes

PAGE 16

Merril Hoge Joins All-Fundamentals

Team Selection Committee

PAGE 17

The Art of the Open-Field Tackle

PAGE 18

Meet a USA Football Member:

Tim Thiele

PAGE 19

Takeaway-Giveaway with Larry

& David: Should youth offenses

use the shotgun formation?

PAGE 20

Stop Jogging: A Football Players

Guide to Endurance Training

PAGE 22

What Football has Taught My

Son: A.J. Claycomb

PAGE 23

contentsISSUE 14 FALL 2010

C L I C K A S T O R Y T O J U M P T O I T S P A G E

Kickoffwith USA Football

Executive Director

Scott Hallenbeck

PAGE 4

features

U.S. Womens National Team

Earns Gold in SwedenPAGE 6

USA, World Teams to LockHorns in TexasPAGE 8

NFL Youth Football Fund and

USA Football Support Players

and Coaches Youth CampsPAGE 10

U.S. Men Win Gold Medal At

2010 IFAF Flag Football WorldChampionshipsPAGE 12

COVER: JOHN C. JACOB/TSS PHOTOGRAPHY

Football

Facts, Stats

& Figures

PAGE 36

Meet a USA

Football Staff

Member

PAGE 37

Meet a USA

Football Board

Member

PAGE 31

What Football

Taught Me:

Pete Hexter

PAGE 38

coaching centerUSA Football Partner Shock

Doctor Introduces Custom

Mouthguard

PAGE 24

Consider your players cognitivedevelopment: Vision, Challenge

and Support

PAGE 25

USA Football Equipment Grants

make a difference in youngsters

lives

PAGE 26

Commissioners energized at2010 NFL/USA Football Youth

Football Summit

PAGE 27

USA Football Regional Managers

PAGE 28

USA Football Youth Football

Rulebook Brings Leagues

Together

PAGE 29

Helmet Reconditioning: How to

Do it Right

PAGE 30

Longtime Official Offers Advice to

Those Just Starting Out

PAGE 32

USA Football Plays Key Role in

NASO SummitPAGE 33

Hours Well Spent on USA Football

Online Officiating CoursePAGE 34

officiating center

health & safety

commissioner center


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C L I C K A N Y W H E R E O N T H E A D T O L E A R N M O R E
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usafootball.com

Executive Director

SCOTT HALLENBECK

USA FOOTBALL

EDITORIAL STAFF

Managing Editor

STEVE ALIC

Contributors:

JOE FROLLO, GARY DEL VECCHIO,

ANTHONY EDWARDS, DAVE FINN,

MICHAEL KUEBLER, BILL LeMONNIER,

AISHA JOHNSON, TIM POLZER

To contact USA Football:

(877) 5-FOOTBALL

TRACTION MEDIA STAFF

Publisher

RUDY J. KLANCNIK

Editorial Director

TIM POLZER

Designer

WILLIAM BRIDGEFORTH

Traction Media

Editorial Offices

7115 Tartan Trl.

Garland, TX 75044

[email protected]

Editorial Department Phone

(972) 896-8006

Custom Publishing

(972) 898-8585

USA Football Magazineis published by

Traction Media, LLC. All rights reserved.

Traction Media does not accept unsolicited

manuscripts. Publisher assumes no

responsibility for return of unsolicited

manuscripts or art. No part of this magazine

may be reprinted or otherwise duplicated

without the written permission of the editor.

Dear Readers,

You have prepared for this moment since January.

Thirty-seven (37) Coaching Schools, 36 State Leadership Forums, nine Player

Academies, tens of thousands of successfully

completed USA Football coaching and officiatingcourses and countless hours spent learning plays,

considering strategy and analyzing how to improve

upon your 2009 performance have brought us to

September.

Its time to inhale fresh autumn air, celebrate our

favorite sport and put preparation into action.

The following pages hold additional insight for

you the people who are backbone of the sport

as you journey through your 2010 schedule. Within

this digital issue youll fine dynamic video for

coaches, players and parents, dozens of hyperlinks

to related information and the latest news onAmericas grassroots football community. Among

the stories featured cover the following:

Standout NFL players share insight and instruction on their positions

fundamentals;

USA Football members discuss how a unified youth football rulebook

strengthens their leagues;

Coach Darren Allman of Austin (Texas) Westlake H.S. leads the 2011 U.S.

Under-19 National Team;

Football-specific training tips help players reach their potential;

A successful business leader explains how values gained through football

propelled his career.

The start of the 2010 season comes off the heels of USA Football Month,

celebrated across the NFL throughout August. Every NFL team and its players saluted

the youth and amateur football community in partnership with USA Football by

hosting youth football scrimmages in their stadiums, awarding tens of thousands of

game tickets to youth football leagues, awarding more than $1 million in equipment

grants, airing USA Football messages during nationally televised games, painting USA

Footballs logo on their fields and more.

USA Football is the only official youth football development partner of the NFL and

the NFL Players Association, a great show of trust from the games highest level that

further inspires and energizes us to go the extra yard for you our members.

Youre just mouse clicks away (usafootball.com) from our office in DowntownIndianapolis.

Best wishes throughout the rest of the season and have a great time!

Sincerely,

Scott Hallenbeck

USA Football Executive Director

We want to hear your thoughtsabout USA Football Magazine. Write to us

at [email protected] today.

kickoff

4 USA Football Magazine
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BY MICHAEL KUEBLER

U.S. Womens National TeamEarns Gold in Sweden

HHH

On the way back to their hotel following the

gold medal game of the IFAF Womens World

Championship on Saturday, July 3, the feeling

really hadnt set in for many members of the first U.S.

Womens National Team in football.

They were world champions.

Obviously, it was amazing kind of hard to describe,

said wide receiver and All-Tournament First-Team

selection Rusty Sowers who was Team USAs Offensive

MVP. I think Im probably still taking it in. I think its just,

more than anything, hard to put into words and exciting.

It was surreal just the whole experience, Team

USA defensive back and All-Tournament First-Team

Selection Alberta Fitcheard-Brydson echoed. It was

just so awesome that it didnt even seem like it actually

happened.

Well, happen it did. The tournaments gold medal was

theirs after two weeks of dedicated work that included

four days of practice at training camp in Texas, flying to

Sweden, then three games in seven days.

The U.S. kicked off the tournament with a 63-0 victory

over Austria. The Americans followed with a 72-0 defeat

Team USA wide receiver Rusty Sowers (21) was named to the IFAF

Womens World Championship All-Tournament Team and her squads

offensive MVP after helping the U.S. win a gold medal.

U.S. cornerback Sharon Vasquez (8) of Pittsburgh celebrates during her

teams 63-0 win over Austria in an IFAF Womens World Championship

opening-round game in Stockholm, Sweden.

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U.S. Womens National Team Gold MedalistMakes Coaching History in CaliforniaMartin takes over Mission Prep JV squad, becoming the first female high school football

head coach at any level in state history

BY JOE FROLLO

Knengi Martin didnt set out to be a pioneer, but she is comfortable in the role if it helps

other women pursue a similar path.

As the junior varsity football coach at Mission College Preparatory Catholic High School

in San Luis Obispo, Calif., the California Interscholastic Federation believes Martin is the first

female high school head football coach at any level in state history.

A member of USA Footballs Womens National Team that won a gold medal at the recent

IFAF Womens World Championship in Stockholm, Sweden, Martin said what little attention her

players paid to her being a woman is long over. The team is settled into a routine.

For me, I dont think its ever been about that, being a woman, Martin said. Its still all

about getting to know everyone and how you work with other coaches and the players. The players know I have

experience coaching and playing. Well just go from there.

For more on Martins story, click here.

KNENGI MARTIN

of eventual third-place finisher Finland four days later.

Then after just one day off, Team USA continued its

dominating performances with a 66-0 win in the gold

medal game against northern neighbor Canada.

