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USA Football Magazine Issue 15 Nov/Dec 2010
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Offseason ideas can help players get betterPAGE 14
Quickhitter GridPAGE 15
Art of the blitzPAGE 16
Takeaway-Giveaway with Larry & David: Should youth players focus on multiple positions?PAGE 18
Katie Anderson: What football taught my sonPAGE 19
Staying properly hydrated is just as important when weather turns coldPAGE 20
contentsISSUE 15 NOV./DEC. 2010
Kickoffwith USA Football Executive Director Scott Hallenbeck
PAGE 4
featuresPutting Player Safety FirstPAGE 6
2011 Coaching SchoolsPAGE 8
Indianapolis welcomes USA FootballPAGE 9
Team USA bonds remain strong for 2009 teamPAGE 10
A full complement of pads keeps young players healthyPAGE 12
COVER: PHOTO COURTESY SHAWN HUBBARD
Football Facts, Stats & FiguresPAGE 30
Meet a USA Football Staff MemberPAGE 31
Meet a USA Football Board MemberPAGE 27
What Football Taught Me: Scott FischerPAGE 32
Women take leadership positions at youth football leaguesPAGE 22
Border Wars brings Central Indiana leagues together for season’s endPAGE 23
USA Football Regional ManagersPAGE 24
USA Football kicks off League Affiliation in 2011PAGE 25
Collecting equipment, proper equipment storage are first goals of offseasonPAGE 26
Comfortable shoes are essential to an official’s mobilityPAGE 28
Rules Committee expands wording for illegal hitsPAGE 29
officiating center
health & safety
commissioner centerplayers center
coaching center
usafootball.com
Executive DirectorSCOTT HALLENBECK
USA FOOTBALLEDITORIAL STAFF
Managing Editor
JOE FROLLOContributors:
STEVE ALIC, GARY DEL VECCHIO, ANTHONY EDWARDS,
AISHA JOHNSON, SCOTT LeVEQUE, MEGAN MOYER,
TIM POLZER
To contact USA Football: (877) 5-FOOTBALL
TRACTION MEDIA STAFF
PublisherRUDY J. KLANCNIK
Editorial DirectorTIM POLZER
DesignerWILLIAM BRIDGEFORTH
Traction Media
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USA Football Magazine is 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,
Time moves so fast across a football team’s schedule but fortunately the memories last a lifetime.
Although the games have just been completed, football season never really ends. League commissioners’ “to-do” lists already include processes to evaluate, equipment to maintain, coaches to recruit and have prepared to teach, and so much more. And USA Football’s non-profit office is here to help in every possible way.
I’m inspired when I go to a field on a brisk Saturday morning and meet football people. Our non-profit office understands what this term means. It refers to youth football coaches, parents, grandparents, league commissioners
and game officials who sacrifice and volunteer to teach, nurture and administer America’s favorite sport. You also instill its values of responsibility, accountability and teamwork to the 3 million kids who play it. USA Football will help you do this even better in 2011 with League Affiliation, an exciting new membership offering to support commissioners, coaches, players and parents.
To help you stay atop your game, this issue of USA Football Magazine covers a range of news, including the following:
• Put Pride Aside for Player Safety is a ground-breaking initiative we kicked off with the NFL and Atlantic Coast Conference in September regarding concussion education and management.
• League Affiliation is a new league-wide membership offering for 2011 that delivers USA Football’s coach, player/parent and commissioner resources in video and computer-animated formats.
• the sites for our 2011 Coaching Schools.• an NFL star values wearing every piece of protective equipment.• the minds of one of America’s top high school football head coaches and
an NFL linebackers coach regarding the art of the blitz.
Your USA Football regional manager (pg. 24) is ready to help your team, club or league. In addition, you’re a toll-free call (1-877-5-FOOTBALL) or a mouse click away (usafootball.com) from our member services department.
We appreciate your trust and are driven to go the extra yard for you.
Sincerely,
Scott HallenbeckUSA Football Executive Director
We want to hear your thoughts about USA Football Magazine. Write to us at [email protected] today.
kickoff
4 USA Football Magazine
It is impossible to eliminate injuries in any sport, but teaching the proper fundamentals and
how to recognize warning signs help keep football players safer.
USA Football’s Put Pride Aside for Player Safety campaign shows coaches, parents and players how to minimize concussion risk and what to do when you suspect a player may have suffered one – in any sport.
Developed by USA Football’s Football and Wellness Committee and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Put Pride Aside includes 12 videos covering tackling technique, concussion awareness and proper equipment fitting that can be embedded on any website along with fact sheets on concussion and helmet fitting. The campaign is promoted in partnership with the NFL and its 32 teams as well as the Atlantic Coast Conference.
“Put Pride Aside is a valuable resource for any league,” said Dr. David Joyner, USA Football’s Football and Wellness Committee chairman and an orthopedic physician in Harrisburg, Pa. “It challenges and instructs coaches, parents and youth players to make the right decision when a concussion is suspected. It is about providing a safer environment for our children and educating people
to take proper precautions.”As the sport’s national governing
body and the official youth football development partner of the NFL and NFL Players Association, USA Football works closely with the pros in promoting Put Pride Aside. Public service announcements both inside stadiums and on television
broadcasts advise coaches and parents: “When in doubt, sit them out.”
USA Football has helped train more than 70,000 youth football coaches in all 50 states through its single-day coaching schools and coaching education courses at usafootball.com. NFL teams recognize the importance of Put Pride Aside and have made the initiative part their websites.
The Houston Texans take concussion awareness
seriously, said team marketing manager Daniel Velasco. Along with Put Pride Aside, the Texans have partnered with the Methodist Concussion Center, a concussion diagnosis, treatment, research and education center. Quarterback Matt Schaub serves as its spokesman.
PUTTING PLAYER SAFETY FIRSTUSA Football initiative asks coaches to Put Pride Aside if a concussion is suspectedBY JOE FROLLO
“The resources that USA Football puts together – including the videos and tutorials – are state of the art in that they are catered toward youth players and coaches, an audience that doesn’t always get such expert training.”
– Ben Tario, ACC Director of Technology and Operations
Photos courtesy Shawn Hubbard6 USA Football Magazine
“It is extremely important for not only football players but also coaches and parents at all levels to recognize signs and symptoms of concussions,” Velasco said. “It’s also important for them to recognize them at an early age so we can begin to build a culture of prevention. We commend the NFL for its recognition of the seriousness of concussions and player safety, and we know that these efforts will filter down to all levels of football.”
Velasco said the Texans have helped players and coaches become more aware of concussion signs and symptoms by posting information in locker rooms, making team
trainers more knowledgeable to handle these situations and stressing the importance of seeking team trainers with any indications of concussions.
