Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Equipment grants: Applications for 2011 under way
The best move out there Becoming 501c3 protects
a league’s financial future
MAGAZINEMAY 2011ISSUE #17
Equipment grants: Applications for 2011 under way
ALL THINGS SPORTING GOOD
1259 8253 0401 1105 3111 0
OFF$10A TEAM CAN BUILD A SOLID FOUNDATION
USA Football Magazine 3
Quick-Hitter GridPAGE 18
Ways to find volunteers and get them involvedPAGE 19
Student volunteers are a source for help PAGE 20
USA Football Background Checks help keep players safe PAGE 21
2011 Coaching Schools employ the PPDM format PAGE 25
Coaches can connect with players and parents on usafootball.com PAGE 26
Takeaway-Giveaway: Kicking off deep vs. onside every time PAGE 27
Tips for rookie flag football coaches PAGE 30
Warm-ups are best done on the move PAGE 32
The art of … following your blocks PAGE 33
Player Academy graduate now part of Under-15 National Team PAGE 34
Player Memberships educates parents and kids about the gamePAGE 36
A veteran official offers advice to those just starting out PAGE 39
Catching up with: Adam Austin PAGE 14
Meet a Member: Chris Abderhalden PAGE 28
Football Facts, Stats & Figures PAGE 37
What Football Taught Me: Gary Bertolucci PAGE 40
CONTENTSISSUE 17 MAY 2011
PLAYER CENTER
COACHING CENTER
HEALTH & SAFETYCOMMISSIONER CENTERKickoffwith USA Football Executive Director Scott Hallenbeck PAGE 4
FEATURES The benefits of becoming a 501c3 tax-exempt league PAGE 6
State associations of youth league leaders are forming across the nation PAGE 10
Applications for 2011 Equipment Grants are under wayPAGE 12
OFFICIATING CENTER
4 USA Football Magazine
Dear Readers,Legendary Penn State coach Joe Paterno once said: “The will to win is
important, but the will to prepare is vital.”I couldn’t agree more.Football, America’s favorite sport, demands
preparation more than any other game. USA Football prepares our country’s football community so that every player, coach, commissioner and game official can perform at their best when the games are under way.
More than 650 youth football leaders participated in our 2011 State Forums this past winter to get their leagues ready for the season. Thousands of coaches are attending our Coaching Schools and completing our certified coaching education courses to benefit their players. And a record-number of players age 7 to 14 will have fun, improve their skills and raise
their football IQs at our Player Academies this June and July.This issue of USA Football Magazine – stocked with news you should know
– covers other ways to prepare for your season, including:
the benefits of having your league file for non-profit status;how to apply for USA Football’s $1 million football equipment grant
program;how to best find inspired volunteer coaches;learning how your league can employ USA Football’s adult volunteer
background check subsidies;words of advice from an NFL coach, winning high school and youth
coaches and more.And because this digital issue is in your inbox, you’ll always know where
to find it.As always, your USA Football regional manager (Page 23) is ready to serve
you. Call or email him to learn how he can help you perform at your best. In addition, you’re a toll-free call (1-877-5-FOOTBALL) or a mouse click
away (usafootball.com) from our member services department, located in the heart of Downtown Indianapolis.
I wish you success in preparing for another great football season – our favorite time of year.
Sincerely,
Scott HallenbeckUSA Football Executive Director
usafootball.com
Executive Director SCOTT HALLENBECK
USA FOOTBALL EDITORIAL STAFF
Managing Editor: JOE FROLLO
Contributors: STEVE ALIC, WALTER DOERSCHUK,
DAVE FINN, MEGAN MOYER, EMILY NEWELL, RICK PEACOCK, LAINEY RODGERS, RETT LARSON
To contact USA Football: (877) 5-FOOTBALL
KICKOFF
We want to hear your thoughts about USA Football Magazine. Write to us at [email protected] today.
pressassociation.com
Production: LUKE THORNHILL
Editorial office: 292 VAUXHALL BRIDGE ROAD, LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM
Commercial: RICHARD NASH
0044 (0)20 7963 [email protected]
What if you could save thousands of dollars each year on equipment,
concessions and other expenses?What if you could expand your
league’s income base to include grants from the government, corporations and private donors?
By becoming a 501c3 tax-exempt organization, youth football leagues can do those things and more.
The application process involves an initial investment in time and money, but the results are well worth it, said Tony Perry, former president of Central Massachusetts Pop Warner.
“It’s not difficult, especially if you have somebody who can point you in the right direction – internally or in the business community,” he said.
“Youth leagues are businesses run by volunteers. A lot of times, the business part gets put on the back burner. This is one item leagues should take care of up front.”
USA Football recommends that every youth football organization seek 501c3 status, and those that already hold the exemption should make the job of keeping it a top priority.
A secure financial future is just as important to a league’s welfare as strong coaching, a sturdy organization and solid player fundamentals.
Advantages to becoming a 501c3 organization can include:
Exemption from federal taxes on net revenues and possible exemption
from state sales or property taxes;the ability to accept contributions
and donations that are tax-deductible to the donor;
the ability to apply for certain grants that require 501c3 status;
inclusion under the Federal Volunteer Protection Act, which provides certain civil immunities for acts or omissions in the course of official duty;
discounts from the U.S. Postal Service on bulk-mail rates and other services.
After incorporating as a nonprofit on the state level, youth football leagues can begin the 501c3 application process, specifically publication 557 through www.irs.gov.
Joseph E. Miller, an Indianapolis lawyer with Baker & Daniels – a USA Football partner – who specializes in tax-exempt organizations, recommends finding someone within the youth football organization with experience in the process or consulting a professional to complete the application and filing, a
procedure that can take up to 18 months.
“The IRS website will guide you through a lot of the questions, and anyone with enough time and patience to do it right can fill out the forms,” Miller said.
“(However), it’s always good to have a professional opinion to help you out.”
Leagues should apply for 501c3 status and so should citywide clubs, said Christine Johnt of the Niagara Orleans Football Association in Western New York.