It was a pretty rigid schedule when you look at it,

Team USA Head Coach John

Konecki said. There wasnt a

whole lot of down time. It was

all football, football, football,

and now its back to the

regular workday world.

Despite having to go right

back to football practice

and games in the IWFL or to

work, there has been time for

additional celebration now

that the team is back in the

States. The Dallas Diamonds

had a picnic after a practicefor Fitcheard-Brydson and

the other five Diamonds on Team USA. Sowers also was

welcomed home by family and friends with a barbecue.

Obviously the big question is: How good was

the field of competition? Konecki said. What I told

everybody was I thought all the teams that were there

were technically sound and could play good football. I

attribute our success to the buy-in of our athletes.

The legacy of the inaugural Womens World

Championship in American football will be written in the

future when its full impact can

be seen.

What I took away from it is,

obviously, weve been playing

probably a lot longer than most

of the other countries, Sowers

said. But I just hope therell be

more teams, therell be more

competition, which I think there

will be.

Womens tackle football

is still really in its infancy,

Konecki said. Theres still a lot

of room for growth, and I hopethe teams when they go home

that they just continue to push and get players out to

participate.

For now, the Americans can let the feeling of being

world champions finally sink in.

Team USA brought home the gold medal in the first IFAF Womens

World Championship in Stockholm, Sweden.

USA Football Magazine 7
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BY JOE FROLLO

USA, World U-19 Teamsto Lock Horns in Texas

HHH

Texas boasts that the worlds best football is

played there.

In early 2011, the Longhorn State will get a

chance to prove it.The annual Team USA vs. The World game is coming

to Austin, Texas, as the international friendly match

between USA Footballs Under-19 National Team and a

World team spanning as many as four continents helps

kick off the new year.

Led by Austin Westlake High School head football

coach Darren Allman, the U.S. team will include 45 of

the nations top graduating high school seniors. The

coaching staff will be named in the coming months, and

the roster will be announced in December. The site forthe game also is still to be determined.

Allman, who led Westlake to the Texas Class 5-A

(largest school) championship game in 2009, looks

forward to the

challenge.

Representing the

United States in any

facet is a tremendous

honor, and doing so

within a sport that is

so important to me is

an opportunity and

responsibility that

excites me, he said.

U.S. players will

be selected by USA

Football, the sports

national governing body on youth and amateur levels.

Nominations are being accepted at www.usafootball.

com/teamusa/applications.

There will be college scholarship players on bothsidelines, USA Football Chairman Carl Peterson said.

Thats great for this sport and I know that every player

in this game will cherish his time in Austin and playing

football in front of great fans.

The United States won the inaugural Team

USA vs. The World match, 17-0, in January in Fort

Lauderdale, Fla. That came on the heels of a gold

medal last summer at the International Federation

of American Football Junior World Championship in

Canton, Ohio.

The World Team will be selected from the

58 member nations outside the United States,

including Canada, Japan, Mexico and countries

throughout Europe.

In the last game, the World Team showed that

they can compete with the best the United States

has to offer, IFAF President Tommy Wiking said.

When we play again in 2011, with more IFAF countries

represented, we will be out there believing we can win,

not only compete.

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Darren Allman has played in big games.

As a high school sophomore in 1984, he helped Odessa Permian win a

Texas Class 5-A title. The next season, Permian lost in the Texas big-school

state championship.

Last fall, in his first year as head coach at Austin Westlake High School, Allman

led the Chaparrals to an 11-3 record and a runner-up finish in the Class 5-A state

Allman Embraces theChallenge of Coaching

Team USA

tournament. His 51-14 (.785)

career coaching record also

includes four years at his

alma mater, Permian.

In January, Allman takes

on a new challenge as he

leads USA Footballs Under-19

National Team in the second

annual Team USA vs. The

World international friendly in

Austin.

We will be intent on winning,

but we also will celebrate theuncommon bonds and energy

that only football can generate

in us with the World team,

Allman said.

Allman follows Chuck Kyle

of Cleveland St. Ignatius

and Chris Merritt of Miami

Christopher Columbus as

U-19 Head Coaches. Kyle led

the U.S. to a gold medal inthe International Federation

of American Football Junior

World Championship last

summer. Merritt helped Team

USA beat The World, 17-0, in

January.

Allman looks forward to

the task, and USA Football is

confident the right man is in

place.

Darren Allman personifies

everything we sought in

Team USAs head coach, USA

Football Executive Director

Scott Hallenbeck said. Beyond

his brilliant record and long

list of accolades, he leads his

program with class and dignity.

Joe Frollo



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The NFL Youth Football Fund (YFF) recently

awarded $600,000 to 150 free youth football

camps run by former and current NFL players and

coaches through the 2010 NFL Player & Coaches Football

Camp Grant program.

Grant recipients included Herm Edwards,Ron Jaworski, Maurice Jones-Drew, Torry Holt,

Marvin Lewis, George Martin, Sean Payton,

Ray Rice, Matt Ryan, Bob Sanders, Fred Taylor

and Jason Witten.

I dreamed of this camp becoming a big

event and influencing our youth in a positive

way, said Rice, a Baltimore Ravens running

back. Im appreciative that they look up to

me, and I feel a strong sense of responsibility

to make an impact on them.

It is the most important thing I do as a football

player, running back Jones-Drew of the Jacksonville

Jaguars said. I didnt have an opportunity to learn from

an NFL player when I was growing up and hear what

they had to say about getting better and doing the right

things. Football is a great game, and I want to pass my

knowledge on to the younger generation.

For the first time, the YFF is offering coaches affiliated

with 2010 Camp Grant programs a free, online health and

safety course through USA Football called Coach Smart.

We are pleased that the NFL supports players and

coaches who are committed to giving back to the sport

by teaching the games fundamentals to our kids, USA

Football Executive Director Scott Hallenbeck said. These free

camps exemplify the players passion for a game

that teaches us so much about ourselves andthe values that help us throughout our lives. USA

Football is proud to work with the Youth Football

Fund by providing our Coach Smart youth health

and safety course for the Camp Grant program.

The course provides information regarding

concussion awareness and management as

well as heat and hydration preparedness.

Adapted from USA Footballs Certified Coaching

Education Program and specifically created

for the YFFs Camp Grant program, this online resource

features health and safety elements. Before a camp

begins, each coach will have taken the course and

successfully completed a quiz to foster comprehension.

Initial feedback I got from the course was positive,

said Martin, a former New York Giants defensive lineman.

We have told our coaches to make sure that the

campers have fun, are always safe and well-hydrated

and are encouraged to give maximum effort.

For more and a full list of Camp Grant recipients,

click here.

MAURICE JONES-DREW

Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice (right)

at his free youth camp.

NFL Youth Football Fund and USA FootballSupport Players and Coaches Youth CampsBY MICHAEL KUEBLER

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The United States earned its first

gold medal in flag football at

the International Federation of

American Football Flag Football World

Championship in Ottawa, Ont., as the

U.S. men defeated Denmark, 35-19, on

Aug. 15 for the title.

This is a big accomplishment, said

U.S. WR-DB John Rooney of Leominster,

Mass. We have been here once

already in 2008 and knew how hard it

would be. There are a lot of really good

athletes here, and it means a lot to bring it home.

After falling behind, 7-0, the U.S. Men scored the next

26 points to take control of the gold medal game. USA

Football, the sports national governing body on youth

and amateur levels, assembles and manages Americas

national teams in the sport.

The U.S. Men finished 8-0 for the tournament as

Cascudo was named Offensive MVP after

throwing for 34 touchdowns. He was joined

on the All-Tournament Team by teammates

Carlos Jaime (Miami) at wide receiver and John

Rooney (Leominster, Mass.) at defensive back.

The U.S. Mens team was selected from

United States Flag and Touch Football League

(USFTL) athletes.

U.S. WOMEN FINISH SECONDThe U.S. Women, who finished 6-4 overall,

came up one victory short as the Americans

lost to Canada, 31-18, to earn the silver medal.

The team was composed of athletes from the

Independent Womens Football League (IWFL).

