USA Football Magazine Issue 16 Jan Feb 2011

8/7/2019 USA Football Magazine Issue 16 Jan Feb 2011

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USA Football Player Academies

are accepting registrations

PAGE 14

Reginald Smith: What football

has taught my daughter

PAGE 15

Making the jump to fresman

football

PAGE 16

Quickhitter Grid

PAGE 17

USA Football takes next step in

coaching development

PAGE 18

Coaching Schools have you

covered

PAGE 19

Art of the long snap

PAGE 20

Takeaway-Giveaway with Larry

& David: What to do in the red

zone?

PAGE 22

Meet a Member: Walt Lodes Jr.

PAGE 23

contentsISSUE 16 FEB. 2011

Kickoffwith USA Football

Executive Director

Scott Hallenbeck

PAGE 4

features

USA Footballs League

Affiliation unites

commissioners, coaches,

players and parents

PAGE 6

Team USA vs. The World

kicks off in AustinPAGE 8

Age-based curriculum follows

players through growth and

developmentPAGE 13

usafootball.com looking good,offering morePAGE 13

Football

Facts, Stats

& FiguresPAGE 32

Meet a USA

Football Board

MemberPAGE 33

What Football

Taught Me:

Joe GuyauxPAGE 34

Offseason drills to help build

agility

PAGE 24

Budget decisions can free up

extra dollars

PAGE 26

Come share your ideas at

USA Footballs state forums

PAGE 27

USA Football Regional Managers

PAGE 28

Football fundraisers that score

PAGE 29

A solid foundation is best tool to

expand player base

PAGE 30

Primary focus needs to change

with the game

PAGE 31

officiating center

health & safety

commissioner center

players center

coaching center

3 & Out:

Darren

AllmanPAGE 12


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usafootball.com

Executive Director

SCOTT HALLENBECK

USA FOOTBALL

EDITORIAL STAFF

Managing Editor

JOE FROLLOContributors:

STEVE ALIC, BASSEL FALTAS,

NICK INZERELLO, AISHA JOHNSON,

MEGAN MOYER, EMILY NEWELL,

ANNE PANKHURST, 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,

The anticipation and energy surrounding a games opening kickoff or its

first snap quickens our pulse.

That feeling of excitement is shared by all of

us as our 2011 event schedule, National Teamprogram and League Affiliation membership run

out of the proverbial locker room to start the

new year.

League Affiliation membership already is

welcomed by youth leagues across the country

as USA Footballs greatest innovation in our

nine-year history of serving you. For the first

time, every member of a youth football league

commissioners, coaches and players can

obtain the power of USA Footballs teaching and

learning resources at $5 for 12 months. Turnto pages 6-7 for more and connect with your USA Football Regional Manager

(page 28) to plug in to the official football development partner of the NFL and

the NFL Players Association.

Athletes, coaches, youth league commissioners and club presidents

already have begun registering for and attending our 80-plus football

development events. Player academies for athletes age 7-14, coaching

schools, state forums all are happening from coast to coast.

In addition to these headlines, this issue of USA Football Magazine covers a

range of news, including:

A view of USA Footballs Player Progression Development Model to best

teach, learn and enjoy the game;

Direction from a pair of winning high school head coaches on preparing

for high school freshman football;

Dueling viewpoints from two of our coaching experts on how to score

in the Red Zone;

Insight and advice from one of the NFLs top long snappers;

Fundraising ideas that can help your league, club or team score at the

bottom line.

As always, youre a toll-free call (877-5-FOOTBALL) or a mouse click away

(usafootball.com) from our member services department, located in the heart

of Downtown Indianapolis.

Thank you for all you do to power this game. I hope to see you on a football

field soon.

Scott Hallenbeck

USA Football Executive Director

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

at [email protected] today.

kickoff

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The idea seems simple to Chris Spangler bring all

members of the youth football community under

the same umbrella.

Through USA Footballs new membership option called

League Affiliation, commissioners, coaches, players

and parents can come together at one website to enjoy

benefits for the entire league.

Spangler is the director of football operations at Morris

Cohen Junior Football in Moorsville, Ind., located 15 minutes

south of Indianapolis. From the age-appropriate instruction

to the coaches and officials education to the opportunity

for coach-player interaction on individual team pages,

Spangler said League Affiliation makes it easy for league

leaders to do their jobs.

A new approachto an old idea

USA Footballs League Affiliation unites commissioners, coaches, players and parents

BY JOE FROLLO



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Breaking it down the way USA Football has makes it so

simple, said Spangler, whose league represents about 500

players in tackle and flag from first through sixth grade.

The league president can track everything and be right

there to see what everyone is doing. This is going to be a

great tool.

League Affiliation will help leagues across the country

ensure that every member of the youth football community

enjoys a positive experience within Americas favorite

sport.

As the official youth football development partner of

the NFL and NFL Players Association, USA Football offers

innovative coaching

education and player

development resources

while uniting coaches,

players and parents

on specifically tailored

web pages to exchange

practice schedules, plays,

game film, photos and

fundraising information.

Through myCOACHS

and myPLAYERS pages

set to launch in March on

usafootball.com, coaches

can upload film or post

drills ahead of time so

players know what to

expect and learn on their

own time away from

the practice field. The

USA Football Film Room

Library shows techniques

by position and age

level, while an exclusive

NFL Films Video Library

showcases the games fundamentals at the highest level.

A detailed league operations guide is included and offers

a compilation of best practices, and the commissioner

dashboard allows administrators to manage their league,

including everything from registration to schedules to

coaching education.

USA Footballs Player Progression Development Model

(PPDM) a first for football introduces age-specific

techniques and skills for players to master based on theirphysical and cognitive maturity as they develop through the

sport. Through League Affiliation, USA Football will deliver PPDM

content to an entire leagues roster with the click of a button.

Were very excited about kicking off League Affiliation,

USA Football Membership Director Gary Del Vecchio

said. We have discussed this leaguewide membership

offering with youth league commissioners nationwide in

an effort to meet their needs, and the feedback has been

overwhelmingly positive.

Phil Grams of Sierra Valley USA Football and Cheer in Greater

Sacramento said League Affiliation provides the tools to teach

his leagues coaches and offers common ground for all.

Everyone has the same goals and the same core

values, said Grams, a USA Football member whose league

includes 1,900 players. It also gives us expert advice

to turn to whenever there are questions. Most of my

experience in coaching is at the high school level. USA

Football can help guide me in the right direction for all

levels of youth football.

To become a League Affiliation member, a league must:

register each of its players and coaches for $5 each;

ensure that every coach (head and assistant)

completes the

standard tackle

certification course or

recertification quiz.

Spangler said his

league is debating

whether to work the $5

membership fee into

the registration fee or

absorb it as a league.

Leagues that signed

up in 2010 to have

their coaches be USA

Football members paid

$20 per coach, so the

final cost of paying $5

for everybody is offset

by what was paid for

coaching membership.

Some leagues are

considering using

money from fundraisers

to pay the league wide

membership. Others

are asking coaches to

collect the $5 from each player on the first day of practice.

For what you are getting, the money isnt much,

Spangler said. Coaches can get on and show the kids

exactly what they want them to do through the drills and

the videos. This way, the players know whats expected

of them, and it will save so much time at each practice,

allowing you to start the process even quicker.

Grams league operates a Coaching School with USA

Football, and his Granite Bay Junior Grizzlies already areemploying much of what USA Football offers.