The Texans also stress proper tackling so players do not lead with their heads, doing so even before the NFL’s decision this season regarding strict fines and possible suspensions for illegal helmet-to-helmet and other improper hits. The Texans practice tackling drills weekly to ensure proper technique.
“Youth coaches can learn from NFL coaches about proper tackling and avoiding helmet-to-helmet collisions by using tackling dummies and
stressing proper technique,” Velasco said. “Line players up and teach the process of tackling in smaller and slower steps, rewarding or correcting players for proper or improper tackles in practice and during games.”
The Atlantic Coast Conference is proud of USA Football’s partnership with the ACC Network, where the Put Pride Aside campaign is promoted through commercial spots that air each Saturday during the ACC Network football game of the week and on the ACC Youth Football Facebook page. Conference Associate Director of Technology and Operations Ben Tario said it is important to spread the word when the message is so valuable.
“The resources that USA Football puts together – including the videos
and tutorials – are state of the art in that they are catered toward youth players and coaches, an audience that doesn’t always get such expert training,” Tario said. “The ACC can relay these messages to
people who might not
For more, visit: USA Football’s Put Pride Aside for Player Safety USA Football Magazine 7
Experience USA Football’s new Coaching School. Our curriculum is now driven by our Player Progression Development Model. USA Football will conduct 2011 Coaching Schools at the sites on the right. Click here to register and for dates and times as they are announced.
always receive it. It’s another way we can reaffirm the value of the content to the kids.”
Developed to promote safe play for the betterment of young athletes in America’s favorite sport, Put Pride Aside has been well received at the youth level, said Geoff Meyer, president and co-founder of The Chicagoland Youth Football League.
“We’re very thankful USA Football has taken the imitative along with the NFL and CDC,” Meyer said. “It is indicative of what we need to be teaching our kids.”
Meyer oversees 382 teams and 10,000 players age 6 to 14 in the Chicago area. He distributed “Heads Up” concussion packets for all 200 of his upper-level coaches and said he had Put Pride Aside “up on our website within the hour of getting the email.”
Chicagoland has held meetings with its officials to stress penalties for helmet-to-helmet hits, and the NFL’s new focus on dangerous hits has helped show kids that is not the right way to tackle.
“Some of our organizations bought into it immediately, and some are getting there,” Meyer said. “You’ve got to walk before you run, but we need to start running soon because we should have been behind this a long time ago.
“Put Pride Aside is a great tool. A lot
of people are going to learn what they need from this.”
Along with concussion awareness, Put Pride Aside teaches players, coaches and parents that is it is not courageous nor does it show strength to play with a concussion. USA Football and the CDC stress that athletes with known or suspected concussion should be kept off the field until an appropriate health care professional
clears them to return. Returning to play should be a medical decision.
One Chicagoland member, Barrington Youth Football, has all of its 12- and 13-year-old players take the Impact Test, a computerized neurocognitive assessment tool that
measures memory and cognitive ability.
Thirteen Barrington players who showed concussion symptoms took the test again, and by comparing it to the baseline doctors could make more informed decisions on treatment. All but one sat out a week of practice and the next game.
“In all likelihood, in past years, they would have
played,” said Barrington Youth League board member Tom Kolder. “The real danger comes in suffering another head trauma along with the one that hasn’t healed. Keeping players out of practice and games until the baseline matches the previous test and they don’t show outward symptoms is the key to recovery.”
That’s the desired result that Put Pride Aside was created to produce.
NORTHEASTNew England Patriots’ Gillette StadiumNew York Giants Timex Performance CenterNew York Jets training centerPhiladelphia Eagles NovaCare ComplexPittsburgh Steelers training facility
MID-ATLANTICBaltimore Calvert Hall High SchoolAlexandria (Va.) Episcopal High SchoolNashville IT Creswell School
SOUTHEASTAtlanta Mill Creek High SchoolCharlotte (N.C.) Latin High SchoolOrlando (Fla.), TBDTampa Bay Buccaneers training facility
SOUTHHouston Texans Reliant StadiumNew Orleans Saints training facilityNorth Little Rock (Ark.) High SchoolOdessa (Texas) Permian High School
2011 USA FOOTBALL COACHING SCHOOLS
8 USA Football Magazine
Indianapolis welcomes USA Football BY JOE FROLLO
USA Football received a warm welcome in September as city leaders helped commemorate its
move to Downtown Indianapolis.USA Football, the sport’s national
governing body, leads the game’s development, inspires participation and ensures a positive experience for all youth, high school and amateur players. With members in all 50 states, the independent non-profit conducts more than 80 football training events annually for coaches, players and youth football league commissioners.
Colts owner and CEO Jim Irsay said teaching young football players and their coaches the right way to play the game is inherent to the future of the sport. He remembers what playing football meant to him as a boy.
“One of my best memories is picking up a fumble when I was 8 years old,” Irsay said. “You want to go back to those days and remember the feeling of what it was like. It’s about the game, respect for a game where kids learn about adversity, toughness, teamwork. They learn lessons that help later in life.”
GREAT LAKESAnn Arbor (Mich.) Pioneer High SchoolChicago Bears Halas HallCleveland Browns training facilityDublin (Ohio) Scioto High SchoolGreen Bay Packers Lambeau FieldIndianapolis Colts team facility
CENTRALDes Moines (Iowa) Valley Southwoods Freshman School
Kansas City (Mo.) Rockhurst High SchoolMinnesota Vikings training facilitySt. Louis Rams Russell Training CenterUniversity of Nebraska-Omaha
WESTDenver Broncos training facilityLos Angeles Notre Dame High SchoolPhoenix Desert Vista High SchoolSan Diego Francis Parker SchoolSan Diego Santiago High School
NORTHWESTGranite Bay (Calif.) High SchoolSan Francisco 49ers team facilitySeattle Seahawks team facilityOakland Raiders team facility
Helping with the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the USA Football offices in Indianapolis
are (from left) USA Football Chairman Carl Peterson, Keystone Construction Vice
President of Business Development Paul Okeson, Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard,
USA Football Executive Director Scott Hallenbeck, Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay
and NFL Senior Advisor to the Commissioner Joe Browne.
(TS
S P
HO
TOG
RAP
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/ B
ETSY
TAY
LOR
)
USA Football Magazine 9
Sixteen months have passed since Storm Klein was thundering through international backfields during the IFAF Junior World Championship.
Canton, Ohio, became a home for four weeks to 45 recently graduated high school seniors, including Klein, selected by USA Football. Team USA earned the gold medal in July 2009, winning three games and besting seven other countries in the first international competition of its kind on American soil.
Now a 6-foot-2, 230-pound sophomore linebacker at Ohio State, Klein has moved on to the next phase of his football career. He has grown as a person, player and student. It’s a transition that began during that time in Canton.