Johnt said every new organization – even before the first shoulder pad is
purchased – can begin the process for incorporation at the state
level and seeking a 501c3 exemption on a federal
level. Having each club with its own 501c3 status allows for leagues
to retain financial independence.
“The sooner you can get it done, the better off you are,” Johnt said.
“Why would anyone want to pay sales tax or corporate tax for the stuff a league has to have? It’s about saving money. It’s worth
Tax-exempt status helps league finances
Becoming a 501c3 tax-exempt organization has its advantagesBy Joe Frollo
6 USA Football Magazine
6 USA Football Magazine USA Football Magazine 7
it.” Perry said relying on a national or regional 501c3 number can lead to problems when leagues or clubs want to switch affiliation.
“We’ll have a number of organizations every five or six years who want to regroup, and if they don’t have their own exemption, there is a sticking point in the process,” Perry said.
“It helps keep autonomy between changes in officers and changes within leagues.”
Becoming a 501c3 organization opens a number of doors toward funding, Miller said.
Along with the IRS’s “stamp of approval” as a nonprofit corporation, leagues can receive donations – which often are matched by private companies – or even apply for federal grants in some cases.
“There is a lot of goodwill identified with being a 501c3. For the most part, potential charitable donors looking to find places to
Organizations that are approved for 501c3 tax-exempt status don’t have to pay federal taxes on net revenues and receive possible exemptions from state sales or property taxes, leaving extra money to spend elsewhere.
The first step toward qualifying for 501c3 status is incorporating at the state level. This allows leagues to create a legal entity with the power to interact with the world – whether entering into contracts, setting up bank accounts, hiring employees or buying real estate.
Another reason to incorporate is it provides limited liability to individuals.
“If you have an unincorporated group of people running a football league and a child suffers a severe injury, there is no limitation on the liability any individual can have who is perceived as responsible,” said Joseph E. Miller Jr., an Indianapolis attorney who specializes in tax-exempt organizations with Baker & Daniels. “The same thing can happen if someone slips and falls in the parking lot where games are held.”
In most cases, the process for incorporation is through the secretary of state. Unlike with a for-profit group, however, there is no ownership. Funds belong in a public domain, which also provides legal protection for volunteer officers.
Once established as a nonprofit corporation, leagues are then eligible to apply for 501c3 status. Federal laws, however, limit acceptance to youth sports that are open “on a broad, community-based basis,” Miller said.
“You need to be providing an activity for a community or large group of people,” Miller said. “It has to be inclusive enough that it goes beyond a single team or small group.”
8 USA Football Magazine
SM
SM
www.velocitysp.comFind a location near you:
CHAMPIONS ARE MADE IN THE OFF-SEASON.Velocity specializes in making football players stronger, faster and more powerful. Before letting your players go until next year, introduce them to elite level performance training by scheduling a complimentary team training session at the Velocity nearest you.
Our expert performance coaches will demonstrate how Velocity training can improve speed, power and agility.Better athletes make better teams.
Get a jump start on next season with a complimentary team training session at Velocity.
donate their money look first at 501c3s because they are seen as credible,” Miller said.
The application process includes a number of financial questions, including salaries and reimbursements.
“All this information as well as three years worth of tax returns are considered open records and available upon request or an internet search.
Leagues that don’t have their financial information in order likely will not pass the application process – or could even lose their 501c3 status if they already have it.
Notwithstanding this high bar, Miller said it’s worth it and transparency goes a long way toward establishing credibility in the community.
“People need to understand that any and all financial transactions are governed by pretty strict rules – for
both employees and contractors,” Miller said.
“If you pay anybody – even somebody to line the field or lay new sod – it should be in line with what everyone else gets paid for these duties. As long as you are sticking to good business practices, you should be OK.”
In the end, it’s about spending the league’s money on what helps the players, Perry said. Those months of work toward becoming a 501c3 organization can reap rewards for decades.
“Make sure you are dealing in a professional manner, and go online to get help from tax attorneys in your area if you need any help, Perry said.
“If your books are in order, this process should become a natural part of league business and something you can rely on to save money for generations to come.”
Is your league already a 501c3 tax-exempt organization? Here are some things you need to do to make sure you don’t lose that status:
Make sure to keep your financial records in order and file an annual 990 form with the IRS if your organization meets the minimum threshold. In determining executive compensation, be sure to avoid conflicts of interest, use appropriate comparability data and document all decisions.
Do not engage in any activity or incur any expenses in support of, or in opposition to, a candidate for public office – and do not engage in any substantial lobbying activities.
BY JOE FROLLO
Youth football leaders across the nation are beginning to see strength in numbers when it
comes to building the grassroots level of America’s favorite sport.
With guidance from the USA Football regional manager, state associations are bringing leagues together to promote the game in their area and continue discussions year-round in their communities.
Nearly two dozen associations have either been formed or are in the process of incorporating on the state level. Some represent entire states. Others, such as the New England Youth Football Association, look to form a bond between multiple states that share common goals and objectives.
“We want to bring New England together to form a commonality to youth football, to make it on as even a keel as possible,” said Mark DuBois of the Suburban Amateur Football League, a member of the New England association that represents Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine.
“The goal is for a Pop Warner league to be able to play an American Youth Football league or an independent league under a single umbrella of rules and standards.”
Reasons for forming are as varied as the states themselves.
In New England and South Texas, the hope is to build toward statewide tournaments.
Ohio leagues are developing ways to cut costs and exchange equipment that would benefit all members. In New York, one role of the state
association will be to help middle school students find opportunities to play football.
School budgets there face cuts and possible elimination of the sport at seventh, eighth and ninth-grade level, said Lou Bonnanzio, chairman of Suffolk County PAL and president of the New York State Youth Football Association.
“The kids that don’t normally have a place to play beyond middle school could be shut out in the state unless
someone steps up to do something,” he said.
The South Texas association wants to unite leagues in order to increase opportunities for its players.
“We eventually want to create a post-season tournament for all our kids, we are also finding different ways to enhance coaching education,” said South Texas member David Hartman of the Crossroads Youth Football League in Victoria, Texas.
League commissioners from throughout the Chicago area met in March to discuss the formation of the Chicagoland State Association.