League Affiliation would open that line of communication

even wider.

We were looking for a way to share the beliefs that we

had, he said. Nobody was saying the same things until we

found USA Football.

If you believe that it is a leagues mission to get as

many people to play football as possible, if you believe in

teaching the fundamentals and doing it the right way, then

USA Football is for you.

Through USA Footballs new membership option called League Affiliation,commissioners, coaches, players and parents can come together at one

website to enjoy benefits for the entire league. Below is a scene from a video

coming to usafootball.com that helps explain PPDM.

USA Football Magazine 7


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The worlds football community descends on

Austin, Texas, on Feb. 2 for USA Footballs second

annual Team USA vs. The World game. The

competition matches 45 of the best U.S. high school

seniors against athletes from

four continents representing

the rest of the International

Federation of American Football.

Led by Austin Westlake High

School head coach Darren

Allman, the U.S. Under-19

National Team is looking to

extend its unbeaten record in

international competition.

This game in itself is unique,

Allman said. But I am also

looking forward to working

with coaches and players from

around the country. It will be a

great learning experience for

everyone involved.

The U.S. beat the World, 17-0,

last year in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Team USA also won three games

without a loss en route to a gold

medal in the 2009 IFAF Junior World Championship in

Canton, Ohio.

Allman has five days with his players, but the coaches

have been preparing for the past month. They gathered

in Dallas in January during the American Football

Coaches Association meeting and have remained in

touch from their homes across the nation.

The coaching staff and roster have come together

very well, Allman said. There is a great deal of talent

and experience, and it will be

fun to bring it all together for a

single cause.

The World team is led by

University of Western Ontario

head coach Greg Marshall. IFAF

President Tommy Wiking said

this game is important to the

international football community

as Americas favorite sport

grows across the world.

The World Team is part of a

bigger picture that will increase

the standard of the game

outside of the United States,

Wiking said.

The game also is an

opportunity for players and

coaches to build relationships

with people who speak different

languages but share the same

pride and enthusiasm for football.

The passion for this sport in Central Texas is deep and

generational, USA Football Chairman Carl Peterson said.

Whether a player is from Seattle or Stockholm, hes going

to love playing in this atmosphere in front of these fans.

Team USA vs. The Worldkicks of in AustinPassion for football extends beyond Americas boundaries

BY JOE FROLLO

HEAD COACH DARREN ALLMAN



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Team USA Roster

#1HCB

JabrielWashingtonHT:5-11 WT:165

Hometown:

Jackson, Tenn.

#2HWR

TyMontgomeryHT:6-0 WT:202

Hometown:

Dallas, Texas

#3HWR

GeorgeAtkinsonHT:6-1 WT:194

Hometown:

Livermore, Calif.

#4HRB

AaronGreenHT:5-11 WT:191

Hometown:

San Antonio, Texas

#5HLB

AnthonySaraoHT:6-1 WT:215

Hometown:

Absecon, N.J.

#6HS

AveryWallsHT:5-11 WT:185

Hometown:

McDonough, Ga.

#7HDE

StephonTuittHT:6-5 WT:260

Hometown:

Monroe, Ga.

#8HWR

HakeemFlowersHT:6-2 WT:173

Hometown:

Taylors, S.C.

#9HWR

TacoiSumlerHT:5-8 WT:170

Hometown:

Miami, Fla.

#17HLB

ManoaPikulaHT:6-1 WT:220

Hometown:

Bingham, Utah

#10HQB

KevinHoganHT:6-4 WT:205

Hometown:

Washington, D.C.

#11HWR

ConnerFloydHT:6-1 WT:200

Hometown:

Austin, Tex.

#12HQB

CodyKeithHT:6-5 WT:195

Hometown:

Cheshire, Conn.

#13HLB

RyanSimmonsHT:6-3 WT:230

Hometown:

Cibolo, Tex.

#15HQB

KiehlFrazierHT:6-3 WT:212

Hometown:

Springdale, Ark.

#20HCB

JoshTurnerHT:6-1 WT:175

Hometown:

Oklahoma City, Okla.

#21HLB

TylerWrightHT:6-4 WT:200

Hometown:

Granbury, Tex.

#22HS

RonaldTannerHT:6-1 WT:190

Hometown:

Columbus, Ohio

#24HDB

WayneLyonsHT:6-0 WT:185

Hometown:

Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

#28HRB

SavonHugginsHT:6-0 WT:190

Hometown:

Jersey City, N.J.

#32HRB

JoeBergeronHT:6-1 WT:215

Hometown:

Mesquite, Texas

#34HRB

KennyWilliamsHT:5-10 WT:206

Hometown:

Pflugerville, Texas

#36HWR

DevonCajusteHT:6-4 WT:225

Hometown:

Flushing, N.Y.

#40HDT

KevinMcReynoldsHT:6-2 WT:281

Hometown:

Washington, D.C.

#41HDE

JesseHayesHT:6-4 WT:230

Hometown:

Cincinnati, Ohio

#43HCB

JoshAtkinsonHT:6-0 WT:185

Hometown:

Livermore, Calif.

#44HLB

GrahamStewartHT:6-1 WT:216

Hometown:

Middletown, Conn.

#45HLB

NickLikaHT:6-2WT:240

Hometown:

Naperville, Ill.

#54HLB

AnthonyRabasaHT:6-3 WT:220

Hometown:

Miami, Fla.

#55HOL

BobbyThompsonHT:6-7 WT:285

Hometown:

Midland, Tex.

#56HOL

MattFreemanHT:6-1 WT:255

Hometown:

Abilene, Tex.

#63HOL

MichaelBennettHT:6-3 WT:275

Hometown:

Centerville, Ohio



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Coaches

#65HOL

JarrettHudsonHT:6-5 WT:260

Hometown:

Cedar Park, Tex.

#72HOL

ChrisMerleneHT:6-3 WT:330

Hometown:

Flower Mound, Tex.

#73HOL

KiaroHoltsHT:6-5 WT:270

Hometown:

Indianapolis, Ind.

#75HOL

MattHegartyHT:6-5 WT:265

Hometown:

Aztec, N.M.

#74HOL

MattWofordHT:6-7 WT:320

Hometown:

Cedar Park, Texas

Darren AllmanHead Coach

High School:

Austin (Texas)

Westlake.

Kevin CartyReceivers

High School:

Bound Brook (N.J.)

Jef RhoadsReceivers

High School:

Austin (Texas)

Westlake

Dave PeckInside

linebackers

High School:

Bingham (Utah)

Danny ServanceDeensive ends

High School:

Lubbock (Texas)

Estacado

Chris MerrittDeensive

coordinator

High School:

Miami Christopher

Columbus

Glen JonesTight ends

High School:

Brady (Texas)

Ted WillmannOfensive line

High School:

Austin (Texas)

Westlake

Matt AnastasioOutside

linebackers/

special teams

High School:

Austin (Texas)

Westlake

Brandon FairclothOfensive

coordinator

High School:

Port Neches-Groves

(Texas)

Mike MuschampRunning backs

High School:

Atlanta Lovett

Aaron BradyDeensive

tackles

High School:

Washington (D.C.)

Gonzaga

Scotty PughCornerbacks

High School:

Granbury (Texas)

#76HOL

HunterGoodwinHT:6-5 WT:280

Hometown:

Baltimore, MD

#77HOL

JamelleNafHT:6-4 WT:310

Hometown:

Del City, Okla.

#80HWR

JaxonShipleyHT:6-0 WT:170

Hometown:

Brownwood, Tex.