On Feb. 2 in Austin, Texas, another group of U.S. high school players will take the field wearing red, white and blue in the second annual Team USA vs. The World Under-19 football game.
Klein is immersed in the world of Big Ten football this fall, but he fondly recalls the month he spent with Team USA. He encourages the 2011 group to enjoy every minute and to use it as a springboard for what’s to come.
“I had a great experience, and I think about it all the time,” said Klein, a Newark, Ohio, native. “The best part was the friendships I made on the team with guys from every part of the United States. It was surprising how quickly we came together and how we all got along from different backgrounds. I wasn’t 100 percent confident about going to the camp before it started, but I would definitely do it again and recommend the experience to everyone.
“It gives you confidence not only in your football ability but in your ability to meet new people and adapt to new challenges.”
Players on that 2009 team represent states from
coast to coast. Some, such as Klein, headed to perennial Top 25 college programs. Others were looking to make their name at mid-majors.
Brian Winters remembers the talent on display during the first few days of practice and challenging himself for the task ahead. A 6-5, 305-pound offensive lineman from Hudson, Ohio, Winters started for Team USA and has gone on to start every game of his college career at
Kent State.“What I remember
the most is being around such good athletes and having such a fun time representing the United States in the world championship,” Winters said. “It was such a fun journey,
and I had such a great time with the guys.”Winters said every player coming into the national
program is skilled, but the experience will make him better. Winters tried to absorb everything he could.
“It is a great experience to learn from the best coaches around the world,” he said.
Players from that team still text and email each other. One fellow offensive lineman Winters remains in contact with is Virginia sophomore Oday Aboushi, a 6-6, 295-pound tackle from Staten Island, N.Y., who starts for the Cavaliers.
Winters, Aboushi and the rest of the linemen talk about how their seasons are going, how each are playing and what big games are coming up.
Everyone is going through the same things, just in different cities and schools, Aboushi said. But they can share ideas and bounce things off each other – whether it is about football, class work, study habits or life in general.
“(The JWC) definitely was a great experience for me,” Aboushi said. “It helped me get prepared for college. Being away and getting the right mind set, it’s a really fun time even though it’s a lot of hard work.”
For more, visit usafootball.com/teamusa
Team USA bonds remain strong for 2009 squadGold-medal winning players recommend experience BY JOE FROLLO
ODAY ABOUSHIBRIAN WINTERS STORM KLEIN
10 USA Football Magazine
3 & OutBrian Winters started all three games of the 2009 IFAF Junior World Championship
for USA Football’s Under-19 National Team, and the offensive tackle from Hudson, Ohio, has continued in the starting role for every game through two seasons at Kent State University. Now a 6-foot-5, 305-pound sophomore, Winters discusses his role on the Under-19 team and reflects on his time in Canton, Ohio, representing his country.
USA FB: What did you learn as part of the Under-19 team that has helped you on the college level?
WINTERS: There is a lot I learned that summer that has bettered me for Kent State. Being a good teammate was a big thing, and also to be a leader was a big role for all the offensive linemen. We just started playing football a month before the tournament and got along and played well together.
USA FB: Do people still ask you about being a part of Team USA’s gold medal at the Junior World Championship?
WINTERS: I was interviewed earlier in the year, and they asked how my experience was with Team USA. I told them it was just a great experience that not many people could have a part in, and I’m proud to be one of them.
USA FB: Do you maintain friendships with your teammates from Canton?WINTERS: Yeah, I still talk to Oday Aboushi, who plays at Virginia, and I talk to Jack Mewhort, who plays at
Ohio State. We just talk about how our seasons are going and how we are playing and just catch up on life. I would definitely tell anyone to try out for it. Not only is it a great experience to learn from the best coaches around the world, you are getting to represent the USA in games.
- Joe Frollo
BRIAN WINTERS, KENT STATE
USA Football Magazine 11
Football players are always looking for an edge. A little more strength, speed or endurance
can sometimes make the difference between winning and losing.
One area young players shouldn’t try to cut corners, though, is discarding any pads for a perceived increase in quickness. Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice said youth players need all the protection they can get, and risking injury is not worth any supposed benefit.
“It’s important to wear your pads, especially at a younger level,” said Rice, a Pro Bowl back out of Rutgers. “If you get hit in one of those spots, you’re definitely going to regret it – get a hip pointer, a thigh bruise. Those things are real. I’ve had them both.”
There are no studies that show players pick up speed by not wearing hip or thigh pads, said Ron Courson, director of sports medicine at the University of Georgia and a member of USA Football’s Football and Wellness Committee.
Both the NFL and NCAA have made wearing pads a point of emphasis in recent years, Courson said. The NFL rulebook mandates only helmets and shoulder pads, but NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations Ray Anderson told USA Today in July that the league is looking at mandating thigh, hip and knee pads in 2011 for all players.
Rice said nobody has had to convince him to wear his full complement of pads.
“It definitely helps your body out in the long run,” Rice said. “It’s wise to wear your pads while you can.”
Changes in equipment have provided a variety of pad options, Courson said. From the traditional pads that fit inside football pants to pads in girdle pockets to padded girdles.
“This wide number of pad options makes it easy to select the type that best fits a player’s needs,” Courson said. “Not wearing hip and thigh pads exposes players to injury, in particular hip pointers and quadriceps contusions. Although these injuries generally do not have serious or possibly permanent consequences, they can be debilitating when acute and cause the football player to miss practice
and game time.”That’s not worth the
risk for Rice.“As loose as you want to be,
as elusive as you want to be, you definitely want to be safe,” Rice said. “The pads are loose enough where you can make moves.”
“As loose as you want to be, as elusive as you want to be, you definitely want to be safe.” – Ray Rice
A full complement of pads keeps young players healthyRavens RB Rice says there’s no substitute for safetyBY JOE FROLLO
PH
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12 USA Football Magazine
players center
Not all high school football players are naturally quick, especially those with enough mass behind them to uproot an oak, but that’s what
the offseason is for. Commit yourself to these four training tips during the
next three months, and you can start working toward turning heads next season.
Get testedYou’ll work out harder and
more consistently if you track your progress, so the first thing you need to do is weigh yourself, get your body fat measured and put yourself through a few combine-style tests.
Get someone to time you in the 20-meter sprint, see how many push-ups you can do without stopping and measure your vertical jump. Retest yourself every month.
Get strongYour offseason strength
program should be devoted to two goals: building speed and moving bodies out of the way.
For speed, the deadlift prepares your legs to push against the ground with intense force. Make sure to keep your back flat and chest up the entire time while picking the bar up from the floor to waist height. Five sets of five heavy reps done three times a week is a good recipe.
The second exercise is a man-maker, which combines a push-up, a dumbbell row and some core stability. Five sets of 10 reps done three times a week will work here.