Leagues find a common bond in state associations
10 USA Football Magazine
These states/regions are forming youth football associations. Check with your USA Football regional manager to learn more.
ArkansasNorthern CaliforniaCentral FloridaIndianaKansasMarylandMinnesota
MississippiMissouriNebraskaNew England (Mass.,R.I., Conn., Vt., N.H.)New YorkNorth Carolina
Central TexasNorth TexasSouth TexasOhioPennsylvaniaTennesseeVirginia, Washington
SHOCKSKIN™— PUT THE HURT ON US Comfort. Zero-thread, high-frequency seams eliminate irritation. Contouring. Single
pieces of multi-density foam form over complex body contours to improve impact absorption. Cool. Channeling
improves moisture release and overall cooling.
Introducing an innovative, defensive base layer system that
adds real protection and confidence, without adding weight
or bulk. ShockSkin is intelligent football protection that picks
up coverage where your regular pads leave o!. ShockSkin is
created with integrated fabrics and low-profile vented foam
pads that move and contour with your body. ShockSkin
literally adds a new level of personal defense to your game.
Select from a wide line-up of ShockSkin performance shirts
and shorts. Shock Doctor ShockSkin — let us take the hit.
BUY NOW OR FIND A RETAILER AT SHOCKDOCTOR.COM
find us onFacebook
©20
11 Sho
ck Do
ctor, Inc.
SHOCKSKIN.™ CLOSING THE GAPS IN YOUR PERSONAL DEFENSE.
12 USA Football Magazine
BY EMILY NEWELL
Every football player deserves proper equipment no matter where he or she plays.
That’s where USA Football equipment grants come in, awarding leagues and high schools across the nation with grants each year that provide equipment for teams.
Since 2006, USA Football has awarded more than $4 million in new football equipment to approximately 2,000 youth and school-operated football programs spanning all 50 states and Washington, D.C., based on merit and need. In 2011 – with help from its partner Riddell – USA Football will award $1 million worth of equipment to deserving youth leagues and school-based football programs.
“Getting a USA Football grant helped us out tremendously,” said Keith Johnson, president of the Southern California Falcons. “It helped the parents out tremendously because they didn’t have to buy pads, so some costs were deferred.”
Johnson said the benefit of the USA Football grants is that they are more widely available than higher dollar grants.
“Some may look at the grant and say ‘that’s a lot of work for just $1,000,’” Johnson said.
“What you have to look at are the savings over time. It’s $1,000 this year, but those helmets will last a few seasons. The equipment isn’t going to last just one year, so the savings are tremendous. It’s nice to have smaller
grants that go to a lot of people because they help more than the larger grants that go to a select few.”
Jaison Young is the president of Metro American Youth Football in Maryland and is the general manager of one of its member organizations, the Prince George’s Chargers, who have received a USA Football grant.
“In 2007, we (the Chargers) were a new organization looking for ways to offset costs,” Young said.
“USA Football equipment grants helped get us started, and we appreciate them giving us the
opportunity to get the equipment we so much needed.”
Both Johnson and Young said they would encourage others to apply.
“We definitely appreciate the grants for the simple fact that we have equipment to help us help the players progress and do so safely,” Young said.
“Anyone who doesn’t apply for
these grants is missing out on a great resource.”
Click here to apply for a USA Football equipment grant. Applications are open through May 17
Youth leagues can earn $1,000 and high school programs can receive $1,500 through USA Football equipment grants.
USA Football equipment grants help leagues curb costsGrants provide leagues with much needed equipment to help kids, coaches, parents
BY JOE FROLLO
Retirement for Mel Tjeerdsma hasn’t meant quiet afternoons and long golfing trips.
Instead it’s been recruiting, watching game film and piecing together a team to compete against the world’s best in football.
Sounds like little has changed for the three-time NCAA Division II champion head coach at Northwest Missouri State. He and his coaching staff are busy building the U.S. Men’s National Team roster for the International Federation of American Football Senior World Championship July 8-16 in Austria. USA Football, the national governing body of the sport, organizes all U.S. national teams in football.
Tjeerdsma and his fellow U.S. coaches are sorting through hundreds of applicants from every level of NCAA and NAIA programs as well as some United Football League and indoor league professionals who hope to represent their country on the international stage.
“It’s been a lot of fun, but there is a lot of work to it, too,” Tjeerdsma said. “When I first took this job, I called (2007 U.S. Men’s head coach) John Mackovic, and the first thing he said is be ready for the work.
“The second thing he said is it’s a once in a lifetime experience. I’ve got the work part down. I’m eagerly waiting for the experience to kick in.” Mackovic led the U.S. team to
a gold medal in Kawasaki, Japan, the first appearance by a U.S. men’s team on the international level. The eight-nation tournament includes three round-robin games followed
by the medal round. Players for U.S. National Teams are graded not only on how they perform on the field but by what type of people they are, Tjeerdsma said.
“We want the best players, but it’s important that we find people of high character,” he said.
“We are taking these young men overseas to represent our country for two weeks. We have to make sure we have the right people in that respect.”
Every spot on the 45-player roster is precious, Tjeerdsma said. With three games in five days at one point, bruises will mount and the depth chart must hold up.
“We’ll get the best players who are available and represent our country well,” he said.
USA Football Magazine 13
Mel Tjeerdsma led Northwest Missouri State to two NCAA Division II titles.
Men’s national team coming together for World ChampionshipU.S. is part of eight-nation field in July
Name Position CollegeMel Tjeerdsma Head coach Former Northwest Missouri State head coachLarry Kehres Offensive coordinator Mount Union (Ohio) head coachLou Tepper Defensive coordinator Former Illinois head coachAdam Austin Receivers Midwestern State (Texas) quarterbacks coachSteve Bernstein Defensive backs Former Virginia secondary coachJordan Brown Tight ends/Football ops Hastings (Calif.) defensive line coachMickey Joseph Running backs Langston (Okla.) offensive line coachErik Raeburn Offensive line Wabash (Ind.) head coachMatt Webb Defensive line Southeastern Louisiana State defensive coordinatorDerrick Williams Defensive backs Mary-Hardin Baylor secondary coach
U.S. MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM COACHING STAFF
Adam Austin was the starting quarterback that led Team USA to the gold medal in the 2007 IFAF Men’s World Championship.