Three members of the U.S. Womens Team earned

All-Tournament honors Chante Bonds, wide receiver

Adrienne Smith (New York City) and defensive back

Sharon Vasquez (Pittsburgh).

U.S. Men Win Gold Medal At 2010 IFAF

Flag Football World ChampionshipAmericans take silver in Womens Division, falling to Canada in final

BY LAUREN HICKEY, IFAF

JORGE CASCUDO

http://tssphotography.com/


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14/39

coaching center

Sometimes in football, the most basic skills are the

most difficult to master.

At all levels of the game, offensive linemen

wont see the field much if they cant grasp the drive

block. Its a basic technique crucial to the running game.

But for such an essential part of an offensive

linemans arsenal, the drive block is intricate and

requires repetition and practice.

Jim Esposito is the head offensive line coach

at Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Catholic High School

in suburban Washington and a 30-year veteran of

youth and high school football. When USA Football

selected coaches to travel to Europe in 2008 to teach

fundamentals, Esposito served as the delegations

offensive line clinician.

With a young player, the first thing a drive block

needs is a great stance. Youve got to make sure theyre

in a well-balanced stance so that theyre able to move in

all directions, Esposito said. The next thing is the first

two steps have got to be balanced steps. The hands

have got to cock back to the holsters or the hips, and

then on the second step they have to strike.

Everything starts with the first two steps with the

hands cocking and the hands striking, and the main

thing with that is theyve got to get the feet down in the

ground. Theyve got to end up making sure that theyre

balanced with those first two steps because they have

to react in any direction since you dont know where the

defense is going.

Joe Thomas, a Pro Bowl left tackle for the Cleveland

Browns, shares Espositos vision of building a quality

drive block from the feet up.

Your feet are more important for blocking, because

without your feet you cant even think about using your

hands, Thomas said. Your feet help give you a good

base, which allow your hands to be more powerful.

While it may be the necessary fuel for a ground games

fire, the drive block requires time, talent and tutelage.

The Art of The Drive BlockHow to teach an offensive linemans fundamental responsibility

BY DAVE FINN

CLEVELAND BROWNS LEFT TACKLE JOE THOMAS (73)



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Favorite NFL

Coach:

Favorite Defensive

Scheme:

Skill Most Needed

to Coach:

Favorite Part of

Coaching:

Hardest Part of

Coaching:

Buck, Nantz,

Michaels or Tirico?

Super Bowl

Prediction:

Favorite Offensive

Play:

Best Nickname in

Football:

Favorite USA

Football Coaching

Member Benefit:

Favorite Tailgate

Food:

Rex Ryan

4-4

Patience

Teaching the players new

techniques and watching

them master it.

Coaching youth football is

such a labor of love for me

that I dont find any part of

it to be hard.

Tirico

Jets over

Giants

Halfback pass

Harlem Jets

Coaching clinics

Burnt hotdogs

Chuck Knox

Blitz

Patience and the

ability to communicate

clearly

Seeing in the kids eyes

that they get it and then

watch them go and do it.

The kids that are NOT

coachable and do not

understand the team

concept

Michaels

Dallas Cowboys

Counter trey

Moose

The support from

the staff and on

line resources

Bratwurst!

Tony Dungy

3-3 Stack

Patience &

perseverance

Skill progression

Teaching fundamentals

Joe Buck

Repeat ... Colts over Saints

Halfback pass

????

Ask Coach Bass

columns/articles

BBQ ribs

USA Football offers resource-packed memberships to give coaches, game officials, youth league commissioners and players

an edge. Learn more at www.usafootball.com/register.

QUICK-HITTER GRID

COMMISSIONER:

ORGANIZATION:

RESIDENCE:

JAMEL WRIGHT

Big Apple

Youth Football League

Harlem, N.Y.

BERNARD CORDOVA

Thurston County


Roy, Wash.

JOHN HEIDER JR.

Columbia


Columbia, Mo.

With members in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, USA Football recently caught up with four Commissioner members

from coast to coast. Below are their straight-ahead thoughts on football topics, including stadiums, tailgating and touchdowns.

coaching center



16/39

coaching center

No house stands for long without a strong

foundation.

A million-dollar

home with double-digit

bedrooms and top-of-

the-line technology

means nothing without a

solid base.

And football players

wont have much

success without

mastering the

fundamentals.

The inaugural USA Football/NFLPA All-Fundamentals

Team was selected after the 2009 season to highlight

standout NFL players who have best mastered the

essential skills and mechanics of their positions. Among

the players chosen by a committee including former Jets

and Chiefs head coach Herm Edwards and USA Football

Chairman Carl Peterson

were Ravens nose tackle

Haloti Ngata and Patriots

wide receiver Wes

Welker.

Ngata and Welker

both have become Pro

Bowl players through

countless drills based on

the fundamentals.

Reaction drills areimportant, specifically working with a coach who moves

the ball from left to right, Ngata said. Using [plyometrics]

ladders on the ground is also really important. That helped

me develop lateral mobility when I was younger. When I

was in junior high, that training method really developed,

and it improved my lateral movement, my ability to move

forward and backward and also my balance.

Honing the fundamentals of a certain position entails

breaking down common movements, using repetition for

muscle memory and focusing on the little things. Drills

and routines, such as those found in the Drills Library

on usafootball.com, are designed to put all the pieces

together and craft

fundamentally sound,

fluid players.

With all these

drills, you have to

remain consistent and

continue to practice,

Ngata said. Using

the ladders and cone

drills will help, but you

cant just do it once or

twice. You have to get after it a couple times each week

three or four times if youre looking to improve. When

I started using them, I did [the drills] for three or four

months leading up to the season. Of course, even while

training in the NFL, we still use them today.

Ladders, cones, bags and other props often can

be found in use when

coaches run their players

through drills at practice,

but for someone such

as Welker, food gets

involved.

One thing I like to do

is squeeze rice. You get

a trash can filled with

rice and sit there and get

your hands in there andsqueeze, Welker said. You do some different routines

like rotating your hands. It strengthens the hand. Then

just catching a bunch of balls just practice and get

repetitions. Not just straight ahead but to the side,

because that is the way you catch the ball in a game

most of the time.

Employing USA Footballs Drills Library and eyeing

Ngata and Welker as models, three things remain for

young football players who want to excel: practice,

practice and practice.

Ngata and Welker Have

All-Fundamentals AttributesBY DAVE FINN

VIDEO Ravens nose tackle Haloti Ngata

VIDEO Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker



17/39

coaching center

Merril Hoge, whose NFL

dreams began as a youth

player, has joined the USA

Football/NFL Players Association

All-Fundamentals Team selection

committee.

The All-Fundamentals Team,

formed by USA Football and the

NFLPA in 2009, honors NFL players

who combine fundamentally

sound play and a commitment to

their communities. The 26 players

(11 offense, 11 defense, 4 special

teams) are selected for theirability to consistently execute

the fundamentals of their position

week in and week out gaudy

statistics need not apply.

NFL game film, drill video and

insight from USA Football/NFLPA All-

Fundamentals Team members can be

found at www.allfundamentalsteam.

com to help youth players best learn

every position.

Hoge, whojoined USA Footballs

board of directors in March, excelled

as an NFL running back for the

Pittsburgh Steelers (1987-

93) and Chicago Bears

(1994) with a strong

command of rushing,

receiving and blocking

fundamentals. Hoge now

employs his football knowledge as

an NFL analyst for ESPN, studying

hours of NFL coaching film for ESPNs

NFL Matchup show.

Youth players should try

to emulate All-Fundamentals

Team players because to be

successful in football you must

first be fundamentally sound at

all times, Hoge said. The more

fundamentally sound you are, the

more fun and success

you will have playing the

game and there is less

likelihood of getting hurt.

If you formulate good,

fundamental habits, you

will maximize your skills.

A native of Pocatello, Idaho, Hoge

set two NCAA records at Idaho State

for receptions by a running back.