Get fast and fitUse a stopwatch to work on your speed two to three
times a week. Start by sprinting 40 meters four times, giving
yourself a minute of rest between each. Next, do 10 20-meter sprints. Take 30 seconds of rest after the first one, 25 seconds after the second, etc., decreasing five seconds each time.
Get leanThe body fat you carry makes you slower and weaker,
so use your offseason to get rid of it. Quit eating fast food and chips or drinking sodas – period.
Rett Larson is the director of coaching at Velocity Sports Performance and is a certified strength and conditioning specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Larson also serves as USA Football’s expert in sports performance training.
Offseason ideas can help high school players get betterImprove speed and strength during the winter monthsBY RETT LARSON
PH
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A man-maker combines a push-up, a
dumbbell row and some core stability. Five
sets of 10 reps done three times a week is
recommended for football players looking to
improve strength during the offseason.
14 USA Football Magazine
coaching center
Favorite NFL or college coach
Skill most needed to coach
Most rewarding part of coaching
Biggest challenge to coaching
Favorite all-time QB
Fourth-and-goal at the 1, the call is...
Grass or artificial turf
Best football movie
The season’s end means …
Favorite USA Football benefit
Favorite tailgate food
Urban Meyer
Teaching ability
Watching our children’s children come back into our program
Needing more parental involvement
Dan Marino
Fullback dive
Natural grass
“The Program”
Starting to prepare for next year’s football season
The equipment grants
Jambalaya
Herm Edwards
Ability to evaluate, educate and execute
Seeing a child or family grow and become successful
Keeping the parents happy
Joe Montana
Spread Right Option Right QB Choice, works every time
Grass of course
“Remember the Titans”
Start planning for next season
Practice planner
Buffalo wings
John Madden
Patience
Player development, watching them grow
Time to get everything in
Joe Montana
QB sneak or straight dive
Well-manicured grass is the best
“The Program”
A sad time but a chance to see if we met our goals
All the information on football in general
Bratwurst
Vince Lombardi
Patience
Working with
young players and seeing them develop
Finding the right position for each player
Roger Staubach
Fake 32 Slice - QB Bootleg left
Grass
“Remember the Titans”
Did we accomplish all the goals we set in the preseason?
The resources that are made available to help us become better coaches
Brisket
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
COACH:
ORGANIZATION:
RESIDENCE:
WILLIE CHACON
Coral Gables Panthers
Coral Gables, Fla.
JEFFREY HAMMOND
South Holland Jets
Crete, Ill.
DAKEBA JONES
Pomona Steelers
Pomona, Calif.
VANCE GUYSE
Coppell Cowboys Jr. Black
Coppell, Texas
With members in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, USA Football recently caught up with four Coaching members from coast to coast. Below are their straight-ahead thoughts on football topics including coaches, QBs and tailgating.
coaching center
When a blitz is called, the heartbeat quickens.
Eyes get bigger. And if you’re not careful, after
breaking the huddle, a smile can crease your face in anticipation for the snap.
Every youth football player knows this feeling. And if that youngster was you 10, 30 or 50 years ago, you remember that moment as if it were yesterday.
A blitz can flip momentum or spur on a big play. It is the proverbial “roll of the dice” for the coach who calls it.
But when should you call it and how do you teach it?
“Coaches should have a clear understanding of what it is they want to accomplish with the blitz they run,” Cincinnati St. Xavier High School Head Football Coach Steve Specht said. “The kids have to understand why you are calling the blitz, what their responsibility is, then execute the blitz technique to various blocking schemes.”
Specht, who twice has led St. Xavier to an Ohio large-school division state championship, was the defensive coordinator for USA Football’s gold medal-winning 2009 Under-19 National Team.
“We categorize our blitzes by the following: five-man run blitzes to stop the run; five-man overload blitzes to take advantage of the pass
protection the offense is using – we simply try to bring one more than they can block; and six- or seven-man maximum pressure blitzes where we will play man coverage across the board,” he said. “I would try to establish two
core run blitzes and two overload blitzes. More is not necessarily better – better is better.”
San Diego Chargers linebackers coach John Pagano is well-versed in active linebackers. San Diego’s linebacking corps accounted for 20 1/2 of the team’s 34 sacks in a
2009 division-winning season.“We look at tendencies,
formations, timing snap counts
or seeing what set’s coming out,” Pagano said.
“The most underrated aspect of a blitz is winning the one-on-one matchups. There’s nothing that you see in the game today that’s designed to perfection. Fans are used to people coming free right from the snap, but a blitz’s success is often predicated on winning that one-on-one battle.”
Specht notes the importance of disguising blitzes and coverages.
“We want to run as many different defenses – three-, four-, five- and six-man games – from the same look as often as possible. This negates an offense from checking to a play that would be effective against the blitz we intend to run.”
Art of the blitzDesigning packages, when to call it, how to teach itBY STEVE ALIC
JOHN PAGANO
STEVE SPECHT
16 USA Football Magazine
coaching center
Should youth players focus on multiple positions?
TAKEAWAY-GIVEAWAY WITH LARRY & DAVID
Limiting positions leads to better focusBY DAVID MARCO
As a coach, I teach each player one position on each side of the ball for a variety of reasons.
Football is a complicated sport, and as coaches we ask our 8- to 14-year-old players to learn a great deal. Every player on my team learns a position on offense, one on defense and four on special teams – kickoff, kick return, punt and punt return. This is a lot for anyone. I don’t like to
burden a player by forcing him to learn additional responsibilities.
It is challenging to get a player to focus on a particular position and to truly embrace it. For example, I had a terrific starting defensive tackle. He was our best defensive lineman and an impact player. I made the mistake of also making him our backup linebacker in case one of the starters went down. The problem I discovered is that the player would focus more
on playing linebacker than on defensive tackle. This negatively impacted his play and led to me having multiple discussions with him on the importance of the defensive tackle position.
It is not relevant how much I as a coach understand football. What is relevant is how much I am able to teach my players. By limiting their responsibilities, I am able to teach them highly detailed intricacies of the positions I ask them to play, and this leads to a more successful season.
Rotating players provides depthBY LARRY CANARD
There are many challenges a youth football coach faces as he tries to build a team.
Most youth programs attempt to limit roster sizes to promote every player getting an equal
number of snaps. This is a great policy. The challenge with younger players for a coach is finding the best position for each player to experience success.
However, because of limits on roster size, the other
challenge for a coach is being able to fill spots on the field when players miss a game.
When practice begins, coaches should think about their offense in terms of position groups, such as offensive line, backs and receivers or the defensive groups being defensive line, linebackers and defensive backs. As you begin to teach various positions within a group, it would be wise to rotate the players within that group so they can learn more than one position.