Now, the former Arizona Wildcat is the receivers coach for the U.S. Men’s National Team and will be in Austria this summer for the 2011 tournament. USA Football recently spoke with Austin about past, present and future.
What do you remember most fondly about the 2007 tournament?Becoming so close with a bunch of great guys on the team and coaches in such a short amount of time. It’s been four years, and I still talk to most of the team from back then, coming so close and bonding and just being able to represent the country in such a great sport. And then playing against a bunch of different teams and meeting a
bunch of different people from South Korea, Japan, Germany, France.
What have you been up to since graduating college?I’ve been a graduate assistant at Grambling State University in 2008. From there, I was a graduate assistant at Marshall University for the past two years, and I just recently took a job at Midwestern State as a quarterbacks coach.
Do you think you’ll make a career out of coaching?Oh, yeah. Absolutely. Being a head coach is my ultimate goal. I want to be a Division I head coach.
What perspective will you bring to the Team USA coaching staff?
The experience of already being a part of the inaugural team back in 2007 and speaking to the players about what to expect – and figuring out the kind of guys we want on the
team – high quality guys with high character.
How will you approach training camp and preparations for the tournament in Austria?Last time, the quality of the game film wasn’t very good, but we got a basic concept of what the other teams were
going to run. We’ve just got to take the approach of we’re going to go there and execute what we do best and worry about what we do, all while building that camaraderie that you need on a football team.
14 USA Football Magazine
BY DAVE FINN
CATCHING UP WITH: Adam Austin
USA Football Magazine 15
BY EMILY NEWELL
Most know USA Football board member Merril Hoge from his days with
the Pittsburgh Steelers or as an NFL analyst for ESPN.
A group of talented young football players will soon know him as “Coach.”
Hoge, a youth football coach for the past six years in Fort Thomas, Ky., accepted the position of head coach for the U.S. Under-15 National Team, which will play in the Four Nations Cup in Canton, Ohio, this July.
“I love to coach young people. I always tell people if I could make a living doing it, I would do it full time,” Hoge said.
Hoge said he looks forward to the opportunity to meet young players he has never coached before and be able to build relationships throughout the week, teaching the players “all the great things great coaches taught me.”
That includes teaching kids to have fun playing the sport.
“Just have fun. The best thing you can do (as a coach) is to have fun and make it a fun and an enjoyable experience for the kids,” he said.
Hoge thinks the most important part of helping young players grow is learning to maximize each individual’s strengths.
“Something I teach my kids all the time and talk to them about all
the time is that the only standard they have to have for themselves is the standard that they put on themselves,” Hoge said.
“That should always be to maximize the skills you have. You have to try and make the best of what you’ve been given.
“Everyone’s always trying to be like someone or some player they idolize. You just have to be you.”
No matter how much or how little success the team finds this summer, Hoge’s No. 1 goal is to be the best coach possible for the group and teach them the lessons he said took him until much later in life to learn.
“If there’s one thing that I can instill in the kids, it would be instilling a confidence and a pattern to be successful,” Hoge said. “In a week that may be tough, but I think there’s some principles we can teach to help that. No matter what you do or how you prepare, just try your hardest to be successful and at least then you can look back with no regrets.”
Photo courtesy merrilhoge.com
Merril Hoge to coach U.S. Under-15 National TeamUSA Football board member to teach, lead Team USA
Former NFL running back and USA Football Board Member Merril Hoge will coach the U.S. Under-15 National Team this summer in the Four Nations Cup. Hoge is a youth football coach in Fort Thomas, Ky.
“Everyone’s always trying to be like someone or some player they idolize. You just have to be you.”– Merril Hoge
16 USA Football Magazine
BY JOE FROLLO
About 200 of the top high school junior football players from across the nation will
participate in the USA Football Under-19 National Team trials May 28-30 at Lassiter High School outside Atlanta.
Players will work out in front of NFL and college scouts while also competing for spots on the 2012 U.S. Under-19 National Team that will compete in the International Federation of American Football Junior World Championship.
The three-day trial includes individual drills, one-on-one competition and seven-on-seven skeleton passing drills to let athletes showcase their skills.
Clinicians will deliver individual evaluations.
All stations focus on football abilities and teaching – there is no combine testing.
The non-contact event does not include helmets or shoulder pads. All drills are skill-based.
Athletes should bring cleats for field turf, sneakers, game film or highlight film and any gloves or braces that would be needed for workouts.
More than 200 high school juniors participated in a USA Football’s Under-19 National team trial in Austin, Texas. The final session is May 28-30 in Atlanta.
Players set for U-19 National team trialsNFL and college scouts will watch top high school junior players
Click here to learn more about the USA Football Under-19 National Team Trials in Atlanta
TSS Photography / Michael Stanley
USA Football Magazine 17
BY JOE FROLLO
The international football community has taken the first steps toward
establishing national federations of American football on the continent of Africa.
A group representing USA Football, the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) and the Amobi Okoye Foundation visited Nigeria in March as part of a continuing initiative to further advance football’s burgeoning popularity in Africa.
IFAF is composed of 59 member countries spanning five continents – North America, South America, Europe, Asia and Australia.
USA Football Executive Director Scott Hallenbeck was part of the group and recently spoke to USA Football Magazine about the trip.
What was it like being part of the first IFAF delegation to Africa?
The trip was memorable in that we accomplished our goals of securing support to establish American football in Nigeria.
We introduced the sport in the capital city of Abuja and the largest city of Lagos with great interest from both coaches and
players. The Nigerian president and minister of sport fully support the launch of American football, so
we’re confident, with a reasonable timeframe, that we will see the sport flourish there.
How did the Nigerian people take to the sport?
I was extremely impressed with the athleticism of the young people participating at the various clinics. The boys, as well as the girls, demonstrated a comfort and confidence that give me belief they will pick up the sport quickly. Within a short period of time the players were executing many of the basic fundamentals of football.