He was selected in the 10th round of

the 1987 NFL Draft and went on to

lead the Steelers in rushing in four

seasons. His 246 career receptions

rank No. 2 on the Steelers all-time

list for most receptions by a running

back (Pro Football Hall of Famer

Franco Harris, 306).

All-Fundamentals Team

selections are not limited to roleplayers or specialists. Current

members include Super Bowl

XLIV Most Valuable Player Drew

Brees, NFL All-Star tight end Tony

Gonzalez, linebacker DeMarcus

Ware and safety Troy Polamalu.

How will Hoge approach the

challenging task of helping to select

the 2010 All-Fundamentals Team?

Tape study is the only way to

tell the truth about a player and

his fundamentals. Television can

only show a fraction of what a

player is doing fundamentally and

structurally on offense or defense.

If you are going to study a players

fundamentals, you owe it to him

and others to study tape to be fair

and accurate, Hoge said.

Merril Hoge Joins

All-Fundamentals TeamSelection CommitteeUSA Football Board Member lends insight and film study

BY TIM POLZER

http://www.allfundamentalsteam.com/committeehttp://www.allfundamentalsteam.com/committeehttp://www.allfundamentalsteam.com/http://www.allfundamentalsteam.com/http://www.usafootball.com/articles/displayArticle/7295http://www.usafootball.com/articles/displayArticle/7295http://www.allfundamentalsteam.com/http://www.usafootball.com/articles/displayArticle/7295http://www.usafootball.com/articles/displayArticle/7295http://www.allfundamentalsteam.com/http://www.allfundamentalsteam.com/http://www.allfundamentalsteam.com/committeehttp://www.allfundamentalsteam.com/committee


18/39

coaching center

In open space, elusive ball

carriers have room to maneuver.

The defense often is faced with

a do-or-die scenario: Make the open-

field tackle or watch your opponent

celebrate in the end zone.

It took London Fletcher, a rock of a

middle linebacker for the Washington

Redskins, years to master, but he has

made a living taking down running

backs from sideline to sideline.

Anticipating where the ball

carrier will be is key, he said.

Understanding speed and knowing

how fast hes going versus how

fast youre going its all about

anticipating the collision point to

take the right approach angle.

Bo Condreay of Oklahomas Broken

Arrow Football, a youth football

program that plays within the states

Indian Nations Conference, teaches

his players to attack the ball carrier

at the right angles.

We have a pursuit drill, Condreay

said. Were at three levels from the

linemen, the backers, the secondary

and we all learn at

an angle to have three

different tackling spots on

the field. The point is open-field tackling is simple if

you take the right angle.

Its keeping about one half-

step behind the ball carrier.

They have three

options: run into you,

run out of bounds or run

back into you. I have discovered

that if a kid runs to a spot and then

stops, nine times out of 10 hes not

going to be able to make the play. So

everything that we do is full speed.

We want our kids to be at full speed

when we make the tackle.

Of course, getting to the ball carrier

at the proper angle is one

thing, but making the

play is another story and

another difficult skill foryoung players to perfect.

For us, we have

different machines to

practice tackling with, but

if you dont have machines,

get another buddy and

work on what we call same

foot, same shoulder and getting your

head across the ball, said Fletcher,

who has racked up at least 100 tackles

in 10 consecutive seasons. [Work on]

getting your head across the body,

having the right knee bend, and upon

the collision, focus in on wrapping the

guy up and taking two steps to drive

him backwards. So, head across the

body, same foot same shoulder on

impact and two steps to redirect.

Wrapping up is a big deal. We donot like kids diving at legs or anything

like that, Condreay said. We really

emphasize wrapping the arms up

violently and then grabbing cloth. And

a lot of times kids dont want to grab

cloth, and theyll wrap up, not grab

cloth, and kind of fall off the tackler.

Thats the hardest thing teaching the

kids once you wrap up to make sure

you grab two fistfuls of jersey.

The Art of the Open-Field TackleGeometry, speed and wrapping-up equate to defensive success

BY DAVE FINN

VIDEO Open-Field Tackling Drill

BOB CONDREAY



19/39

coaching center

Tim Thiele started his coaching career as a favor to

a friend. A two-week obligation has turned into a

10-year stint with the Arizona Pop Warner league.

Now, Thiele serves as the leagues co-commissioner

in charge of coaching certifications. He also is the flag

football director. Thiele recently spoke to USA Football

Magazine to discuss his volunteer work and USA Football.

USA FB: What does the game of football mean to you?THIELE: Football is an awesome sport. To me, football

is a character-building experience to help players learn

respect for their abilities and for themselves as well as a

sense of teamwork and pride in a structured environment.

Its a passion, though it s not for everybody.

USA FB: Did you play football?

THIELE: I played to my first year at junior college. I

played offensive guard and defensive tackle at Miami

(Ariz.) High School.

USA FB: How did you get your start coaching youth

football?

THIELE: A friend asked me to come out and spend

a week helping him with his young team, coaching the

offensive line. From there, I never looked back. A two-week

commitment turned into what it is today.

USA FB: Why is youth football so important for the

sport?

THIELE: It builds the love of the game and teaches

that the game is more than just hitting and winning. Its

a learning process that develops the body physically,

mentally and prepares you for your elder years. It teaches

you respect for your body, respect for others.

USA FB: How did you first learn about USA Football?

THIELE: Through some affiliations through Pop Warner,

then through (USA Football West Regional Manager) Bucky

Brooks and some state forums on youth football that USA

Football conducts.

USA FB: Why did you become a member?

THIELE: I first used it to keep connected with other

youth organizations, to keep up on market trends for

equipment. It helped me when working with coaches andleagues.

USA FB: How has your membership benefited you as a

coach?

THIELE: As a coach, it allowed me to find new drills

and techniques to get through to younger kids so they

understand the concepts of the game. As you get to a

certain point, some kids dont respond well to drills. Youve

got to give them something new. As an administrator, it

helps me get coaches through the beginning and give

them the basic knowledge of what they need. They dont

need to be perfect, but its a process going forward, and

USA Football helps with that.

USA FB: What is your favorite coaching memory?

THIELE: I took a young man who was not the most

athletic, most talented athlete, but he had a great work

ethic. In a game, it was third-and-goal at 1-yard line, and I

inserted him in the game much to the groans of my entire

staff. That child provided the block that led to our winning

touchdown. To see that child achieve was wonderful.

Then on defense, he got a sack and recovered the fumble.

He went on to become a phenomenal youth player and

eventually a starter in high school.

USA FB: Would you recommend USA Footballs

resources and membership to other youth coaches?

THIELE: I would. I like being able to access the

interactive playbook, some of the different tools out there,

the concussion awareness, equipment fitting, hydration.

Those are the things I use for it mostly. You can only lead

coaches so far. They have to do it themselves, but these

are great tools to get them there.

Tim Thiele

Meet a USA Football Member

Name: Tim Thiele

Resides: Glendale, Ariz.USA Football Membership:

Coaching, Commissioner

League:Arizona Pop Warne

How long coaching: 10 yea

Full-time job: Software ana



20/39

coaching center

Should Youth Offenses Use

the Shotgun Formation?

TAKEAWAY-GIVEAWAY WITH LARRY & DAVID

Not a good fit for youth football

BY DAVID MARCO

I dont believe there is much use for the shotgun

at the youth level. The traditional quarterback-

center exchange takes a good deal of practice

time to ensure that there arent fumbled snaps.

By adding an additional typeof snap (shotgun), I find that

we use a great deal of practice

time to make the snap quick

and accurate and to train the

quarterback to retrieve it properly

and then execute the play.

The shotgun snap also

increases the likelihood of

a fumble. In looking at the

statistics of our shotgun

opponents, I find that they

fumbled the ball more than 2

1/2 times per game against our

defense. Conversely, our offense

looks to minimize turnovers, and

we tend to average fewer than

one turnover per two games

played and one fumbled snap

per two seasons.