In preseason scrimmages, give players some time at the various positions so they can get comfortable under game conditions. This simple approach from the first day of practice will pay off in a big way at some point in the season. You may have a situation in which a couple of players get sick, perhaps one has to go out of town with the family, and maybe one gets injured in the first quarter. Being able to shuffle players around into positions they already are comfortable with will allow your team to play the game effectively.
18 USA Football Magazine
When David Anderson first stepped onto a football field in Southern California at 9 years old, he was not immediately successful.
David’s return to football at age 14, after a five-year hiatus, was his rebirth as a player.
Not only did he grasp the game the second time around, David’s talent and potential as a wide receiver earned him a scholarship to play Division I football. After graduating from Colorado State, David was chosen in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft and is playing in his fifth season at wide receiver for the Houston Texans.
A proud mother and fan of her son, Katie Anderson is a member of the Professional Football Players Mothers Association, a group that educates and informs mothers about the business of pro football. She enjoys visiting Houston to watch him play. Katie recently spoke with USA Football Magazine to share what the sport has taught her son.
USA FB: What makes David a great teammate and athlete?
KATIE: His character, drive and hard work. He loves everybody, and he has his entire life. His agent said that they couldn’t find anyone that said anything bad about him. His athleticism and ability to hold on to the ball make him a great athlete. Thankfully he has been healthy. He has never been injured and has never missed a game.
USA FB: What are some of the benefits from football that you have seen in him?
KATIE: He has always enjoyed being a part of a football team. It’s like being in one great big happy family.
A large team is an opportunity to make a lot of friends. Football allows the players to really get to know each other, making it easier to establish close friendships.
USA FB: How has football helped David off the field? KATIE: David’s college degree in speech and
communications has helped him deal with all the media attention. His education and academic background have allowed him to discuss football on TV, radio and in the newspaper. Playing football has opened up a lot of avenues for him, like being able to write a weekly column in the Houston Chronicle. He also has had the opportunity to be on sports talk radio shows regularly and appear on local TV in Houston.
Football has helped David become an ambassador and see the world. He traveled to Prague, Czech Republic, with a graduate student film crew to discover his ancestry and promote football abroad. It’s been wonderful for him to have these opportunities.
USA FB: What has football taught your son?KATIE: Football has taught David that the value of his
education is still in use on the field. In high school, the playbook is small, in college it’s bigger, and in the pros it’s like the size of a phone book. Just like he had to study for class he learned that you have to study your plays. You can’t just rely on your athletic ability to get you by.
Being on a football team has taught him how to interact with all different types of people from different backgrounds. This sport has made him aware that his accomplishments are a gift and that he needs to give back to the community.
what football has taught my sonBY AISHA JOHNSON
Katie Anderson:
Presented by
For more on this story, visit usafootball.com
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USA Football Magazine 19
health & fitness
The need to stay hydrated is obvious during preseason summer workouts, when
players are dripping with sweat as the sun beats down on them.
But as the temperature drops, the issue is no less important when it comes to keeping players safe, said Dr. JohnEric Smith, a senior scientist at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute and a member of USA Football’s Football and Wellness Committee.
Hot or cold. Dry or humid. Dehydration has the same effects on the human body, Smith said. And as with X’s and O’s, the best practices are put into play long before game day.
“Coaches and athletes should realize that practice also is the time to identify proper hydration and nutrition plans,”
Smith said. “It would be unfortunate for athletes to make a more focused effort of staying hydrated or nourished in a game only to make themselves uncomfortable or sick from drinking or eating more than they are accustomed to.”
The earliest sign of dehydration is obvious — thirst. The solution is just as simple — drink fluids.
But when players are caught up in the heat of action, dehydration can build, Smith said, possibly leading to headaches, fatigue and muscle cramps followed by shortness of breath, elevated body temperatures, nausea and incoherency.
If any of these severe symptoms occur, coaches should act quickly to take a player out of the game.
“Any time an athlete has left the field
of play complaining of physical ailments, he or she needs to be evaluated by medical personnel before you put them back in,” Smith said. “Some dehydration symptoms are the same as concussions or other injuries — headache, fatigue and dizziness. It’s best to have a professional make that call for when a player is ready to go back in.”
Likewise, coaches and parents should watch a player’s fluid intake. Drinking too much can lead to headaches, lightheadedness or hyponatremia, a state of diluted sodium content in the body.
Eating fruit in between action provides fluid and electrolytes, Smith said, which are a positive. But they also can be slow to digest and cause gastrointestinal problems.
Staying properly hydrated is just as important when weather turns coldBY JOE FROLLO
Overheating and dehydration remain concerns for
the performance and health of athletes during cold
weather, so it is important to monitor a player’s
hydration before and after workouts.
For more on this topic, visit: http://bit.ly/aTSOaL20 USA Football Magazine
C L I C K A N Y W H E R E O N T H E A D S T O L E A R N M O R E
commissioner center
Women across the country are challenging the norms of youth
football by stepping up to fill non-traditional roles as league administrators.
Carolyn Stewart, football commissioner for the Spring Valley Athletic Association, just north of Dallas, has served in a leadership capacity for more than 20 years.
“I have always enjoyed sports and spend most of my time coaching and watching kids play,” said Stewart, who oversees more than 1,350 youth football players. “I just think it’s a fun way to spend your life.”
Stewart assumed her position after the league’s board approached her about trading in her coach’s clipboard for an administrative role.
“I just wanted it to be run right so all the kids would have an equal chance to be successful,” said Stewart, who has seen four of her grandchildren participate in the league.
Gena Walker Warren of Wheaton, Md., is another grandmother who
grew up loving football. As vice chairman of the Capital Beltway League that serves approximately 3,500 kids, Warren’s goal is to “help
shape the mentors so that the players have positive influences in their life.”
Warren felt that the leaders, who also served as coaches, at the time were only concerned with their football teams.
“I didn’t like the direction that youth football was going,” said
Warren, who has more than 10 years of administration experience. “It was geared toward winning and not coaching.”
Stewart and Warren both are part of leagues that require that their coaches become USA Football members and pass the online Certified Coaching Education Program.
“We have greatly benefited since we’ve become involved with USA Football,” Warren said. “The coaches appreciate the training, and I think the concussion awareness education is awesome.”
Stewart, who has passed the CCEP, said, “I just love the game of football. I think it teaches kids discipline, love for the sport and to work together for the team. I really strive to get
coaches that will teach the kids the right fundamentals and respect for officials, coaches and teammates.”
“If you want to make a difference and you enjoy seeing the smiles and sharing a win,” Warren said, “just go for it. It’s rewarding. It’s like being a mother to all of the kids out there.”
Women take leadership positions at youth football leaguesGrandmothers serve as youth football league administrators BY AISHA JOHNSON
Carolyn Stewart (center) is a grandmother and football
commissioner of the Spring Valley Athletic Association
of North Dallas, Texas. Stewart, who has more than 20
years of youth sports administration, is pictured with her
grandsons Jake Griffin (left) and J.R. Griffin (right), who play
in the SVAA football league.