Flag football is the right way to start in Nigeria, and I was very pleased to hear the sports minister say that he wants to see football started in the schools first as that will help accelerate the sport’s development.
What does the growth of American football in Africa mean to those in the United States?
While it may take five to 10 years, I am confident that we will see more quality and fundamentally sound players coming out of Nigeria and eventually other countries within Africa. There is a real
passion for sports, and I’m expecting that in a relatively short time we’ll see dramatic
growth in participation and that will drive the interest in Nigerian players coming to the U.S. to compete.
Photo by Jason Johnson
USA Football helps establish Africa’s first football federation
USA Football Executive Director Scott Hallenbeck was part of an IFAF delegation that helped set up Africa’s first American football federation in Nigeria.
18 USA Football Magazine
Overcoming old school values
Clinics, forums and connections with individual NFL teams
Tom Landry
University of Texas coach Mack Brown Tom Brady
Seeing the old-school Cowboys play – guys like Roger Staubach and Drew Pearson
Through a child’s football experience, he grows into a man
Chili cheese nachos
Dallas Cowboys
Cowboys/Redskins
The Longest Yard
From the sidelines
Dealing with league expansion
I love the drills and background checks
Troy Aikman
Jimmy Johnson
Any player that has the desire, heart and love of the game
Pretty much the whole football experience, from high school until now
The game teaches about life
Hot dog
Dallas Cowboys
Ohio State / Michigan
Remember the Titans
There is nothing like being on the sideline
Getting our goals across to coaches
The resources we can access
Bill Walsh
George Seifert
Former 49er wide receiver John Taylor
Baltimore Colts vs. 49ers at the old Kezar Stadium
It allows all kids to play organized tackle football
Good old fashion hot dog
Green Bay Packers
USC/Notre Dame and L.A. Rams/49ers
Friday Night Lights Stadium for excitement – couch for comfort
Getting information to everyone in the league
The website and equipment grants
Joe Montana
Dick Vermeil
Matt Cassel
In 2009, our U-12 team had a perfect record and won the Super Bowl
It promotes teamwork, sportsmanship and life skills.
Hot dog or popcorn. It’s a draw
Detroit Lions
Redskins/Cowboys or Packers/Lions
The Replacements
The stadium – swithout a question
COACHING CENTER
With members in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., USA Football recently caught up with four Commissioner members from coast to coast. Below are their straight ahead
thoughts on football topics, including favorite coaches, memories and rivalries.
QUICK-HITTER GRID
COMMISSIONER:ORGANIZATION:
RESIDENCE:
JOHN KAYMarshall Youth Football
Marshall, Texas
ROBERT McNEALBuckeye Youth Football
Tallmadge, Ohio
RICHARD DONATITri-County Youth Football
Madera, Calif.
BOB DUNNCoastal CarolinaBeaufort, N.C.
Biggest challenge as a commissioner
Favorite USA Football benefit
Who would you like to spend a day with
Favorite NFL/college coach
Player you’d like to coach for a day
Favorite football memory
Why youth football is important
Favorite concession stand snack
Best uniform
Best rivalry
Best football movie
Best place to watch the game:
USA Football offers resource-packed memberships to give coaches, game officials, youth league commissioners and players an edge. Learn more at www.usafootball.com.
COMMISSIONER CENTER
USA Football Magazine 19
BY WALTER DOERSCHUK
Volunteers are the lifeblood of any youth football organization.
They set up on game day, work in concession stands, line the fields, handle equipment and coach the players.
Given the range of tasks, it is no surprise that many leagues struggle to find people who want to donate chunks of their busy days.
Chuck Leonard, president of the South Tahoe (Calif.) Pop Warner Football Association, is one of the people whose job it is to find those people.
Leonard fights the perception that time has become “too precious” and people do not want to use it volunteering.
“Finding volunteers is always a problem,” he said.
“Sometimes you get people who volunteer, but they do not realize the commitment that it takes in order to do the job correctly.”
Chris Durham, director of the Junior Football League of Central Illinois, follows a simple formula for finding volunteers.
He strikes up conversations with parents who stick around during practices, eventually getting around to asking: “Would you be interested in helping out?”
“I don’t think it’s that hard to find volunteers,” he said.
”A lot of people go about it the wrong way.
“If you personally ask somebody to help, you are more likely to find
people who want to help.”Durham also sends mass emails
to parents, but he believes the personal touch is more effective.
Leonard also takes the direct approach, asking people to volunteer time.
He arranges for newspaper notices of positions available, including openings on the executive board.
His league tries to fit openings to specific aptitudes, such as seeking a business leader to take on the position of treasurer.
Often enough, finding willing volunteer coaches is not a problem.
Finding those with experience is. That’s where USA Football can help as a training tool.
Durham directs his coaches to the USA Football website and also pairs them with experienced Junior Football League coaches.
Leonard said all of his league’s coaches must be USA Football-certified, while all head coaches must attend a USA Football Coaching School prior to each season. “We have become very adamant about people attending coaching clinics, to the point if you don’t have the required number of points, you don’t coach,” he said.
The stands are often full of willing volunteers. Sometimes all you’ve got to do is ask.
Adult volunteers are there for the asking
“I don’t think it’s that hard to find volunteers. If you personally ask somebody, you are more likely to find people who want to help.”– Chris Durham
COMMISSIONER CENTER
20 USA Football Magazine
Commissioners are always looking for new ways to recruit volunteers.
One source of cooperation many leagues turn to are area high schools and colleges.
Many states require high school students to perform community service as part of their curriculum, while college students can earn hours toward their degrees.
The Canton (Ohio) Youth Football
League works closely with McKinley High School.
By promoting football at the grassroots level within the city, the CYFL is allowed to use McKinley’s practice fields for their games and the city school district’s stadium for championships.
Players also volunteer as the chain gang on game days, while high school coaches and alumni assist at summer camps. In turn, the league
enforces a policy that players who fall behind in the classroom must attend study tables and sit out games.
“This is the high school that many of them will be attending,” CYFL commissioner Rick Simmons said.
“Once the players saw that we were serious about grades and that the high school coaches were serious about this, we’ve had very few who have had to sit out.”