Lastly, when the ball is

snapped in shotgun it isshown to the entire defense and your offense is

automatically starting 5 to 7 yards behind the line

of scrimmage. Therefore, you have to first make up

those yards before you can gain positive yards.

The only time I install a few shotgun plays is

when Im not required to declare if I m punting on

fourth down. For these situations, I have a few

plays where we line up in shotgun formation and

then run a play.

Learning the skill is key to development

BY LARRY CANARD

One of the most important tasks youth football

coaches have is teaching the basic fundamentals

of the game to their players. These include stance,

start, blocking and tackling as well as many other

position-specific fundamentals,such as ball security, coverage and

the center-quarterback exchange.

It is important to first teach the

direct snap between the center

and quarterback. However, once

the center is physically able to

execute the 5-yard shotgun snap,

it is important to begin teaching

and using this in practice and in

games. This new tool will help young

quarterbacks focus on their passing

keys and receivers and not focus

so much on their drop and missed

blocks along the line of scrimmage.

The shotgun gives the quarterback

more time to execute pass plays.

It also gives youth coaches more

options offensively by formation

and scheming to utilizing more players

and thus more young players get

a chance to handle the football.The spread offense has become extremely

prevalent at the college and high school level,

and while the physical skills required to execute

the spread offense may not apply to the younger

players, many of its principles can be taught at the

youth level. The shotgun snap is a core fundamental

in this offense, and as coaches develop young

players for the next level, it is important that we

teach all the fundamentals to prepare them.



21/39

coaching center

3 & OutFor football coaches on any level, few things are worse than offensive drives

that consist of three plays and a punt. USA Footballs version of the three-and-out

is different: We speak to an accomplished football figure to get answers to three

pressing questions. This time, we caught up with Jeremy Gold, head football coachat Ann Arbor (Mich.) Pioneer High School and the 2009 U.S. Under-19 National Teams

defensive line coach.

USA FB: Whats the best advice youve ever received regarding coaching?

GOLD: Something that I use in life as well is just knowing your personnel. You always want to know your

kids, your athletes, who youre dealing with, whether its on the field or off the field. I use that in life as well

with the people I surround myself with when I go to build a coaching staff to help me with these young men.

USA FB: Whats something a new football coach should expect that he or she may not see coming?

GOLD: Delegating responsibilities among your staff. Coaches need to know how to delegate and do that

early in their career because right now, going into my fourth year at the high school level as a head coach,Ive delegated just about every responsibility except for the major ones that I have to focus on. And I feel so

much better and happier and fresh coming into the season.

USA FB: Whats the most underrated aspect of coaching?

GOLD: The hours that you spend with these children because its not just about the Xs and Os. You are

a parent at times, youre a counselor, youre an academic advisor, you wear so many hats as coaches. Time

spent with the children is definitely underrated in my opinion.

Dave Finn

JEREMY GOLD
http://www.pnc.com/


22/39

Running long

distances is a strong

cardiovascular

workout and definitely can

make your muscles start

begging you to stop.

For football players,

though, this isnt the type of

lung and muscle burn thatwill make the fourth quarter

easier. The way endurance

athletes runners, cyclists,

swimmers train for their

sport is very different from

the way football players

should train to increase

their endurance.

When a player has to explode off the line and uproot

the opponent in front of him, his body quickly recruitsthe fast-twitch fibers in his muscle to do that work

because the slow twitch ones just cant contract

powerfully enough to cut it.

In contrast, during a 5-mile run, the body recruits the

slow-twitch fibers in muscles because running doesnt

demand powerful contractions it just asks for lots of

them. A marathoner trains for aerobic endurance, but a

football player trains for anaerobic endurance.

Put simply, long-distance running really only makes

you better at one thing running long distances.

The following are examples of endurance workouts

to use with football players from youth football to the

NFL. Do these two to three times a week and start

steamrolling your opponents in the fourth quarter.

BARRIER SPRINTSPlace two cones 10 to 15 yards apart on a forgiving

surface grass, sand, turf, etc.

Then put a barrier of some sort between the cones. A

low hurdle, cardboard box or

gym bag will do.

Starting at one cone,

sprint to the other, jumping

over the barrier in the

process. Run back and

forth until youve jumped

the barrier eight times. Rest

and repeat.For variety, try

backpedaling, shuffling

or carioca, too. Jump the

barrier multiple times with

each pass to make this

workout really brutal.

Quick Tip: When you

switch directions at each cone, always touch the ground.

By getting low on turns, youll make yourself stronger and

more powerful at a lower center of gravity. Youll be able togenerate more force from your 3-point stance as a result.

JUMP ROPE SERIESJumping rope is one of the best endurance exercises

for football players. The key is to add enough variety to

make it both challenging and interesting. Try this series

on for size, performing each variation for 30 seconds:

Two-footed jumps;

Cross-country skier jumps;

Slalom skier jumps;

Double-under jumps (moving the rope underneath

you twice in one jump);

Eyes-closed jumps (any kind) for 30 seconds;

Two-footed jumps moving forward for 40 yards

and backward for the same distance.

Rett Larson is the Director of Coaching at Velocity Sports

Performance and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning

Specialist through the NSCA. Larson also serves as USA

Footballs expert in sports performance training.

Stop Jogging: A Football Players

Guide to Endurance TrainingCOURTESY OF RETT LARSON, VELOCITY SPORTS

health & fitness

VIDEO Jump-Rope and Cone Drill



23/39

Achange of heart in high school led to a change in

sports for the Claycomb family of Medina, Ohio. A

devoted youth baseball player for most of his life,

A.J. Claycomb switched to football midway through high

school. His mother, Judy Wismar Claycomb, has watched

A.J. grow into a young man both on and off the field as a

wide receiver at University of Mount Union in Alliance, Ohio.

A superintendent in the United Methodist Church, Judy

oversees 79 churches and 70 pastors but now finds herself

watching and learning from her son as much as any other

source. Judy recently spoke to USA Football about her son.

USA FB: When did A.J. first become involved in football?

CLAYCOMB: His junior year in high school was his

first year to play. His sophomore year, he announced he

was going out for track instead of baseball to prepare

for football. It was crushing for us because A.J.s father,

Mike, and I had been closely following his baseball

career, but then we got the same love for football.

USA FB: What were the hardest moments as a parent

watching A.J.?CLAYCOMB: He separated his shoulder during his

freshman season at Mount Union and re-injured it as

sophomore and junior. He also had knee problems

throughout and wore both a shoulder brace and a knee

brace in the 2009 season. He had shoulder surgery in

February and couldnt play spring ball. He finally got his

weight-lifting regimen up to where he wanted it, and

then tore his ACL and meniscus in his knee in May. Now,

he wont play at all his senior year.

USA FB: What has football taught A.J.?

CLAYCOMB: My concern when he came to Mount Union

was whether he would be able to balance his academic

work with the rigors of football. Hes always been a

well-meaning student but never an A student. Through

football, hes learned study skills and time management.

Hes learned to organize his time so he is completing all

of his tasks. Id talk to him and hed say hes going to the

library, and Im like, What? He was never a bad student.

Hed complete his assignments and his papers, but

this new behavior of being ahead of the game with his

academics was a change.

USA FB: What has football helped teach you?

CLAYCOMB: Being an enthusiastic supporter of his,

its taught me to be patient and to embrace the team

concept. When A.J. blew out his knee and had shoulder

surgery, I asked him about what Coach (Larry) Kehres might

want him to do. A.J.s response was, Hes got much more

important things to think about. A.J. was thinking like an

adult. Its not about all him. The teams goals far exceed

whether A.J. plays this year. Hes now expecting to redshirtas a senior even though hes set to graduate in May.

His approach is: It is what it is. Thats not necessarily

a faith statement, but for him it is. A.J. is going to help

coach the receivers. I know how difficult for him it is

not being in there running the routes, and he had the

choice to not even go to practices, but he chose to be an

assistant. He wants to take a role mentoring other players.