For more on this topic, visit usafootball.com22 USA Football Magazine
commissioner center
I spent several days attending Indiana’s largest youth football
tournament, the Central Indiana Border Wars. And while I certainly enjoyed the com-petition on the field, the high-light for me was the spirit of the tournament and the cooperation it fosters within the Indianapolis area youth football community.
More than 20 leagues, fielding almost 90 teams in four grades and eight divi-sions, played 140 games in a double-elimination
format during two weeks of competition. It’s all pos-sible because three area leagues — in “rival” commu-nities — come together to
plan and run the tournament each year. They take off their league hats to agree on the rules, co-manage team registration, host weigh-ins at multiple sites and
open their facilities to host games.
Participating area leagues cooperate as well, making the tournament’s tremendous growth pos-sible by adjusting their
in-house league calendars to end prior to the late October start of the Border Wars. Tournament organiz-ers are committed to an early November end date, allowing players to move on to winter sports and avoid any disruption of the holiday season. It’s a refreshing perspective at a time when many youth sports leagues push too hard, too fast for sport specialization and year-round involvement.
Border Wars has become Central Indiana’s year-end youth football celebration and a source of community pride. Kids who compete against each other as the Cowboys
or Jets in their in-house league unite as all-stars to represent their league or town. The players compete hard, families cheer en-thusiastically, and with the help of USA Football and FedEx, eight champions emerge on the final Satur-day. But, most importantly, it all happens in an envi-ronment that honors the game, the competition and sportsmanship.
In this unique “war,” the youth football community of Central Indiana is the winner.
Scott LeVeque is USA Football’s Great Lakes Re-gional Manager, overseeing Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio.
Border Wars bring Central Indiana leagues together for season’s endBY SCOTT LeVEQUE
SCOTT LeVEQUE
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The Central Indiana Border Wars brings nearly two dozen
communities together each year for a season-ending tournament
to crown Central Indiana champions.
More than 20 leagues, fielding almost 90 teams in four grades and
eight divisions, played 140 games in a double-elimination format
during the Central Indiana Border Wars.
R E G I O N A L M A N A G E R ’ S R E P O R T
For more, visit http://bit.ly/d5zxCt USA Football Magazine 23
commissioner center
Northwest RegionBassel Faltas
(317) [email protected]
West RegionBucky Brooks
(317) [email protected]
Mid-Atlantic RegionDeno Campbell
(317) 489-4422(240) [email protected]
South RegionDave Fanucchi
(317) [email protected]
Southeast RegionRick Peacock
(317) [email protected]
Northeast RegionEd Passino
(317) [email protected] Region
Joe Owens
(317) [email protected]
Great Lakes RegionScott LeVeque
(317) [email protected]
America’s 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 Football’s 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 it’s 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 (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.
USA Football Regional Managers
24 USA Football Magazine
commissioner center
There has never been a better time to coach or play youth football.
Beginning in 2011, USA Football – the official youth football development partner of the NFL and NFL Players Association – will kick off a new membership option called League Affiliation to offer exciting benefits for entire leagues.
USA Football League Affiliation will help leagues across the country ensure that every member of the youth football community enjoys a positive experience within America’s favorite sport.
League Affiliation members enjoy the benefits that USA Football has always been known for – innovative coaching education and player development resources – and in addition, coaches, players and parents can unite on specifically tailored web pages to exchange practice schedules, game film, photos and fundraising information.
“We’re very excited about kicking off League Affiliation,” USA Football Membership Director Gary Del Vecchio said. “We have discussed this league-wide membership offering with youth league commissioners nationwide in order to best meet their needs, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.”
To become a League Affiliation member of USA Football, a league:
• registers each of its players and coaches for the
membership benefits above at $5 apiece
• ensures that every coach (head and assistant) completes the standard tackle certification course or recertification quiz
USA Football’s Player Progression Development Model (PPDM) – a first for football – introduces age-specific techniques and skills for players to master based on their physical and cognitive maturity as they develop through the sport. Through League Affiliation, USA Football will deliver its
PPDM to an entire league’s roster of coaches and players.
Through members’ myCOACH’s and myPLAYER’s pages, coaches can gather player age-specific teaching information that can be forwarded to their players and the players’ parents. Parents can join their child’s myPLAYER’s page account to enjoy a comprehensive football experience together.
Reach your USA Football regional manager (Page 24) and learn how easy it is to sign up for League Affiliation to further strengthen your league.
USA Football kicks off League Affiliation in 2011BY STEVE ALIC
FOR COACHES: FOR PLAYERS:
USA Football’s Player Progression Development Model curriculum
USA Football’s Player Progression Development Model curriculum
Film Room (coaching instruction video)
Drills Library (more than 100 drills shown and explained)
Drills Library (more than 100 drills shown and explained)
Player development resources by position and skill
Practice Planner Rules Interpretation
Click ’n Create Playbook NFL Films Video Library (techniques by position)
NFL Films Video Library (techniques by position)
Picture and Photo Sharing
Standard Tackle Course/Recertification Quiz
Member Certificate
Standard Flag Course myPLAYER’s Page (football social network)
myCOACH’s Page (football social network)
Benefits included in USA Football League Affiliation, available for only $5 per coach and athlete:
USA Football Magazine 25
commissioner center
Keeping equipment in good working order makes for a safer game. It also helps keep costs down for youth leagues that can find themselves with
a tight budget.That’s why properly cleaning and storing equipment
during the offseason are important to protect the players and maximize league funds.
USA Football’s Equipment Guide recommends that helmets be reconditioned at a minimum every two years. Helmets that are not reconditioned on an annual basis still need to be sanitized and washed before being stored for winter, said George Maczuga, director of institutional marketing at Riddell.
“At the least, wipe the helmets out with soapy detergent, then let them air dry in a nice, controlled environment,” Maczuga said. “Take the chin straps and put them through a washing machine to sanitize them.”
Helmets and shoulder pads should be stored on racks or hung on a wall so they are not piled up throughout the winter, Maczuga said. Shoulder pads that are stacked haphazardly could lead to the plastic arches being broken or bent.
Pads, jerseys, pants and official flags should be cleaned in a washing machine as well.
“The key is to be dried properly before you start
storing,” Maczuga said. It’s also important to store equipment in a heated
building that allows for circulation because a damp, cold shed or sealed storage containers can lead to situations where condensation or freezing can lead to cracks.
“Over the course of time, equipment that gets damp from either the weather or condensation can lead to mildew, which is a big problem,” Maczuga said.
Whether equipment is collected immediately after the last game or on a designated day depends on which works best for the league, said Ron Beach, president of the Community Youth Football League in Livingston County, N.Y., which consists of 700 players.