#88HTE

JackKonopkaHT:6-5 WT:262

Hometown:

Palatine, Ill.

#89HK-P

WillMondayHT:6-3 WT:180

Hometown:

Flowery Branch,

Ga.

#90HDE

TanielaTupouHT:6-2 WT:260

Hometown:

Mill Creek, Wash.

#92HDT

KrisHarleyHT:6-2 WT:265

Hometown:

Indianapolis, Ind.

Read all about the

2011 Team USA vs. The World Game at:

www.usavworld.com and www.usafootball.com

http://www.usavworld.com/http://www.usafootball.com/http://www.usafootball.com/http://www.usavworld.com/


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3 & OutAustin (Texas) Westlake High School football coach Darren Allman is

preparing USA Footballs Under-19 National Team for the second annual

Team USA vs. The World game on Feb. 2 in Austin. Allman, who led the

Chaparrals to the 2009 Texas Class 5-A state finals, recently discussed

the game and what it means to represent his country:

USA FB: Why did you accept the opportunity to be part of the U.S.

Under-19 National Team staff?

ALLMAN: I intend to help USA Football promote the greatest game ever

played to the young men in Texas and the United States. The experience

of working with players and coaches from other parts of the country and

competing against others from foreign countries will be a once in a lifetime experience. It will be an honor to

represent the USA in competition.

USA FB: What have you learned about international competition in American football?

ALLMAN: Football is becoming very important to people outside of the US. They are excited about

opportunities to compete against some of Americas top players, and they will be playing to win.USA FB: What do you hope fans, players and coaches take out of this game?

ALLMAN: Football is very special to people in the United States. Coaches and players pour a great deal of

time, effort and emotion into winning. The fans will enjoy recognizing that this is not an all-star game but

instead a game that both teams strongly want to win.

Joe Frollo

DARREN ALLMAN

http://velocitysp.com/


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With all the new and exciting innovations

coming to USA Football League Affiliation,

the Player Progression Development Model,

league websites its only fitting that usafootball.com

gets a makeover, too.

Visitors to USA Footballs web site will see more than

a new look, however, when the site relaunches in March.

So much more will be available for commissioners,

coaches, players and parents to help make youth

football even better.

Along with great stories, the Drills Library, Film Room,Practice Planner and all the things USA Football members

have come to enjoy, usafootball.com will become a one-

stop shop for everything your league needs.

The myCOACHS and myPLAYERS pages a social

network designed for the needs of each team provide

a single link for a team to come together away from the

field. A video library will constantly be updated with

not only the latest in football education but history,

personalities and football fun as well.

USA Footballs Twitter feeds The Pulse will keep

fans up to date with the latest information and breaking

news. And fundraisers got even easier as leagues can

set up their own store at Zazzle.com, complete with your

teams logos and personalized gifts.

Check out usafootball.com every day for whats going

on in the youth football world, and see how it makes

Americas favorite sport even more fun to play and coach.

usaootball.comlooking good,ofering moreBY JOE FROLLO

You wouldnt teach a second-

grader algebra. In the same way,

football instruction should be

delivered in a manner that matches a

players comprehension.USA Football has developed a

Player Progression Development

Model, and PPDM will be at the

heart of everything USA Football

does in 2011. Most important are the

continuing coach education programs

and age-appropriate courses. Player

Academies, Coaching Schools, a

web site redesign, coach and player

membership resources all that and

more are being driven by age-based

curriculum that helps youth football

coaches do their job better.

Coaching players of different

ages takes various approaches andtechniques, USA Football Director of

Football Development Nick Inzerello

said. PPDM will help coaches feel

more confident in teaching players to

perform at their best.

PPDM helps coaches assist young

athletes as they progress while

also providing a positive playing

experience. The model incorporates

research on physical, mental,

emotional and social factors.

Age groups are identified at

Under-6 (flag), U-8, U-10, U-12 and

U-14, with PPDM providing guidance

on everything from the volume andfrequency of practices to the skill

sets players can start developing and

establishing a foundation of skills and

progress by age. PPDM identifies what

is physically and mentally appropriate

for coaches to teach based on an

athletes maturity level.

The goal is for PPDM to increase the

likelihood that players reach their full

potential in the sport, Inzerello said.

PPDM at center of all that USA Football doesAge-based curriculum follows players through growth and development BY JOE FROLLO

http://www.usafootball.com/http://www.zazzle.com/http://www.zazzle.com/http://www.usafootball.com/


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At 3-years-old, Adrienne Smith watched games on

TV with her father, Reginald Smith. By the time

Adrienne was 7, Reginald showed her how to

throw a football.

As Adrienne got older, she played multiple sports,

including basketball and softball, but it wasnt until

she was 28 an age when most professional athletes

are thinking about retiring that she started her

professional football career.

Adrienne plays quarterback, wide receiver and

defensive back for the New York Sharks, a member of

the Independent Womens Football League. Adrienne also

has played on two U.S. Womens National Teams, winning

a gold medal at the International Federation of American

FootballWomens World Championship and silver at the

IFAF Flag Football World Championship. She also runs herown company, Harlem Hip-Hop Tours.

Reginald Smith recently spoke with USA Football

Magazine to discuss his daughters love for Americas

favorite sport.

USA FB: What are some benefits from football that you

have seen in Adrienne?

SMITH: Football has helped her become more

competitive and has improved her leadership skills.

It has taught her to accept that you wont win all the

time but you dont stop playing the game. Adrienne is

also a great teammate and athlete because she wants

everyone to do succeed.

USA FB: What do you most enjoy about watching your

daughter play?

SMITH: When she scores, of course! When you have a

daughter like Adrienne it is easy to be a proud parent. At

the games in Sweden, fans were coming up to her and

asking for her autograph. I remember when she was just

learning her ABCs, and now here she is a professional

athlete signing autographs. It was a bittersweet moment

for me, because I was very proud of the woman she has

become but I was also thinking Where did the time go?

My little girl has grown up so fast.

USA FB: What is your fondest memory of Adriennes

football career thus far?SMITH: In Sweden when she scored a touchdown

and she did not celebrate. She smiled but she knew that

things went according to plan and that her scoring was

not a surprise.

USA FB: What has football taught your daughter?

SMITH: Football has taught Adrienne how to be a

team player, plan ahead, persevere and overcome

adversity. She has used these skills to help her manage

her professional career as a football player and as a

businesswoman.

what football has taught my daughterBY AISHA JOHNSON

Reginald Smith:

Presented byAdrienne and Reginald

Smith enjoy some time

together in Stockholm,

Sweden, during

Adriennes trip there

as a member of the

U.S. Womens National

Team. Adrienne brought

home gold with her

team and added to a

lifetime of memories

with her father.

http://www.nysharksfootball.com/http://www.ifaf.org/http://www.ifaf.org/http://www.ifaf.org/http://www.harlemhiphoptours.com/http://www.shockdoctor.com/index.aspxhttp://www.harlemhiphoptours.com/http://www.ifaf.org/http://www.ifaf.org/http://www.nysharksfootball.com/


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players center

the jump from eighth to ninth

grade is a big one in a football

players life. Athletes go from

being the biggest, strongest and

fastest to nearly starting all over

once they enter high school.

Soon-to-be freshmen dont

have to make the plunge all at

once, however. The process

should be gradual to make

it easier both physically and

mentally.