Frankly, Ive learned more from him than I have from

most other adults.

what football has taught my son:

A.J. ClaycombBY JOE FROLLO

Presented by

http://www.mountunion.edu/http://www.shockdoctor.com/index.aspxhttp://www.mountunion.edu/


24/39

health & fitness

Shock Doctor, Inc., the leader in

mouthguard technology, has

introduced the Shock Doctor

Custom Mouthguard, a dental-quality

custom mouthguard that provides

athletes with the perfect fit for

increased protection and improved

performance. It is the first and only

dental-quality custom mouthguard

available in sporting goods retail

stores.

As USA Footballs official

mouthguard partner, Shock Doctor

provides mouthguards to the

players of the national governingbodys national teams, including

the recent Womens National Team

that wore the Shock Doctor Custom

Mouthguard and won the gold medal

at the inaugural IFAF Womens World

Championship.

I think its a testament to their

commitment to womens football

that they wanted to provide

these mouthguards to the entire

team, Team USA running back Mia

Brickhouse said. When I first put it

in my mouth, it fit like a glove.

The Shock Doctor Custom

Mouthguard is designed to better

absorb and deflect impacts that

can cause injuries. Shock Doctors

patented triple-layer technology

offers 30 percent additional shock

absorption. Every Shock Doctor Custom

Mouthguard carries

with it a $30,000

limited warranty

for dental injuries.

The mouthguard

also can improve

performance

by making it

easier to breathe,

communicate and

focus.

Mouthguards

are essential gear,

and a custom mouthguard provides

the best fit, so it stays in place andkeeps athletes protected, said Dr.

Dan Brett, D.D.S., a consultant in the

development of the Shock Doctor

Custom Mouthguard. In addition

to protecting the teeth and jaw,

a custom mouthguard with the

optimum thickness better absorbs

the shock from a hit, which can help

prevent serious injuries.

After purchasing a Shock

Doctor Custom Mouthguard kit at

a sporting goods retailer or online

at shockdoctor.com/custom,

players create a custom mold at

home and send it to the Shock

Doctor Dental Lab. Every mold and

finished mouthguard are personally

inspected by a dental professional

to ensure flawless construction and

the best possible fit. The customer

then receives his or her custom

mouthguard in approximately

two weeks. The suggested retailprice for the Shock Doctor Custom

Mouthguard is $149.99.

Working with Dan Brett, D.D.S., our

Shock Doctor Dental Lab and dental

expert members of our sports science

advisory board, we have what we

believe is the best fitting mouthguard

available, said Jay Turkbas, senior vice

president of product development

at Shock Doctor. After extensive

laboratory and on-field research

and countless prototypes, were

proud to introduce a state of the art

mouthguard that improves protection

and performance and is accessible to

consumers at an affordable price.

For a complete list of retail

locations where the Shock Doctor

Custom Mouthguard is sold, visit

shockdoctor.com/custom.

USA Football Partner Shock

Doctor Introduces Custom

MouthguardBY MICHAEL KUEBLER AND SHOCK DOCTOR

http://www.shockdoctor.com/http://www.shockdoctor.com/http://www.usafootball.com/articles/displayArticle/7245/8922http://www.usafootball.com/articles/displayArticle/7245/8922http://www.usafootball.com/articles/displayArticle/7509/9843http://cmg.shockdoctor.com/http://cmg.shockdoctor.com/http://cmg.shockdoctor.com/http://cmg.shockdoctor.com/http://www.usafootball.com/articles/displayArticle/7509/9843http://www.usafootball.com/articles/displayArticle/7245/8922http://www.usafootball.com/articles/displayArticle/7245/8922http://www.shockdoctor.com/http://www.shockdoctor.com/


25/39

health & fitness

Being a source of positive energy is a choice for

coaches a choice that can inspire an entire

roster of young players.

Dr. Dave Yukelson is the Director of Sport Psychology

Services for the Penn State University Athletic

Department and a member of USA Footballs Football

and Wellness Committee with an expertise in cognitive

development.

I think the whole

picture its got to

be positive, Yukelson

said. When a coach

is positive, its just

being excited about the

upcoming season, aboutthe team culture thats

going to be developed

and to see what this

years team is going to

be about.

Cognitive

development relates to

the mental, emotional

and social aspects

of skill development,

such as motivation,

concentration, confidence, composure and social

interactions.

We label it cognitive development. Youre helping

them have a better understanding in each of those

areas of what the experience means to them, Yukelson

said. Just helping them to feel good about their sport

participation so that theyre motivated enough to want

to keep doing it.

Yukelson describes a practice model for coaches to

follow to ensure positive cognitive development for their

players. The leadership model is derived from Lane4, a

high performance company that Yukelson consults with,

and consists of three interrelated components: vision,

challenge and support.

Vision involves establishing what you want this years

team to accomplish. Challenge is tied to realistic goal-

setting while promoting ownership and accountability.

Support means having an

encouraging environment

that gets the kids to

thrive, catching them

doing things right.

Its OK to discipline kids

if mistakes are made, butuse a positive approach.

If you envision three

interlocking circles, now

all of a sudden these three

things work together. They

dont work in isolation,

Yukelson said. When

the three circles work

together, I think its a great

practice model that is

simple and really captures

the developmental nature of what youre doing whether

youre working with beginners, intermediate or elite

football players.

Following this model will help improve the players

football skills and also make sure they are developing

a healthy mind-set around the game. A positive

environment full of the right values, encouragement

and example-setting keeps youth players engaged in

exciting ways.

Consider Your Players

Cognitive Development:

Vision, Challenge and SupportBY MICHAEL KUEBLER

DR. DAVE YUKELSON

Director of Sports

Psychology Services for

Penn State Universitys

Athletic Department

VisionEstablishing what you want

this years team to accomplish

ChallengeRealistic goal-setting while

promoting ownership and

accountability

SupportHaving an encouraging

environment that gets the kids

to thrive, catching them doing

things right

http://www.usafootball.com/articles/displayArticle/7287/9023http://www.usafootball.com/articles/displayArticle/7269/9067http://www.usafootball.com/articles/displayArticle/7269/9067http://www.usafootball.com/articles/displayArticle/7269/9067http://www.usafootball.com/articles/displayArticle/7269/9067http://www.usafootball.com/articles/displayArticle/7287/9023


26/39

commissioner center

Especially in todays economy,

even the most well-run youth

football leagues and high school

programs could use a helping hand.

Thats why USA Football

and all 32 NFL teamspartnered to award football

equipment grants to leagues

and programs throughout

the country based on merit

and need. Since 2006, the

equipment grant program has

awarded more than $3 million

in football equipment through

the NFL Youth Football Fund.

Were an urban, inner-cityprogram, and we have a lot

of under-privileged kids that

we try to service, and each

year there are a number of

kids we have to turn away,

said Lyman Moffatt of the

North West Cleveland Ohio

Youth Association. We even

do scholarships ourselves, but

because of the popularity right now

of football, youve got so many kids

who want to play, but its impossible

for us being a non-profit to suit up

all the kids. We figured that we could

use some help to, if nothing else, get

more kids out there on the field.

Each selected youth league

received a $1,000 package that offered

a variety of football equipment and

uniform options to choose from. High

schools received similar packages

valued at $1,500. All equipment grants

were fulfilled by Riddell, the official

helmet and protective equipment

partner of USA Football, and the

NFL Youth Football Fund a joint

partnership between the NFL and the

NFL Players Association allowing

approximately 800 programs to earn

an equipment grant from USA Football

and NFL teams this season.

We were so happily surprised

when the FedEx truck rolled up to

our school with 11 packages of new

practice bags, said Mark Huynh

of Galileo Academy Football in San

Francisco. Our players and staff felt

like it was Christmas in August. We

have been using bags since I played

here, 20-plus years ago. We can

finally throw away our six bags

of various colors and have awonderful complete set, all the

same color. This grant has also

allowed our program to save

thousands of dollars and can

now focus on other things on

our wish list.