It all comes down to establishing a routine.
“We collect everything the Tuesday and Wednesday after the last game,” Beach said. “The parents sign for everything. They know they
have to return it clean. If anything is damaged, they have to replace it. It’s amazing how well they take care of it when they know that if they ruin it, they buy it.”
Beach said his league reconditions helmets every two years. For the other years, the equipment manager and two assistants will go through everything to make sure it is properly treated and stored.
“Taking care of the equipment in the short term helps us in the long run,” Beach said.
Collecting equipment, proper equipment storage are first goals of offseasonGather everything right away, then find a warm, dry place for winterBY JOE FROLLO
Helmets need to be sanitized and washed before being stored
on racks or shelves for winter.
26 USA Football Magazine
Helping steer USA Football’s mission as the sport’s national governing body is its 16-member Board of Directors. The board is composed of leaders throughout the football community. This issue of USA Football Magazine introduces you to USA Football Board Member Grant Teaff, who for the past 17 years has served as executive director of the American Football Coaches Association. Teaff was a college football head coach for 37 years, his longest tenure coming with Baylor University (1972-92), where he led the Bears to four bowl victories.
What has football meant to you?I came under the influence of Snyder, Texas, high school coaches in 1949. I was
truly blessed because my family had given me a value system to live by, and my high school coaches taught me how to win on and off the field. As a junior in high school, I made the decision that I wanted to be like my coaches and become a football coach. Football, through coaches, changed my life and has been the vehicle by which I have sought to change the lives of others.
How much do you appreciate youth football coaches?I really appreciate them a great deal. They are unpaid volunteers who care about
the game and realize those who play it can learn life’s lessons from it. I also appreciate youth football coaches who spend the time to learn the game, master how to teach it, and at all times, instill safety for the well-being of the youth who play it.
What is the American Football Coaches Association’s mission?The AFCA was formed in part to maintain the highest possible standards in football
and the profession of coaching football and to provide a forum for the discussion and study of all matters pertaining to football and coaching. We set forth strong ethical and moral codes within an established Code of Ethics that governs all aspects of coaching with an active Ethics Committee.
How are organizational goals for the AFCA and USA Football linked?Both realize the important role football plays in the lives of those who coach it
and play it. The two organizations work together extremely well, as AFCA focuses on high school, college and professional coaching. USA Football is doing an outstanding job working with youth football that goes through junior high and high school. USA Football has also done an outstanding job promoting the game internationally.
What is the greatest piece of advice you can offer to a youth football coach?Make sure you know what you’re doing and remember, it’s not about you – it’s
about what you teach and letting all the players play.
Grant TeaffExecutive Director, American Football Coaches AssociationBY STEVE ALIC
meet a usa football board memberUSA FOOTBALL’S
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Ray AndersonExec. V.P., Football Operations
National Football League
Jason BelserSenior Regional Director
NFL Players Association
Joe BrowneSenior Advisor to the Commissioner
National Football League
Jon ButlerExecutive Director
Pop Warner Little Scholars, Inc.
Tom CovePresident & CEO
SGMA International
Carl Francis Director of Communications
NFL Players Association
Alexia GallagherDirector, NFL Charities &
Youth Football Fund.
National Football League
Bob GardnerExecutive Director
National Federation of State
High School Associations
Roger GoodellCommissioner
National Football League
Merril HogeNFL Alumnus and
ESPN NFL Analyst
Mark Meana Chairman
Fairfax County (Va.)
Youth Football League
Brian MitchellFormer NFL All-Star
NFL Alumnus
Carl PetersonChairman
USA Football
DeMaurice SmithExecutive Director
NFL Players Association
Grant TeaffExecutive Director
American Football
Coaches Association
Deborah YowAthletic Director
North Carolina State University
USA Football Magazine 27
officiating center
Football officials at all levels must choose wisely when selecting cleats. Whether
sticking to a budget or being provided footwear as part of their uniform package, veteran officials Justin Ingalls and Dana Nelson agree that the most important factor when choosing shoes is comfort.
“There’s nothing worse than having blisters and sore feet and trying to move,” said Nelson, a 37-year-veteran from Yankton, S.D.
Nelson, who works approximately 25 games per season, said the field surface is another significant aspect when considering cleats. Nelson works as a high school back judge and a college referee.
“I always bring two pairs of shoes to a game,” Nelson said. “Turf or grass dictates what shoes I buy. If I know the weather calls for rain, then I take an old pair.”
Basic officiating shoes are typically all black, low-cut and closely resemble sneakers. They have many small, hard, rubber cleats that are uniform in size and evenly
distributed covering the sole.Conversely, most athletes’
footwear is designed with traction in mind, featuring fewer, more spread-out cleats that are larger in width and length and are strategically
placed on the toe and heel. Also unique to players’ footwear, styles can vary based on position and typical actions — including quick or sharp turns, speed and lateral movement.
Ingalls also umpires about 25 contests per year. As the referee, he has general supervision of games and splits his time officiating collegiate conferences of the Midwest Football Officials Alliance
and the Indoor Football League, an independent arena league.
Ingalls looks for a quality leather shoe that offers arch support and a snug fit.
“I look in the $80 to $100 area to get a quality shoe,” said Ingalls, an 18-year football official from Sioux Falls, S.D. “I want something multi-purpose for natural grass and FieldTurf surfaces.”
Ingalls and Nelson both said that a pair of officiating shoes normally lasts two seasons and that weather does not affect their decision to buy a certain brand. They advise novice referees to find a mid-range priced shoe, saying that
inexpensive cleats could sacrifice comfort, and expensive ones might be overpriced for the value.
“You don’t need to buy top-of-the-line or spend a lot of money to get a comfortable shoe,” Nelson said. “You can still find a football officiating shoe for $50 or $60. I’ve had Converse, Nike and Puma. I now wear Reebok on grass and an Asics on turf. It’s just trial and error to find something you like.”
Comfortable shoes are essential to an official’s mobilityVeteran football referees lend insight into cleat preferencesBY AISHA JOHNSON
Proper footwear for football officials means blending
comfortability with proper traction for the surface.
28 USA Football Magazine
officiating center
Football leagues at every level are trying to eliminate hits to the head and neck area. The
USA Football Rules Committee met during November in Indianapolis and expanded what the USA Football Rulebook considers illegal contact and worthy of a penalty.
In keeping with rulings passed by the NCAA and National Federation of State High School Associations, USA Football’s Rulebook will assess a 15-yard penalty — and possible ejection — to anyone using a helmet, shoulder or forearm to make contact to the head or neck of a defenseless player.
The wording addresses the intention of the existing rule, said committee rules editor and veteran college football referee Bill LeMonnier. It also helps clear up a commonly mistaken perception that only “helmet-to-helmet” hits are illegal.