High school head football

coaches Chris Merritt of Miami

Christopher Columbus andJeremy Gold of Ann Arbor (Mich.)

Pioneer both said eighth-graders

can do small things leading up to

the end of the school year, then take

advantage of summer workouts that

help the transition into high school

two-a-days.

Merritt said he and his staff are

ready to welcome new players the

day they leave eighth grade.

In June, as soon as they are

allowed, incoming freshmen can

work out three nights a week, said

Merritt, USA Footballs head coach

in the 2010 Team USA vs. The World

game and a U.S. Under-19 National

Team assistant for the 2009 IFAF

Junior World Championship in

Canton, Ohio. From learning how

to lift weights to knowing how to

run properly, there is plenty that

freshmen need to learn before they

even open the playbook.

Working out three days a week

is a good start in the winter and

spring, Merritt said. Players who

dont have supervision should lift

light weights or stick to machines

instead of free weights. Lifting

incorrectly is dangerous todeveloping muscles.

Merritt doesnt allow freshmen

to lift with weights on the bars until

they have the form down correctly.

When running, stick to short

sprints that include cutting and

stopping, Merritt said. Long-

distance running only gets you

ready for track, he said.

The internet is a great source for

information for cone drills, ladders

and sprinting drills, Merritt said.

Climbing stairs go a lot further

toward getting you in football shape

than running miles.

Gold, an assistant coach on the

Team USA staff in Canton, said the

spring and summer are great times

to prepare mentally as well. Players

who were starters in eighth grade

might have to start out as reserves.

Take that as a challenge early on

to prove to the coaches that you

deserve to play.

Know that this is something

that you want to do going into

your ninth-grade year, Gold

said. Its going to take a year-

round commitment.

Stay encouraged, and dont

be afraid to compete. You learn

in the offseason, in practice,in film study and in the weight

room. Soak in everything you

can to make your team better.

Working out with a trainer during

the offseason never hurts, but

not every kid can afford that, Gold

said. Be ready for that first day

you can join the team and staff in

conditioning. Everyone can be a part

of that.

Making the jump to

freshman footballCoaches offer tips for eighth-graders getting

ready for high school BY JOE FROLLO

Eighth-graders thinking of trying out for

football in high school should begin preparing

for their freshman year as early as possible.

Talk with your coach as soon as you graduate

junior high to get a head start.

CHRIS MERRITT

Climbing stairs

go a lot further

toward getting

you in football

shape than

running miles. Chris Merritt



17/36

coaching center

Skill most needed

to coach

Biggest challenge

to coaching

Favorite coach

Best place to

celebrate win

Pregame rituals

Favorite football

book

Favorite football

movie

Most inspirational

person

Who would you

like to spend a day

with?

Favorite USA

Football benefit

Favorite tailgate

food

Character development in

youth using sports as a

vehicle

Getting parents to

understand the next level

is not NFL as it pertains to

youth sports

Ralph Friedgen and Tony

Dungy

5 Guys Burgers

and Fries

Prayer, team

chants

GMYFL rule book

Remember the Titans

High School coach Bob

Estes

NFL linebacker Ray Lewis

and bass player Marcus

Miller

Website and

its many

educational

resources

Bratwurst with sauerkraut

on a rye hotdog roll

Patience and commitment

Not enough time

Mike Tomlin

Blue 32

restaurant in

Gilbert, Ariz.

Pregame warm-

up start time

Facing the Giants, by Eric

Wilson

Remember the Titans

Jesus Christ

NFL

Commissioner

Roger Goodell

Resources library

and equipment

grants

Zummos quality smoked

sausages

Dont overcoach. Teach

only what the players can

understand.

Time away from family

Mike Leach

end zone

Pray over every player and

parent on both teams

Football 101

Brians Song

Todd Gram, Tulsa

University

Tony Dungy

Certified education

program

BBQ

A positive attitude

Im an amputee with a

rare chronic pain diseas

with no cure called refle

sympathetic dystrophy.

Mike Tomlin

At school, where friends

that dont play feel part

the team

Prayers

Legends of

the NFL

Facing the

Giants

God and my

wife

Mike Tomlin

and USA

Football Regional Manag

Ed Passino

Everything they offer,

including their huge

hearts and love of the

game

Cole slaw on a

barbeque pork

sandwich

USA Football offers resource-packed memberships to give coaches, game officials, youth league commissioners and playersan edge. Learn more at www.usafootball.com/register.

QUICK-HITTER GRID

COACH:

ORGANIZATION:

RESIDENCE:

RICK TAYLOR

Greater Metro Youth Football

Clinton, Md.

STEVE LEWIS

Chandler Cowboys

Chandler, Ariz.

JASON CLARK

Bixby Youth Football

Bixby, Okla.

BEN GOFFINS

Conemaugh Township

Johnstown, Pa.

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.


18/36

coaching center

Every so often somebody

comes along with something

interesting. When that

happens for the benefit of children

playing sports, interesting becomes

exciting to me.

About a year agoa call came from USA

Football Director of

Football Development

Nick Inzerello asking for

my help in developing an

age-specific program for

young football players.

Nick wanted to take

research on young

athlete development

and help football coaches trainplayers in ways that are appropriate

to each players age and stage of

development.

My background is in combining

coach and player development

strategies so

coaches are

knowledgeable

about what

kids can do and

how to coachthem when

they are ready

to do it. To me,

coaches must

understand

why children

are capable of

learning specific skills between the

ages of 6 and 14. These skills and

abilities are physical and mental,

emotional and social they impact

the technical and competitive skills

that players can learn and perform

at different ages.

It is easy to put them

into a simple model.USA Footballs version is

the Player Progression

Development Model

(PPDM).

PPDM is divided into

two-year age bands,

beginning at Under-6 and

progressing to Under-14.

These ages match the

competitive framework

in the sport and indicate tocommissioners, coaches and parents

what kids can do and when.

Apart from the physical, technical,

mental, emotional, social and

competitive skills, research also

shows how much training and

competition children should have

at different ages, how they should

warm up and cool down and how a

parents role changes as kids grow

and mature.

In terms of growth and maturation,

the ages of 6 to 14 span the years

when players progress from beingyoung children to moving through

puberty. During this time, instructors

need different skills to coach well.

PPDM is the practical link

between player development and

coach development. USA Football

is now developing coaching

education courses to train

coaches to work specifically with

the different age groups. In what

is probably a first in U.S. sportscoaching, USA Football will ensure

their coaches know how, what

and why to teach young players at

different ages and stages.

Thats the reason for my

excitement.

Pankhurst

is a Player

Progression

Development

Modelconsultant to

USA Football.

She mentors

coaches and

delivers age-

specific athlete

development

programs in the United States and

United Kingdom.

USA Football takes next stepin coaching developmentTeaching football isnt one size fits all

BY ANNE PANKHURST

ANNE PANKHURST



19/36

coaching center

Become a better coach with USA Footballs

Coaching Schools.

The one-day clinics held across the

nation are conducted by top local youth and

high school coaches and specifically designed

to help coaches learn how to properly teach

football fundamentals,

improve organization and

incorporate new offensive,

defensive and specialteams schemes. Lessons

include both classroom and on-field instruction.

New for 2011 is the inclusion of USA Footballs

Player Progression Development Model that

helps coaches teach the sport at the their teams

particular age level. Join your fellow coaches in the

Under-8, Under-10, Under-12 and Under-14 groups

for sessions specific to your teams age level.

To learn more about USA Footballs Coaching

Schools, visit: www.usafootball.com.