Indeed, the grants

have freed up funds for

commissioners and athletic

directors to allocateelsewhere.

It allows us now to give

30 additional scholarships,

Moffatt said. We have 30

extra kids that would not

normally be able to afford the

contribution and can now play

because of the grant. Last year,

we turned away 74 children because

we had exceeded our equipment

limit numbers. The grant now allows

us to suit up an additional 30 kids,

and then if were able to raise a few

more funds to get another 15, so we

will be able to decrease that number

by nearly 45 this season.

With the support of USA Football,

leagues and high school programs

facing similar challenges are now

better equipped to overcome them.

USA Football Equipment

Grants Make a Difference in

Youngsters LivesBY DAVE FINN

Riddell representative Dan Wright of Conroe, Texas, helps

a member of the Inwood Dads Club try on his new helmet

that was obtained through a USA Football Equipment Grant.

The league is located in Northwest Houston.



27/39

commissioner center

Canton, Ohio, is where football

fans flock to celebrate the

games rich history and

tradition, but for a few days in July, it

also was the site for a meeting of the

sports grassroots minds.Youth football commissioners from

around the country gathered for the

2010 NFL/USA Football Youth Football

Summit, which included a visit to the

Pro Football Hall of Fame, from July

21-23.

I thought that all of the sessions

that I participated in were very

informative and delivered in an easy-

to-digest format, said Walt LodesJr., president/CEO of Michigans

Northern Rocket Football League. The

presentations on youth injuries and the

in-depth discussion on concussions

were loaded with information that

every coach should be aware of.

One commissioner from each of

USA Footballs 36 state forums was

selected to attend the summit, which

included speeches and presentations

by medical professionals, decorated

football figures and the USA Football

administrative team as well as

discussions of on- and off-the-field

tricks of the trade during group

breakout sessions.

The way other folks run their

football and different obstacles they

face, whether it be a group thats

playing on an Indian reservation out

West or inner city, and just being

able to talk and speak freely on that

was great, said Steve Cooke, sports

manager of the Greenville County

(S.C.) Recreation District. That was

just neat to see how other folks

handle issues that we have as well.

The commissioners had the

opportunity to learn about and

discuss some of todays crucial

youth football issues. Dr. Stan

Herring provided a presentation on

concussion education. Dr. Lindsay

Baker of the Gatorade Sports

Science Institute spoke about head

and hydration issues. Former NFL

quarterback Todd Blackledge and USA

Football board member Merril Hoge, a

former NFL running back and current

ESPN analyst, detailed what it means

to be a football coach.

The motivational speakers (Hoge

and Blackledge) were great, and

their perspective from both college

and pro careers gave some valuable

insights that trickle down to the youth

level, Lodes said. We have already

shared the concussion information

with our 35 area member leagues

and are in the process of taking all

of the handouts as well as my notes

and reducing them to an information

bulletin that we will circulate to all of

those area administrators.

Commissioners Energized at

2010 NFL/USA Football Youth

Football SummitBY DAVE FINN



28/39

commissioner center

Northwest RegionBassel Faltas

(317) [email protected]

West RegionBucky Brooks


Mid-Atlantic RegionDeno Campbell

(317) 489-4422


South RegionDave Fanucchi


Southeast RegionRick Peacock


Northeast RegionEd Passino

(317) [email protected] Region

Joe Owens


Great Lakes RegionScott LeVeque


Americas favorite sport is powered by you dedicated youth league commissioners, coaches, game officials 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 current and former coaches, players and administrators working for you. Each has

the experience needed to help you make your league or team even stronger with USA Footballs resources.

Contact your USA Football Regional Manager to learn how you can kick off your free commissioner membership or to ask

about coaching certification, the nearest USA Football Coaching School, Player Academy or State Leadership Forum. Stay in

touch with your regional manager, whether its to share news about your league or team or to ask about member resources.

In addition, you may always contact our office, through usafootball.com or by phone at 1-877-5-FOOTBALL. Let us know

how we can serve you better.

Together well ensure that teamwork and leadership continue to serve as the laces binding our favorite game.

USA Football Regional Managers



29/39

commissioner center

The USA Football Youth Football Rulebook

provides youth leagues with a clear and

concise set of rules and regulations that are

easy to understand (See example). The Rulebook

($5.50) was written by USA Footballs Rules Committeewith the safety of the youth players in mind.

Youth leagues across the

nation are recognizing these

benefits and incorporating the

rules within their leagues.

I realized that it was

far easier for coaches to

understand and read and get

clarifications on it because

of the way it was written,

President of the Miami Extreme

Youth Football League Danny

Martinez said. And that really is

one of the biggest reasons: the

ease of interpretation of rules by

coaches.

The league anticipates

reaping another benefit from

USA Footballs rulebook.

Martinez hopes the Rulebook

will allow his group to play teams from otherleagues that adopt the rules. For now, the Miami

Extreme League is mostly alone in its area in using

the Rulebook but is hopeful others will follow.

Right now were sort of spearheading the

thing, Martinez said. After the season we play in

a championship with about another two or three

leagues, and they have not adopted it from what I

understand.

One Mississippi league is ready to join other area

leagues in using the Rulebook. The Long Beach

(Miss.) Youth Football League is one of a group of

leagues in the South that are adopting the Rulebook

for this reason.More or less, it just lets us get more games with

outside communities, trying to

get us all on the same page,

Long Beach Youth Football

League President Murray Biegel

said of the Rulebook.

As more leagues continue

to adopt the USA Football

Youth Football Rulebook, youth

leagues and players across the

nation will be able to benefit

from diversified competition

through standardized rules and

regulations. The Rulebook will

help USA Football create

a unified youth football

community.

The fact that

theres a rulebook

specifically for youth, it

should be very useful,Martinez said.

Its good for a national

standard, Biegel agreed.

Youth football leaders can purchase the USA

Football Youth Football Rulebook for their leagues

coaches and officials online at the USA Football Shop.

The Rulebook costs $5.50 for individual orders or a

group rate of $4 each on orders of 15 or more.

USA Football Youth Football

Rulebook Brings LeaguesTogetherBY MICHAEL KUEBLER

USAFOOTBALLSHOP

shop.usafootball.com

OPEN

24/7

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30/39

commissioner center

Attaining maximum performance in anything

requires reaching full potential.

This applies to football for the athlete, the

coach and the athletes equipment.

Putting football fundamentals into practice and

wearing season-ready equipment bolster player safety.

Helmet reconditioning is especially important to

protect players and to attain a

helmets maximum life span.

USA Football recommends

that helmets be reconditioned

and recertified annually by a

reconditioner licensed by the National

Operating Committee on Standards

for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE). In

addition, ensure that your helmet

reconditioner is a member in

good standing with the National

Athletic Equipment Reconditioners

Association (NAERA).

A NOCSAE-licensed equipment recertifier and

reconditioner acts as your consultant when it comes to

the performance of your football protective equipment

Riddell Vice President of Research and Development

Thad Ide said. Wear and tear on your helmets, shoulder

pads and other equipment is part of the game, which is

why Riddell recommends annual reconditioning.

Your reconditioner has the experience and expertise

to evaluate the state of your equipment and help your

program issue the best possible gear to your players.

Helmet reconditioning should not only include

cleaning, sanitizing, inspection and replacement of

broken or over-worn parts but recertification to NOCSAEs

helmet performance standard as

well. Rejected or retired helmets

should be destroyed or made

unusable.

Riddell has been reconditioning

football equipment at our state-of-

the-art facilities for over 40 years,

Ide said. Careful inspection,

cleaning, sanitizing and repair are

all part of a good reconditioning

program. Helmets are subjected to

rigorous testing to make sure that

they meet strict performance and

protective requirements before they leave our facility.

Follow the helmet manufacturers guidelines

for helmet care and storage. Most manufacturers

recommend storing equipment in a temperature-

controlled environment to avoid adverse effects of

extreme heat or cold.