“Helmet to helmet is just one component,” LeMonnier said. “It is about hitting an opponent with your helmet, shoulder or forearm to anywhere above another player’s shoulders.”
Defenseless players include a receiver or defender in the act of catching a pass, a quarterback in his throwing motion, a player already down or out of bounds
and a center in the act of long-snapping.
The strike point for tacklers is the hips to the numbers, USA Football Director of Football Development Nick Inzerello said. Education needs to start young, because by the time players get to college and the pros, habits are more difficult to change.
“Youth players learn by watching the higher levels, so it’s imperative youth coaches teach the proper fundamentals from the very beginning,” Inzerello said.
The committee stressed that not all hits that land above the neck
are illegal. There are cases where contact is incidental and should not draw a penalty. LeMonnier said it is up to officials to judge each situation individually.
“There are cases when the runner dips his head as contact is about to take place,” LeMonnier said. “There are some cases where the runner could initiate the head-to-head hit, and the penalty might be on the runner.
“Those are accidents. Those are part of football. There’s a big difference between those situations and where someone goes up high on purpose.”
Rules Committee expands wording for illegal hitsMore than just helmet to helmet will draw flagBY JOE FROLLO
USA Football Rules Comimttee editor Bill LeMonnier (center) joined the 10-member group
recently in Indianapolis. The veteran college football referee said it is a point of emphasis
for youth leagues to rid themselves of hits to the head and neck area. At left is USA
Football Director of Football Development Nick Inzerello. At right is committee member Don
Lindberger of Schwenksville, Pa.
For more, visit http://bit.ly/aawZHb
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USA Football Magazine 29
football facts, stats & figures
BY JOE FROLLO AND MEGAN MOYER
Football No. 1 among high school boysFor the 11th consecutive year, the number of high school boys playing tackle
football (1.14 million) is greater than the second- and third-most played sports combined, according to a survey by the National Federation of State High School Associations.
The survey, which included high school athletes from all 50 states, also listed 6,235 girls who played flag football and 1,350 who played tackle.
By comparison, 572,123 boys participated in outdoor track and field and 540,207 played basketball in 2009-10. Outdoor track and field had a total of 1.04 million boys and girls, combined.
0 250,000 500,000 750,000 1,000,000 1,250,000
Football
Basketball
Baseball
Soccer
Outdoor track & field
391,839
472,644
540,207
572,123
1,135,252
Participation numbers for high school boys in 2009-10:
75%
18%
7%
72%
17%
11%
79%
16%5%
81%
14%5%
The benefits of coaching educationParents in leagues whose coaches are trained through USA Football’s Certified Coaching Education Program were asked about their perceptions of the quality of coaching their children received.
above average
average average average average
below average below average below average below average
above average above average above average
Overall coaching abilities
Communication abilities
Knowledge of the game
Keeping player safety a top priority
According to the Washington Post, that’s the number of colleges that have added or resumed football programs since 2000, mostly at schools that do not offer athletic scholarships. With tuition averaging $30,000 per year at those schools, and an average of 100 players per team, football has added an estimated $3 million to the general fund at each college.
54
SOURCE: NATIONAL FEDERATION OF STATE HIGH SCHOOL ASSOCIATIONS
30 USA Football Magazine
What are your primary responsibilities?As manager of membership services, I lead
and develop the team responsible for providing outstanding customer service to USA Football’s members in all 50 states. I also oversee the day to day operations of the membership services department, working closely with our regional managers and the membership services team to help our members get the most from their partnership with USA Football.
What excites you about your job?I take pride in being at a place with people fully
committed to improving the experience for youth and amateur players participating in the game of football.
What is your favorite part about working with USA Football members?
USA Football members have the highest level of commitment to youth football, and I enjoy helping them achieve their goals with all the resources USA Football has to offer. It’s always great listening to a coach tell a story about how the tools he used from his USA Football membership helped him be more successful.
Did you play football growing up?I played football in fourth grade, took a seven-
year hiatus, then played again my senior year in high school. I had a terrible experience my first year, then a buddy convinced me to play football my senior year, and it was the most fun I had playing any sport growing up.
What do you like to do away from the office?I enjoy spending time with my wife and 2-year-old
daughter. I also like attending local sporting events, trying out new foods and squeezing in a round of golf whenever I can.
Was football part of your life before joining USA Football?
I’ve been a huge fan of football for as long as I can remember, and to date the greatest live sporting event I’ve witnessed was the Colts beating the Patriots to earn their trip to the Super Bowl XLI in 2006.
Meet a USA Football Staffer
Chris EvansMembership Services Manager
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USA Football Magazine 31
Success is about overcoming difficulties and putting bad days behind you.
Scott Fischer learned that early in life as a young quarterback growing up in New Jersey.
Now, as the Riddell youth division sales representative in his home state, Fischer said he still takes the lessons football taught him and applies them to his daily life.
“As a quarterback, you are going to throw interceptions once in a while,” Fischer said.
“There are going to be bumps in the road. Life is based on adversity. Keep your head up. As Yogi Berra said, ‘It’s not over until it’s over.’ ”
That message was driven home while Fischer played quarterback at NCAA Division III program Montclair State University. Fisher threw a late interception that he though cost his team the game. His coach, Fred Hill, told Fischer to stay in the game.
“There was three minutes left when I threw the pick,” Fischer said. “As I was walking off the field, Coach Hill grabbed me by the face mask and said there was plenty of time. Get myself up and get ready to get back out there.
“Sure as sugar, we got the ball back, and we got it done.”
Another lesson Fischer learned at Montclair State was
to not let other people’s shortsightedness affect his life. Fischer played alongside a 5-foot-9 middle linebacker who could hit as hard as anyone, but nobody gave him a shot at the pros.
“That linebacker was Sam Mills, and he went on to play a long time with the New Orleans Saints (and Carolina Panthers),” Fischer said. “If that’s not a reason to keep plugging along, I don’t know what is.”
After graduating from college, Fischer began volunteering as a football coach for seventh- and eighth-graders. For 25 years, he passed on the lessons football can teach youngsters.
“You think back to memories of youth football coaches and how they inspired you, left their mark,” Fischer said. “That’s something I wanted to do as well.”
Nothing beats getting a raw, awkward young player just coming into his teenage years and watching him grow as a player throughout the season, Fischer said.
“Coaches help kids reach their goals. They
start from zero and work their way up,” Fischer said. “I’ve had one or two players who came back to coach on the junior levels who I coached. Some are now in the high school and college ranks.
“To see kids who I had as a coach now coaching at the higher levels or doing well in their professions, that makes it all worth it.”
What Football Taught MeScott Fischer, Riddell
BY JOE FROLLO
“To see kids who I had as a coach now coaching at the higher levels or doing well in their professions, that makes it all worth it.” – Scott Fisher
32 USA Football Magazine