USA Football Coaching Schools teach the basics in the classroom setting, then put the coaches through the drills out on the

practice field.

Coaching Schools have youcoveredClinics include age-based

instruction for all levels

BY JOE FROLLO

http://www.usafootball.com/resource-center/coaching/clinicshttp://www.usafootball.com/resource-center/coaching/clinicshttp://www.usafootball.com/resource-center/coaching/clinicshttp://www.usafootball.com/resource-center/coaching/clinics


20/36

coaching center

It can mean the difference

between winning and losing,

yet its often overlooked by the

casual fan.

Long snapping is a critical skill

that can

be taught

and learned

on the

youth level,

according

to Chicago

Bears long

snapper

Patrick

Mannelly.

The 13-

year NFL veteran was named to

the 2010 USA Football/NFL Players

Association All-Fundamentals Team.

A video breakdown of Mannellys

long snapping fundamentals can be

found on his All-Fundamentals Teamplayer page.

I started consistently long

snapping in the seventh grade,

said Mannelly, who runs a website

dedicated to the skill called www.

long snapper.com. I believe any

player third grade and above is

fine to start long snapping, but

they should make sure they have

the proper fundamentals to do it

consistently.Quinton Askew of the Maryland

American Youth Football Conference

has coached 14 seasons 11 youth,

three high school and has a

successful method of teaching the

position.

Get a good, comfortable stance,

feet slightly wider than shoulder-

width apart and stretch to your full

extent to the ball, says Askew, a

USA Football coaching member. If

right-handed, place your right hand

under the ball, gripping it with a

slight turn with your hand covering

the laces. The slight turn helps with

spiraling the pass.

The left hand

should be at the

center of the ball

with the fingertips

covering the top

this is your guide

hand. The player

should slightly lift

the ball and push

it back as if he is

throwing a pass

with a powerful motion. The most

important part is making

sure the players hands

extend through the legs

and upper thigh.

Helping lead the 2010U.S. Womens National

Team to a gold medal

in Stockholm, Sweden,

was Mark McLaughlin. A

veteran football coach

on the high school and

womens professional

levels, McLaughlin

directed Team USAs

special teams.

An aspect ofdeep snapping that

goes underrated or

underappreciated is

that we as coaches are

asking an athlete to

view the world upside

down and then to complete the

skill through mental imagery,

McLaughlin said.

Practice on a regular and

individual basis, much like being

on a driving range for a golf

lesson one-on-one, very patient,

positive and supportive. The deep

snapper should have a regular and

consistent routine: the foot plant

and width, weight distribution, grip

on ball, distance of arms in front

and even the breathing pattern

should all be emphasized so that

the athlete feels comfortable in

their skill delivery. If a kicker is

warming up for the big kick, then if

feasible, warm up the deep snapper

on third down.

Chicagos right-handed Mannelly

aims to finish with his right index

finger pointing at his target he

aims for a punters belt

buckle with both hands

completely following

through.

McLaughlin offers aclosing piece of advice

for coaches in finding

long snappers on their

rosters:

Someone who would

be good at leap frog

would have attributes

similar to what we are

asking for. We propel

ourselves forward with

arms between the legsand generate a good

amount of force while

doing it.

You need someone

with athleticism, someone

who is a little fearless,

someone who deals with pressure,

and someone who takes pride in

what they are doing. Coaches should

instill that pride.

Art of the long snapBY STEVE ALIC

Learn more at www.allfundamentalsteam.com

QUINTON ASKEW

MARK McLAUGHLIN

PATRICK MANNELLY

http://allfundamentalsteam.com/http://allfundamentalsteam.com/http://allfundamentalsteam.com/roster/player/74http://allfundamentalsteam.com/roster/player/74http://www.longsnapper.com/http://www.longsnapper.com/http://www.usafootball.com/pages/coaching_developmenthttp://www.usafootball.com/pages/coaching_developmenthttp://www.usafootball.com/articles/displayArticle/7509/9757ehttp://www.usafootball.com/articles/displayArticle/7509/9757ehttp://www.usafootball.com/articles/displayArticle/7509/9757ehttp://www.usafootball.com/articles/displayArticle/7463/9660http://www.usafootball.com/articles/displayArticle/7463/9660http://www.usafootball.com/articles/displayArticle/7509/9757ehttp://www.usafootball.com/articles/displayArticle/7509/9757ehttp://www.usafootball.com/articles/displayArticle/7509/9757ehttp://www.usafootball.com/pages/coaching_developmenthttp://www.longsnapper.com/http://www.longsnapper.com/http://allfundamentalsteam.com/roster/player/74http://allfundamentalsteam.com/roster/player/74http://allfundamentalsteam.com/http://allfundamentalsteam.com/


21/36
http://www.shockdoctor.com/index.aspx


22/36

coaching center

What to do in the red zone?

TAKEAWAY-GIVEAWAY WITH LARRY & DAVID

Stick with what got you there

BY DAVID MARCO

During a typical NFL broadcast, announcers will

talk about the importance of scoring while in the

red zone. Youth teams dont often have a player

who can successfully kick field goals. So when we

get inside the 20 yard line, we

need to score a touchdown.

Its vital to keep red-zone

mistakes to a minimum, so I

prefer plays that have been the

most successful for us. We run

off-tackle, counters, wedge and

some trap

the same plays we run 90

percent of the time, our bread

and butter.

When you get into the red

zone, players tend to get

nervous because they know

how important it is to be score.

As a coach its my job to make

them as comfortable and

confident as possible. Why call

a play at the most important

part of a game we dont

usually run?

Defenses tend to be very

aggressive in the red zone.

They are not worried about

giving up a big play. So the

closest I get to a trick play inthe red zone is changing the

snap count to try to make the

defense pay for being overly

aggressive.

In the past two seasons, my teams have been

stopped only four times in the red zone, and two

of these were on fumbles. We scored a touchdown

84 percent of the time. Do what you do best, and

you will have more success.

Mixing it up near the goal line is to adefenses advantage

BY LARRY CANARD

There is an old saying in football that goes: The

only thing the prevent defense does is prevent the

defense from stopping the offense.

Thinking about that statement,

it stands to reason that being able

to predict how the defense will

line up and defend a given play is

a tremendous advantage for the

offense.

Mixing up your defensive

alignments,

blitzes and coverages will

keep the offensive coach

guessing. At the youth level,

practice time and the ability of

the young players to absorb

information does not create

a great environment for thedefensive players to read and

react.

Mixing up your defensive

approach in the red zone gets

the players moving at the snap

and can create confusion for

the offensive players. Applying

pressure in the red zone gives

the defense an advantage,

and since the back of the end

zone acts as a 12th defender,getting beat on a deep pass is

not a concern.

Conversely, calling a less

aggressive play in certain

situations has the advantage of the front of the end

zone being a 12th man and keeping the offense in

front of the defense. A confused offense one that

isnt sure if you are coming full-force or in a base

set will have trouble scoring.



23/36

coaching center

Michigan man has been a coach for

34 years

BY AISHA JOHNSON

Walt Lodes Jr.s coaching career began on

the first day of his sons first practice.

The team was short-handed and needed

help. The rest is history. For the past 34 years, hehas enjoyed providing a safe and fun environment

for youngsters to learn to play football while instilling

the values of teamwork and discipline in his players.

Lodes recently spoke to USA Football Magazine to

discuss his volunteer work and USA Football.

What is your proudest moment as a coach?