Helmet Reconditioning:

How to Do it RightBY STEVE ALIC

Presented by



31/39

Helping steer USA Footballs mission as the sports

national governing body on youth and amateur

levels is its 16-member Board of Directors. The board

includes leaders throughout the football community

who share a deep appreciation for Americas favorite

sport. This issue of USA Football Magazine introduces you to USA Football Board

Member Meana, a youth league chairman in Virginia who works in the Office of

Inspector General at the National Railroad Passenger Corp. (Amtrak).

USA Football magazine caught up with Meana as the new season starts to discuss

his experience and his involvement with USA Football.

What impact did football coaches have on you?

My first and most profound experience coaching youth football came as an

invitation to coach from a local a policeman who was extremely successful. He

sought kids who were hanging out on street corners and in shopping centers with

nothing to do and probably headed in the wrong direction. He encouraged these kids

to play football, and the results were absolutely amazing. Through that experience, I

realized the influence a youth coach has on kids is huge.

Why are people drawn to volunteering as youth football coaches and

administrators?Most people want to coach football to be nearer to the game, have a direct

influence on a team and achieve positive results. Volunteer coaches realize that

through their leadership, kids improve in basic football skills, self-esteem, teamwork

and more. Watching players improve in all aspects of the game during the course of a

season is exciting and drives you to get better and more involved.

From your perspective as a youth football commissioner, what makes USA

Football valuable?

The environment we live in today doesnt allow spare time to be wasted. The

challenge of managing family sports participation with many double-income homes

demands the best in technology and equipment. USA Football provides the tools to

be the best coach, administrator and official in teaching/learning fundamentals, drills,

sportsmanship, safety education and keeping up with current events. Easy access

to these programs through usafootball.com allows youth coaches access at their

convenience, fitting their schedules.

What resources at USA Football and usafootball.com do you use?

The Fairfax County Youth Football League values its association with USA Football.

Its all about the credibility of our league. We mandate the Coaches Certification

Program, the Officiating Training Program, Background Checks through NCSI and

support the State Forums and Player Academies. These programs are imbedded at

the foundation of our league.

Mark MeanaChairman, Fairfax County (Va.)


BY JOE FROLLO

meet a usa football board member

USA FOOTBALLSBOARD OF

DIRECTORS

Ray AndersonExec. V.P., Football Operations

National Football League

Jason Belser

Senior Regional DirectorNFL Players Association

Joe BrowneSenior Advisor to the Commissio


Jon ButlerExecutive Director

Pop Warner Little Scholars, Inc

Tom CovePresident & CEO

SGMA International

Carl FrancisDirector of Communications

NFL Players Association

Alexia GallagherDirector, NFL Charities &

Youth Football Fund.


Bob GardnerExecutive Director

National Federation of State

High School Associations

Roger GoodellCommissioner


Merril HogeNFL Alumnus and

ESPN NFL Analyst

Mark MeanaChairman

Fairfax County (Va.)


Brian MitchellFormer NFL All-Star

NFL Alumnus

Carl Peterson

ChairmanUSA Football

DeMaurice SmithExecutive Director

NFL Players Association

Grant TeaffExecutive Director

American Football

Coaches Association

Deborah YowAthletic Director

North Carolina State University

http://users/bridgeforth/Company/USA%20FB/USAFB%2014/meetaboardmember/usafootball.comhttp://users/bridgeforth/Company/USA%20FB/USAFB%2014/meetaboardmember/usafootball.com


32/39

officiating center

Gregg Buchner has been a high

school football official in Illinois for

30 years, overseeing 50 postseason

games and two state finals. He has

worked as an Illinois High SchoolAssociation (IHSA) clinician since

1999 and has served with Illinois

Inter-Association Council of Athletic

Officials for more than 20 years.

How did you get started as an

official?

Over 30 years ago, as a head

coach, I was ejected from a church

league fastpitch softball game for

arguing balls and strikes. My parting

shot to plate umpire Del LaGow was

something like: Even I could do

a better job than you! Del calmly

replied Okay, Buck, youre going

to become an IHSA umpire, and Im

going to be one of your

sponsors.

I took him up on his

challenge and quickly

learned it wasnt as easy

as it looked. But it was

fun. I was soon officiating

three sports: football,

baseball and softball. I

found I liked officiating

football the most.

Whats the best way for people

to get started?

For new officials

trying to work some

ball games, one of

the things I always

tell them is youneed to join local

officials associations,

where you have the

opportunity to make

contacts and learn from

experienced officials

about how you should

call a game, how you

interpret rules and get

the opportunity to meet

these guys and make

a favorable impression

with them. Maybe

theyll ask you to work

a ball game with them,

and that way youre

getting experience with

experienced people.

How do you deal

with fans, parents and

coaches who become

unruly?

You never deal directly

with fans. You need to talk

with game administration

before the game to know

who they are. That may be the coach

from the home team. If there is a

problem, you need to ask the coach

to take care of it. The game wont

proceed until it is settled.

How do I know Im ready to take

the next step up?

As the new official goes on, heor she can contact their assigning

chairman for feedback. They will get

reports back from coaches, whether

they did well, whether they want him

or her back. There also are college

assigners that will stop by and

watch games and tell officials they

are ready to move up.

For more on Buchner, click here.

Longtime Official Offers Advice

to Those Just Starting OutVeteran high school football official Gregg Buchner has helped many young

officials get their starts in the business.

BY JOE FROLLO AND DAVE FINN

GREGG BUCHNER

Gregg Buchner has been a high school football official in

Illinois for 30 years. He got his start after telling another ref he

could do a better job, then learned how difficult the role is.

http://www.ihsa.org/http://www.ihsa.org/http://iacao.org/http://iacao.org/http://iacao.org/http://www.usafootball.com/articles/displayArticle/7557/10104http://www.usafootball.com/articles/displayArticle/7557/10104http://iacao.org/http://iacao.org/http://iacao.org/http://www.ihsa.org/http://www.ihsa.org/


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For the third straight year, USAFootball demonstrated its

commitment to the sport by

providing sponsorship to the National

Association of Sports Officials (NASO)

Summit. This years event was

conducted July 25-27 at the Marriott

City Center in Minneapolis.

USA Football sponsored a

90-minute breakout session

specifically designed for football

officials. Bill LeMonnier, a veteran

Big Ten referee and USA Football

officiating consultant, used film

and personal experience to relate

the importance of eliminating rough

play from the game.

The topic was especially relevant

considering the theme of the Summit:

Rights, Responsibilities, Risks: The

Shared Responsibility of Officiating.

Other speakers were NFL linejudge Jeff Seeman, Southeastern

Conference referee Marc Curles and

Big Sky and Arena Football League

referee Steve Strimling.

Barry Mano, president of NASO,

expressed gratitude for USA

Footballs support and participation

in the Summit.

For the third year in a row,

we asked important officiating

organizations in respective sports to

take the lead in presenting the Summit

sport breakout sessions, Mano said.

The groundwork we laid in 2009

with four associations sponsoring

sessions blossomed into all seven

sessions being sponsored in 2010.

Even before that, the representatives

of USA Football were involved in the

Summit. They have made the football

breakout session a highlight of theentire Summit for officials.

Mano said USA Footballs

presence on site added to the

prestige of the event.

The Summit is the industry event

of the year for officiating. To be able

to count USA Football among the

supporters and participants in the

Summit simply puts an exclamation

point on that statement, he said.

With the assistance of associations

like USA Football, we not only

explored those topics in depth, but

we helped sports officials to better

fulfill their promise. The problems and

issues that officials in every sport

face are common, and the Summit,

with the support of USA Football,

helped not only explore those issues

but work for solutions.

USA Football Plays Key Role in

NASO SummitLeMonnier joins other officials in discussing rights, responsibilities and risks

COURTESY OF NASO

Bill LeMonnier is a veteran Big Ten

referee and USA Football officiating

Documents

USA Football Magazine Issue 14 Fall 2010