The Springfield (Ill.) Junior Football League receives help from three area schools – McMurray College, Southern Illinois-Springfield and Lincoln Land Community College.
SJFL Director of Operations Jeff Campbell said college students volunteer as game announcers, scorekeepers and coaches.
Broadcast majors can get credit for serving as the public address announcer, and aspiring journalists report from the field on Saturday afternoons.
“The students get valuable experience, and the kids get attention like not a lot of leagues receive,” Campbell said.
“The coaches we get from the colleges often are students who one day want to coach at the high school level. This is a great start for them.”
Whether the help comes in running the scoreboard, serving food in the refreshment stand or lining the field, every able body counts, Simmons said. Cheerleaders, band members and academic clubs all can be recruited to help.
And when the Friday night superstar shows up to help on Saturday mornings, that can really make an impact with the youth players.
“You see their eyes get all big when certain people stop by,” Simmons said.
“For these kids, that really shows them that it is important to give back to the community.”
Phot
o co
urte
sy R
ick S
imm
ons
Area schools can be resource for volunteersHigh schools, colleges are filled with young and energetic helpers BY JOE FROLLO
Ohio State football recruit Steve Miller (right) and his Canton (Ohio) McKinley High School coach Ron Johnson volunteered their time with the Canton Youth Football League last fall.
USA Football Magazine 21
COMMISSIONER CENTER
BY DAVE FINN
Football parents across the country put their trust in leagues to offer a fun and safe experience
for their children. USA Football offers financial help to strengthen that trust.
For the 2011 season, every youth football league throughout the United States is eligible for USA Football’s background check program.
The sport’s national governing body in the United States collaborates with the National Center for Safety Initiatives to offer the gold-standard background check subsidies and fight sexual predators.
“We use the USA Football background checks because of the convenience, reliability and pricing,” said Tim Cramer, president of the Cumberland Valley (Pa.) Midget Football Association.
“The real-time updates in a timely manner are a great convenience for those of us who are volunteers and always looking to find enough time to manage the organization.
“The ease of registration as well as security and privacy can’t be beat. The pricing for the two-year plan is second to none.” The flexible system allows commissioners to receive streamlined background check reports on all
of their adult volunteers, which are generated by two independent national database providers.
“It is important to ensure the safety of everyone involved, most importantly our children,” said Deanna Jarrett, executive board president of the Monterey Bay (Calif.) Youth Football League.
“The system is very user friendly and reliable,” Cramer said.
“It has also proven effective and adds the reassurance that we are doing all we can to protect the children and members of our organization.”
With the peace of mind afforded by thorough background checks, parents and commissioners can feel comfortable as football coaches continue to have a positive impact on America’s youth.
“Our league has definitely seen the positive outcomes,” said Robert Meadows, football commissioner of the Annandale Boys & Girls Club.
The ABGC operates within the Fairfax (Va.) County Youth Football
League, which encompasses more than 7,200 youngsters.
“The background checks really allow you to see what kind of individuals are volunteering and working with our kids,” Meadows said.
USA Football and the National Center for Safety Initiatives offer subsidies for youth football leagues to provide background checks on all adult volunteers.
Background checks give parents peace of mind
COMMISSIONER CENTER
22 USA Football Magazine
If you have travel needs during the football season or are simply looking for great deals on personal travel this summer, USA Football’s newest corporate partners – Marriott and National Car Rental – can help get you to where you want to go.
USA Football members receive competitive pricing on hotel rates through Marriott with no booking fees and can take advantage of rental car discounts at National Car Rental. Marriott is the official hotel partner
of USA Football and Team USA.Members get favorable rates on
accommodations at more than 3,000 Marriott locations.
Click here to learn more
National Car Rental and Enterprise Rent-A-Car are preferred rental car suppliers for USA Football.
There is a discount program for all members.
Click here to learn more
Let USA Football partners help with your travel needs
877.698.3262onecallnow.com/USAFootball
COMMISSIONER CENTER
USA Football Magazine 23
USA FOOTBALL REGIONAL MANAGERSAmerica’s favorite sport is powered by you – dedicated youth league commissioners, coaches, game officials, players, parents and volunteers. For each of you, there is a face and name to place in your football Rolodex: your USA Football Regional Manager.
USA Football regional managers are 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 resources.
Contact your USA Football regional manager to learn how you can kick off your free commissioner membership or 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 is to share news about your league or team or to ask about member resources. You may also contact our office – through usafootball.com or by phone at (877) 5-FOOTBALL. Let us know how we can serve you better. Together, we’ll ensure that teamwork and leadership continue to serve as the laces binding our favorite game.
Northeast
Ed
Passino
(317) 489-4437
Great Lakes
Scott
LeVeque
(317) 489-4434
Northwest
Bassel
Faltas
(317) 489-4426
Central
Joe
Owens
(317) 489-4436
Southeast
Rick
Peacock
(317) 489-4438
Mid-Atlantic
Deno
Campbell
(317) 489-4422
(240) 351-7392
West
(877) 5-FOOTBALL
South
Dave
Fanucchi
(317) 489-4427
COMMISSIONER CENTER
24 USA Football Magazine
BY RICK PEACOCK
We’ve had a great start to 2011 as March 26 in
Atlanta capped off the sixth of six USA Football Youth Leadership Forums in different states throughout the Southeast Region.
This year marked record attendance at each forum location, which ultimately will affect more than 80 leagues, 10,000 coaches and close to 75,000 football players.
During state forums, many of the presidents and commissioners from area leagues discussed best practices, health and safety initiatives and USA Football resources.
Through discussion and feedback, attendees took back the latest and best information to their respective leagues.The impact being felt
throughout each league can be traced to discussions created by these attendees at the annual football summits. Questions are raised and discussed in an
environment that promotes sharing, keeping kids safe and having fun.
USA Football gains valuable information from these events as well. We use feedback to create programs
and resources that will continue to grow the game at the grassroots level. Through these events, we stay on top of the youth game and continue to shape our path as the sport’s national governing body.
Rick Peacock is USA Football’s Southeast Regional Manager, covering North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama and Mississippi.