When my sons got older they both became

involved with football -- one in coaching and one in

league administration. Six of my former players are

coaches of youth football teams. One former playertold me that I always looked like I was having fun, so

thats why he became a coach. I also enjoy coaching

the kids whose fathers used to play for me.

Why is youth football important to the development

of the sport?

Football teaches players teamwork and discipline.

With 22 kids on the field at a time, football teaches

that they need to work together as a team. Teamwork

is something that is valued in life and in a career.

How did you first learn about USA Football?

We first learned about USA Football during the

youth football forum at Ford Field in Detroit. Then

Scott LeVeque (USA Football Great Lakes regional

manager) contacted me about attending the

Michigan State Forum in 2009, where we learned a lot

about what USA Football does. I met other folks, and

we had a really good discussion and traded ideas

about sportsmanship and safety.

Why did you become a USA Football member?

I went to the USA Football website, and I saw

the amount of information, and it was staggering.

In addition to the Xs and Os, they have health and

safety information. For new leagues, you dont have

to reinvent the wheel. To me its just awesome.

How has your membership benefitted you as a

coach?

A good coach is always trying to learn something

new. The game is always changing. USA Football

puts out a lot of good information like offensive

and defensive drills and Coach Bass columns that

answer everyday questions. Weve put everything

that USA Football has sent me about concussions on

our website, and weve encouraged our teams and

coaches to share it on their websites as well.

Would you recommend USA Football to other

coaches?

Absolutely. Ive been very impressed with the

organization and how helpful (Great Lakes Regional

Manager) Scott LeVeque has been.

Walt Lodes Jr.

Meet a USA Football Member

Name Walt Lodes Jr.

Residence Grand Rapids, MicUSA Football memberships

Commissioner, Coach

League Northern Rocket Foo

League

How long coaching 34 years

Full-time job Regional manag

Statewide Non-Profit and Tra

Agency: Michigan State AFL-C

Human Resources Developm

http://www.usafootball.com/http://www.usafootball.com/


24/36

health & fitness

t

he best football players can

look like acrobats on the field,

using their bodies to get to

the ball or the man in their sights.

You see receivers rocket into space,

find the ball, then somehow safely

return to earth.

Any good offseason training

program needs to lay the foundation

for the circus catches and tackles

you see on TV, and these two drills

will do just that.

Precision JumpsTo work on balance and landing

skills, use precision boards that are

raised two inches off of the ground.

Start with the boards about two feet

apart and practice jumping from one

to the other.

Without even thinking about it, youll

start absorbing your landing forces

more safely as you concentrate on

sticking the landing. Once youre able

to do eight jumps in a row without

falling, move the boards farther apart.

More elite football players do

these with one-footed landings,

and receivers can attempt to catch

a softly thrown football mid-jump.

Those advanced progressions can

make this drill challenging.

Arrowhead DrillGreat agility is a combination of

reaction-time, speed and the abilityto decelerate your body weight

to change directions quickly. The

arrowhead agility drill works on all of

those things.

Set up cones in an arrow pattern

with the tip 15 yards from the tail and

the side cones at 45 degrees and

five yards away from the tip. Start

at the tail and sprint forward to the

tip. When you get there, turn around

the cone and head at a diagonal to

either one of the sides. Get around

the side cone and head to the middle

cone, around it and finally back to the

starting line. Repeat on the other side.

Once youve practiced running

the arrowhead drill for four weeks,

add a reactive component by having

a friend stand at the tip and wave

you either left or right as you sprint

toward him. If you want to increase

your conditioning, team up with

a friend and take turns runningthrough it until youve both gone

through 10 times.

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 Footballs expert in

sports performance training.

Offseason drills to

help build agilityBY RETT LARSON

For more, visit: http://www.velocitysp.com/

PRECISION JUMPS ARROWHEAD DRILL

http://www.velocitysp.com/http://www.velocitysp.com/http://www.nsca-lift.org/http://www.nsca-lift.org/http://www.velocitysp.com/http://www.velocitysp.com/http://www.nsca-lift.org/http://www.nsca-lift.org/http://www.velocitysp.com/http://www.velocitysp.com/


25/36USA Football Magazine 25
http://tssphotography.com/http://www.pnc.com/


26/36

commissioner center

Leagues looking to stretch their

budget often can save a few

dollars in equipment choices.

Teams dont need to adopt the

classic austere look of Penn State,

but every logo, stripe and decoration

whether on helmets or pants

adds to the annual bill.

George Maczuga, Riddells directorof sales and marketing support and

a member of USA Footballs Football

and Wellness Committee, said

whether a league is starting up or

working from an existing financial

plan, spending money requires wise

decisions.

It comes down to what a

leagues priorities are, Maczuga

said. Do you want to make the

team picture look great or wouldyou rather use that money to make

sure kids are protected the best

they can be? Everyone

wants to see their team look

good, but Id think every

parents No. 1 concern is the

overall protection.

Maczuga said adding

stripes and logos can cost

as much as $6 per helmet.

Painting a helmet can cost an

additional $8 per unit.

For a four-team league

with 25 players per team,

that is an extra $600 to

$1,400 per year. For the same

money, leagues can go a

long way toward having their

shoulder pads and helmets

reconditioned.

Start adding

things up that are

purely cosmetic, and

you will find some

money you might not

have thought you

had, Maczuga said.

Likewise, use solid

colors for jerseys andpants. Avoid team or

player name unless

the players buy

their jerseys. Basic

facemask styles

one for skill players,

one for linemen in

black or gray are

more cost-effective if one needs to

be replaced in-season.

If money is tight, stay away fromspecialized facemasks and shoulder

pads, Maczuga said. You may want

different shoulder pads for your

star quarterback, but then you are

buying a premium item for just one

year. Your QB will grow, and yournext QB might be four inches taller or

shorter.

One way to help families cut costs

is through equipment exchanges

for shoes, gloves and other items

that can be passed down to other

players.

The Berlin (Wisc.) Youth Football

and Cheerleading runs a cleat

exchange program in which

outgrown shoes are resold at $5.

The money goes toward college

scholarships for former players.

Kids feet grow really fast,

and this is a way to help parents

keep their costs down, said Mike

Schrader, league president and a

USA Football member. They like that,

and it helps our relationship with the

parents.

Budget decisions canfree up extra dollarsBY JOE FROLLO

Avoid adding unnecessary stripes or logos to

a helmet if your league is trying to keep costs

down. Those extras need to be touched up every

year, adding to the overall bill.

Young quarterbacks can learn to throw passes just as easily

with a standard set of shoulder pads. Investing in a special set

doesnt mean next years star QB will fit into them.

For more information, visit riddell.com

Presented by

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27/36

commissioner center

USA Football State

Leadership Forums

offer an opportunity

for candid discussions

about the state of youth

football across a

region.

Leagueand club

administrators

are creative,

hard-working

individuals with

a wealth of

knowledge to

share. We strive to value

the groups similarities

with open dialog about

how to solve common

issues in youth football.

We foster and encourage

continued relationships

to build a communication

network for support, ideas

and possible cross-league

competition.

Topics of conversation

include sportsmanship

and how commissioners

encourage

strong core

values amongplayers, coaches,

parents and game

officials.

Concussion

awareness in

youth sports

is one topic of

concern shared among

forum delegates. The

youth football community

is eager to create

awareness by taking a

proactive approach to

education within the

sports community.

Another popular

discussion centers

on what makes a

commissioners

league or a presidents

club special. League

commissioners and club

presidents are proud of

their communities, and

it is always a positive

when they highlight

the strengths of their

organizations.

We have seen forums

grow in size and strength

in the Northwest and

across the rest of the

United States. We feel

this type of interaction

will only strengthen the

greatest sport we know.

Contact your regional

manager for information on

a state forum near you.

Bassel Faltas is USA

Footballs Northwest

Regional manager,

overseeing Washington,

Oregon, Idaho, Montana,

Wyoming, Northern

California and Northern

Nevada.

Come share your ideas at

USA Footballs state forumsBY BASSEL FALTAS

BASSEL FALTAS

Members of the Northern California/Nevada state forum met Jan. 15

in Truckee, Calif. The group meets annually to discuss new ideas and

topics of concern for youth football leagues throughout the region.

R E G I O N A L M A N A G E R S R E P O R T

http://www.usafootball.com/pages/regional-managers/indexhttp://www.usafootball.com/pages/regional-managers/indexmailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.usafootball.com/pages/regional-managers/indexhttp://www.usafootball.com/pages/regional-managers/index


28/36

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 (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



29/36

commissioner center

There is no wrong way to raise

money to support youth

football. Every dollar earned

goes toward helping a league or

offsetting costs for families.

The key to a successful

fundraiser, though, is finding a

niche that taps into what people

want, what they need. A bake sale

or car wash can net some friendly

donations, but larger potential pay

days are out there for leagues with

a little creativity.

We have several fundraisers

every year, said Ed Hart, a USA

Football member and commissioner

of the Youth Football Federation in

Houston, a group that overseas 12

organizations and 2,100 players.

The basis to all of them is there

is strength in numbers. The more

people you get to do their part, the

more you can raise.Hart said YFF volunteers work

concession stands at Houston

Texans games, with the youth

leagues keeping 10 percent of their

sales. The larger the group, the larger

the take.

Hart also is looking into a program

in Texas in which non-profits can

sign people up for electricity plans

and receive a percentage of each

bill as long as the person remains acustomer. USA Football will offer a

retail partnership with Zazzle.com in

the spring in which leagues can link

to the site and upload their logos,

creating an online store, then bringing

in a percentage every time someone

makes an apparel or merchandise

order.

This gives you the ability to

generate longterm benefits, Hart

said. If you can do that with no

continual work by volunteers, its

easier money.

Other fundraisers can go a long way

toward building community spirit.

Players in Berlin (Wisc.) Youth

Football and Cheerleading can offset

their participation fees by selling

pizzas. For each pizza sold, the

league will knock $2 off the $100

entry fee.

Many reach a goal of 50 and playfor free, said league president Mike

Schrader.

Last year, a quarter of our people

had all their registration fee paid

for, Schrader said. We have some

fun, get the kids together, make the

pizzas ourselves, and they deliver

them all in the same day.

A member of the community donates

the supplies, and we do the rest.

BRAX Spirit Cups have helped

leagues across the United States

raise money. As USA Footballs

official fundraising partner, BRAX

offers cups emblazoned with

designs from all 32 NFL teams, 90

colleges or five military designs.

New this year are NFL and college

popcorn buckets filled with 10

microwavable popcorn packets.

BRAX co-owner Pete Hexter

said he has helped local leaguesin a variety of fundraising projects,

including yard cleanups, pizza sales

and product sales. The ones that

work best are projects the kids can

get behind.

Whether its odd jobs or selling

something, if the kids are out there

doing it with the support of their

parents, you are going to do much

better, he said.

Football fundraisers that scoreBY JOE FROLLO

Members of Berlin (Wisc.) Youth Football and Cheerleading made and sold pizzas last

season, raising money for their league.

http://zazzle.com/http://www.spiritcups.com/http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/dce99eee#/dce99eee/38http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/dce99eee#/dce99eee/38http://www.spiritcups.com/http://zazzle.com/


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commissioner center

When looking to attract more players to your

league, the best advice remains the same put

out a good product, and people will come.

Calvin Massie of Prince Georges County Boys and Girls

Club in Greenbelt, Md., said parents who feel comfortable

are the best marketing tools. With a league that includes

2,800 players, 250 coaches and 226 teams, Massie

believes his organization sells itself by word of mouth.

There are a lot of maverick leagues out there who

come and go, Massie said. We like to promote ourselvesas a part of the community. People remember that.

Being affiliated with USA Football goes a long way

toward that goal. Whether through coaches training,

background checks or online courses, Massie said it

raises the bar and raises the caliber of our coaches.

Ed Hart of the Youth Football Federation in Houston said

parents want their children to be challenged but also want

to feel secure with the coaching staff.

You have to do things with class, and you have to do

things for the entire family, said Hart, who helps oversee

2,100 players.

Establishing a cheer program helps get more family

members involved. Grandma may be more willing to

come watch if she can see all the little ones out there on

Saturday afternoons.

We could have four generations from the same family

in the stands before, during and after the game, Hart said.

By making it enjoyable for the whole family, you have a

better chance of people saying good things about you.

Tom Murphy of St. Francis Xavier Football in Cross

Plains, Wisc., helps oversee a small league with 190

players. Those players, though, represent more boys than

are registered at the school that serves as the leagues

home base.

I know people who drive 30, 35 miles to be a part of

our league, Murphy said. What started as one team with

23 players now has 10 teams from grades four to eight.

Murphy said the key is projecting a positive outlook at

every game and practice. Let that message slip for even

one season, and reputations can be affected.

If you back off, you can lose them to other programs,

he said. Smaller teams, more coaches that gives

players more chances to play and learn. If the players are

enjoying it, their parents will feel they are getting their

moneys worth.

A solid foundation is best toolto expand player baseBY JOE FROLLO

The first rule in looking to expand your league is making sure you

are meeting the needs of everyone involved players, coaches and

their families.

USA Football, Riddell to award $1 million in equipment grantsSince 2006, USA Football has awarded more than $3 million in new football equipment to

approximately 2,000 youth and school-operated football programs spanning all 50 states. Based on

merit and need, USA Footballs Grants Program in 2011 with help from Riddell will award $1 million

worth of equipment to deserving leagues and school-based football programs.

Sign up at www.usafootball.com now to receive an automated e-mail or e-reminder informing

you of when the 2011 USA Football Grants application form is ready. Request an e-reminder by clicking on

the Equipment Grants link under the Commissioners tab at usafootball.com.

The online equipment grant application will be up and running by mid-March.

http://www.usafootball.com/http://www.usafootball.com/http://www.usafootball.com/http://www.usafootball.com/


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officiating center

For years, officials have

been taught to key on

the offensive team.

The rationale is this mechanic

takes you to the point of

attack and allows you to

properly officiate the play.

This is still the framework

for sound officiating, but the

game has changed to one

played by high-skilled athletes

who are bigger, stronger and

faster than ever before.

The danger of high speed

contact puts players at risk for

serious head and neck injuries,

particularly when defenseless

players are being targeted to

those area by their opponents.

This is a whole new challenge

for officials in their efforts to

keep the game safe.

Officials need to re-think

their approach and shift their

attention from offense to

defense to deal with a variety

of situations. Crew mechanics

vary depending on the number ofofficials. That said, player safety

must be the No. 1 priority.

Here are areas where officials can

adjust their approach to keep the full

play in view:

Punt returnersWhile the primary covering

official focuses on the catch,

nearby officials shift from the

receiving team to the kicking teams

gunners. These potential tacklers

can hit the punt returner while he isdefenseless.