REGIONAL MANAGER’S REPORT
Southeast Region wraps up record-setting year of forums
Rick Peacock
Atlanta hosted the Southeast Region’s final USA Football Youth Leadership Forum at the end of March. The forums had a record attendance and were held in six different states.
USA Football Magazine 25
COACHING CENTER
BY JOE FROLLO
USA Football is changing the way coaches learn the sport. No longer is it one size fits all.
Through the Player Progression Development Model (PPDM), an educational approach that introduces age-appropriate techniques and skills based on a player’s physical and cognitive maturity, some of USA Football’s 30 Coaching Schools will follow a track specifically designed for the age level they instruct.
Grouped in one of four age brackets – Under-8, Under-10, Under-12 and Under-14 – coaches discuss and practice tailored information in both classroom and onfield settings. Ron Gray, president of the Prince George’s Storm and a U-10 coach in Upper Marlboro, Md., attended USA Football’s Northern Virginia Coaching School.
He said PPDM appears obvious in retrospect, but he had never experienced a clinic presented that way.
“It spoke specifically to how players process and retain information at their age level,” Gray said. “We don’t do that enough at clinics. Often, it’s up to the coaches to take whatever data is presented and decide how to bring it down to the age group of
their team. But not everyone has that particular skill set, so for the presenters to do it for us is so important. Many coaches come into coaching thinking you can teach the same things to every kid. That’s nowhere near the truth.”
The Coaching Schools stress conversation over lectures, said Nick Inzerello, USA Football director of football
development. By making the participants part of
classroom discussions, clinicians can adapt to the needs of those in the room.
“What we saw and hope to see more of is collaboration within the school,” Inzerello said. “People shared experiences and learned from each other, which fosters a dialogue of issues coaches can relate to and learn from.”
Rich Mozier was a U-12 co-presenter at the Northern Virginia school. A football instructor for six years, Mozier said that
by breaking down the day into age-specific subgroups, clinicians could get deeper into instruction during the five-hour events.
“Generally, you go to clinics and talk about schemes, blocking, etc.,” Mozier said. “By focusing on just U-12, we ran the entire gamut – from the basics to more technical aspects of coaching that level.”
Participants in USA Football Coaching Schools learn drills and techniques in the classroom then put them into practice on the field.
A new approach to Coaching SchoolsPlayer Progression Development Model becomes backbone of clinics
BY JOE FROLLO
Practice ends and players go their separate ways.Coaches can only hope the lessons they taught
will remain until the next time the team gathers.Teaching doesn’t have to stop when the final whistle
blows, though, as USA Football’s myCOACH’s pages, available with League Affiliation, reinforces instruction and helps with retention.
Coaches can now interact with players and parents through a closed social networking site at usafootball.com to emphasize drills from practice and introduce new ones. The invitation-only myCOACH’s and myPLAYER’s pages support the youth football experience like nothing before. “Our goal is empowering coaches and players to be better,” USA Football Director of Membership Gary Del Vecchio said.
“The myCOACH’s page takes USA Football resources and provides coaches, players and parents the flexibility to use them in a way that best meets their needs.”
Coaches can deliver football resources to their players and parents, customizing their myCOACH’s page, which is then reproduced on the myPLAYER’s pages and available to every family on that team. These pages provide an opportunity for coaches and parents to extend
the practice field, re-emphasize techniques at home and prepare for upcoming practices and games – all while communicating more openly.
Using resources such as the Practice Planner, Film Room, Drills Library or a interactive playbook, coaches can develop their own knowledge and deliver these same resources to their players.
The coach picks the drills, plans the practice and builds the playbook to show players and their parents what is expected at practices and games. Unlike Facebook or
other social network sites, USA Football’s myCOACH’s and myPLAYER’s pages are accessible through invitation only to keep a tight, closed circle in which to share information.
Coaches can select drills and skill development resources based on USA Football’s Player Progression Development Model (PPDM), which introduces age-appropriate techniques and skills for players to master based on their physical and cognitive maturity as they develop through the sport. By ensuring that players are getting the best and most appropriate training for their age, coaches have a virtual classroom available at their convenience.
“All benefits were designed by USA Football’s coaching
development experts to help coaches be as good as they can be for their players,” Del Vecchio said. “The online resources helps provide a quality practice and game day experience for both players and their parents.”
26 USA Football Magazine
COACHING CENTER
The myCOACH’s page on usafootball.com can be customized by coaches based on what he or she wants
to relay to the players.
myCOACH’s and myPLAYER’s pages bring practice home
USA Football Magazine 27
COACHING CENTER
Kicking off gives players valuable experience for later
BY LARRY CANARD
Kick deep or onside?TAKEAWAY-GIVEAWAY WITH LARRY & DAVID
Always kicking onside will prevent big returns
BY DAVID MARCO
The average NFL lineman weighs more than 300 pounds. With 11-year-olds, linemen weigh an average of 100 pounds.
Youth players take up vastly less space on the field then NFL players do.
Imagine if you made the NFL field 160 yards wide – 53 and 1/3 yards times three. Do you think any NFL coach
would kick the ball deep to Devin Hester on a field that wide? No way.
Welcome to the world of the youth football coach.I have no interest in kicking the ball
deep to the fastest, best athlete on the other team. A typical 11-year-old can only kick the ball
about 30 yards off the tee. The returner usually can get 10 yards, giving
us a net 20 yards. An onside kick averages about 11 yards with
no return. By doing that, you sacrifice nine yards to ensure
that you never give up a touchdown or a big return – and possibly recover the kick.
Last season, my team recovered just four onside kicks but did not give up a special teams score.
From a strictly competitive point, where wins and losses are the most important thing to a youth football coach, it makes sense to never kick off deep.
But youth coaches have a greater responsibility to their players than simply winning games.
The onside kick has its place in any game plan, but coaches should selectively choose when to use it. The deep kickoff requires the coach to teach players how to work together and defend the width of the field.
Although it may be difficult to practice against a full return team, with the help of assistant coaches, it can be accomplished.
It is important that all members of the kickoff team understand their responsibilities, whether they are gunners aiming for the football, lane runners maintaining leverage or contain defenders squeezing the ball back to the middle.