Pass receiversThe primary covering official

takes the potential catch/no-catch

and interference judgments. The

off-officials key on defenders

coming in, whether it is to jar

the ball loose or on an obviously

overthrown pass. Crews dont need

multiple officials signaling

an incomplete pass as the

receiver is leveled by high

contact.

Quarterbackspassing

Referees need to

look for the defender

who has clearly beaten

his block and is coming

in unmolested on the

quarterback. Be ready to

move to see the potential

contact to the throwers

neck and head. Too often,

referees are straight-lined

and miss the contact point

by the defender or have

stayed too long on a block

and never see the hit on

the QB.

Players obviouslyout of play

When the play goes

away and a player is just standing

there, he cannot be blindsided byhis opponent. Players, coaches and

fans need to be educated that cheap

shots cause more injuries to the

head and neck than any other part of

the game.

LeMonnier is USA Footballs Rules

Committee editor and a longtime

college football referee. He also

is USA Footballs lead officiating

consultant.

Primary focus needs to

change with the gameFollowing the ball is no longer enough to protect playersBY BILL LeMONNIER

USA Football Rules Comimttee editor Bill LeMonnier believes

officials need to shift their attention from offense to defense

in a variety of situations.

For more, visit: http://bit.ly/dRr96s USA Football Magazine 31


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football facts, stats & figures

BY JOE FROLLO AND MEGAN MOYER

Coaches come from all overFootball is being played by approximately 3 million youths across the United

States. The sport is flourishing with USA Football members in all 50 states and

Washington, D.C.

Football is taught by a wide variety of individuals. Thanks to several studies

commissioned by USA Football, including two with Turnkey Intelligence and

Axiom Direct, here are closer looks at Americas youth football coaches:

Top of the chartsThe NFLs dominance on television continued

this season as 18 of the 20 highest-rated

telecast of any kind in the final four months

of 2010 were NFL games on CBS, NBC or Fox,

according to the New York Times.

Of the 50 highest-rated programs during all of

2010, 27 were NFL games, including eight of the

top 10. And over on cable, it wasnt a contest.

The top 13 spots in the cable ratings from the

fall were all NFL games on ESPN.

Heres a list of the top 10 shows from 2010

and the percentage of people who watched on

television:

0 15% 30% 45% 60%

Urban

Rural

Suburban

Youth Football Coaches - Where They Coach

Percent of coaches

who have a child

playing football

The percentage

of youth football

coaches who are male

The average age

of youth football

coaches

The percentage of

youth football coaches

who are married

The average years of

coaching experience per

individual

89

98

4384 7

SOURCE: NEW YORK TIMES

Super Bowl XLIV: Colts vs. Saints CBS ..................................45.0

NFC Championship: Saints vs. Packers Fox .........................30.6

AFC Championship: Jets vs. Colts CBS ..................................26.3

Academy Awards ABC ...............................................................23.3

NFC playoff, Jan. 17: Cowboys vs. Vikings Fox ....................22.0

AFC playoff, Jan. 17: Jets vs. Chargers CBS ...........................20.1

NFC playoff, Jan. 10: Packers vs. Cardinals Fox ...................19.6

Undercover Boss, Feb. 7 CBS .................................. ..................19.1

NFL playoff, Jan. 9: Eagles vs. Cowboys NBC .......................18.0

NFL regular season, Dec. 12, Patriots vs. Bears-* CBS ...... 17.5

*-Also includes other regional games at the same time as part of total number



33/36

Former NFL wide receiver and return

specialist Desmond Howard has joined

USA Footballs Board of Directors.

The national governing body of the sport,

USA Football is the official youth football

development partner of the NFL, the NFL

Players Association and each of the leagues

32 teams.

Inducted into the College Football Hall

of Fame in December, Howard earned the

Heisman Trophy and the Maxwell Award

in 1991 while attending the University of

Michigan.

A Cleveland native, Howard became the

first receiver in Big Ten history to lead the

conference in scoring. While at Michigan, he

set or tied five NCAA records and 12 single-

season Michigan records. He has served as an analyst for ESPNs College GameDay

show during two of its Sports

Emmy-winning seasons in 2007-08

and 2009-10.Drafted fourth overall by the

Washington Redskins in 1992,

Howard earned Super Bowl XXXI

Most Valuable Player honors in

helping the Green Bay Packers beat

the New England Patriots, 35-21.

He returned a punt 99 yards for a

touchdown in becoming the only

special teams player to earn Super

Bowl MVP.

In 2000, Howard was named tothe Pro Bowl as a member of the

Detroit Lions. Howard played for

five teams during his 11-season

NFL career, recording 12,155 all-

purpose yards while scoring eight

touchdowns on punt returns.

Howard replaces NFL Alumni

member Brian Mitchell on the board

of directors.

Desmond HowardBoard of Directors adds Heisman winner

BY EMILY NEWELL

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

Desmond HowardFormer NFL All-Star

NFL Alumnus

Mark MeanaChairman

Fairfax County (Va.)

Youth Football League

Carl Peterson

ChairmanUSA Football

DeMaurice SmithExecutive Director

NFL Players Association

Grant TeaffExecutive Director

American Football

Coaches Association

Deborah YowAthletic Director

North Carolina State University



34/36

As the President of PNC Financial Services, Joe

Guyaux attributes his success off the field to

the values and life lessons that he learned on

the gridiron.

Football and more broadly athletics have

served me well in the business world. To compete

you have to put in the time to prepare yourself, know

your strengths and

weaknesses and give

it your all, the Western

Pennsylvania native

said.

In addition to

working hard, Guyaux

said the key to success

is teamwork.

Football in particular

shows you how

dependent you are on

the other 10 members

on the team, said

Guyaux, who played

quarterback and

defensive back in high

school. It shows you

how important it is for

everyone to be working

toward the same

outcome. Its sort of

the same thing when

Im running businessteams.

Sometimes you

need to stay at it and

know that you might

not be successful right

away. The same is true

in football. You cant

win all the time. How you respond to your losses and

setbacks determines how you will progress.

Guyaux knows about overcoming obstacles.

I went to Brown (University) to play three sports

(basketball, football and tennis) but ended up playing

none, he said

After suffering an ankle injury and a middle

ear infection, Guyaux missed a lot of football and

basketball practice time during his first semester in

college. Faced with the tough decision to choose one

sport, he ultimately

decided to focus on

academics and play

intramural sports.

The thing I like about

sports is competing,

Guyaux said. One thing

I did as I came to work

right out of college

was that I played in a

basketball league, a

softball league and took

up golf. I still play tennis

competitively, about

three times a week.

Growing up a

Pittsburgh Steelers

fan, Guyauxs love of

football didnt diminish

after his playing days

were over. Guyaux

recently helped present

LaMarr Woodley with

the USA Football/NFLPAAll-Fundamentals Team

trophy.

It was a great

experience, and I was

thrilled to be a part of

it, he said. Any time

you can reinforce to

someone that they are modeling behavior on and off

the football field for future players and fans is a great

opportunity.

What Football Taught MeJoe Guyaux, President of PNC Financial Services

BY AISHA JOHNSON

Football shows you how dependentyou are on the other 10 members of the

team. Its sort of the same thing when

Im running business teams. Joe Guyaux and grandson Clayton



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http://www.spiritcups.com/usaf


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Documents

USA Football Magazine Issue 16 Jan Feb 2011