In practice, a coach can set cones to show everyone where they need to be.
The deep kickoff allows for all 11 members of the coverage team to execute and make a play, it helps prepare them for the next level of play, and it sends the message to your players that they will compete on every play.
28 USA Football Magazine
COACHING CENTER
Info for bio box
Name Chris Abderhalden
Place of Residence Lenox, Mass.
USA Football Memberships Coach, Commis-sioner?
League Berkshire County Youth Football As-sociation
How long have you coached? Eight years as a coach for Lee Youth Football and three years at Lee High School.
Full-time job Construction manager
Chris Abderhalden is a coach and board member for the Berkshire County Youth Football Association. He has coached youth
football for the past eight years and spent the past three years as the head football coach at Lee High School in Lenox, Mass.
What is your proudest moment as a coach? It was in 2009, when I brought a team to the
National Youth Football Championship in Daytona, Fla. Just getting there was reward for all the hard work. When the kids won Game 2, the looks on their faces and the emotion was priceless. The entire experience – from the fundraising, our team family dinners, playing on the beach with the kids from the opposing teams and the awards ceremony – was an absolute joy. Parents collected all of our vacation videos and photos and put together the trip into a highlight film. The boys learned a huge life lesson that year of how important it is to work together as a team both on and off the field.
Why is youth football important to the development of the sport?
It’s important to teach the basics of the game from a young age. Safety and team building are key, and if a youth program provides solid fundamentals from the start, the rest will fall into place later on.
How did you first get involved with coaching youth football?
It wasn’t until my two boys began to play that I began coaching. One evening, I walked my son down to the practice field and never looked back. The following year, not only was I a new head coach, but my wife, Dina, and myself were running the Lee Youth Football League.
What is your best coaching advice? Enjoy the game, enjoy your teammates and have
a blast.
How did you first learn about USA Football?USA Football discussion was on our agenda at
our county meeting. Ed Passino, USA Football’s Northeast Regional Manager, had been in touch with our commissioner, and we quickly decided that this was a great opportunity for our association.
How has USA Football membership benefitted you?
Everything has been useful and easy to use. The coaching certification course was very informative. We’re attempting to make this a must for our association. I have used all the drills, the information on health and safety, the easy-to-use depth charts and wrist bands.
Would you recommend USA Football to other coaches?
Most definitely. When you find an organization that’s willing to offer ideas and advice like at USA Football it becomes a no-brainer.
Name Chris Abderhalden
Place of Residence
Lenox, Mass.
USA Football Memberships
Coach, Commissioner
League Berkshire County
Youth Football Association
How long have you
coached? Eight years as a
coach for Lee Youth Football
and three at Lee High School
Full-time job
Construction manager
Chris AbderhaldenMassachusetts man went from a parent on the sideline to the league commissioner
BY EMILY NEWELL
Meet a USA Football Member
GIVING IT YOUR ALL ON THE FIELD
We know what sports can do, how it builds strength and empowers character. That’s why PNC is proud to be the official bank of USA Football.
Stop by any PNC branch location, call 1-877-CALL-PNC or visit pnc.com.
©2010 The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. All rights reserved. PNC Bank, National Association. Member FDIC COMMSERV AD JUN 2010 006
30 USA Football Magazine
COACHING CENTER
Flag beginners don’t need complicated schemes
BY JOE FROLLO
It is hard enough to get the youngest football players to focus on the task at hand.
For flag football coaches, who often provide the first introduction into the sport for 5- and 6-year-olds, veteran instructors stress that it is important to stick to the basics and not overcomplicate matters.
David Fried has been running North Miami Beach, Fla., NFL FLAG leagues for 11 years.
The first thing he tells new coaches is to throw out their playbooks. It may be fun to draw up a double reverse or flea flicker, but when chaos is more the norm than anything else, age-appropriate drills go farther toward reaching goals.
“For young kids, teach the basic fundamentals – footwork, flag pulling, route running, how to throw,” Friend said. “We teach fundamentals for two years before we get into any types of strategy on offense or defense.”
Fried said a good flag football practice can include a wide variety of drills that don’t include a ball. Keeping kindergarteners and first-graders motivated and involved are the first steps to success.
“Footwork is the foundation for tackle or flag football – for sports in general,” Fried said.
“Without good feet, nothing else is really going to work. So teach the kids how to cut, how to run in cleats,
how to square their bodies, how to get into position to pull a flag. Everything else after that will fall into place.”
Elliott Giles of the Youngstown (Ohio) Youth Flag Football Association said if young players learn how to run to spots and how to take simple handoffs by the end of their first season, they are well on their way.
But the real success comes when everyone is having fun.
“Try to do as much as you can in the time frame that you have,” Giles said. “When you are dealing with five six-year-olds, you have to keep things to where they understand what you
are talking about. You want to keep them involved.
“You want them to come back next year and the year after so that as the kids get older, they get better
at retaining information.” Fried suggests creating
obstacle courses, where players can run through cones to teach pass patterns, making players stop on a dime at some points and look for the ball at others.
“All these skills in flag football transfer to the tackle game, where many of the players will end up.
If you coach the fundamentals, they will be better players, better athletes when they grow up,” Fried said.
Teaching fundamentals at an early age leads to skill development and players enjoying football more as they grow older.
The younger the player, the simpler the message
Watch veteran high school football coaches discuss the importance of ball security and pulling the flag
BY JOE FROLLO
Individuals who complete the National Federation of State High School Association’s Accredited
Interscholastic Coach certification receive a free USA Football Coaches Membership.
Applicants must complete the NFHS Fundamentals of Coaching, First Aid for Coaches or its equivalent and the NFHS/USA Football course: Fundamentals of Coaching Football. Course prices for Fundamentals of Coaching and First Aid for Coaches may vary by state and are available in the state requirements tab at
www.nfhslearn.com. The Fundamentals of Coaching Football course is $50. Along with access to NFHS members-only content,
membership in the NFHS Coaches Association provides $1 million in excess liability coverage. If the member coach receives the NFHS AIC certification, there is an additional $1 million in liability coverage.
USA Football membership includes access to USA Football’s Film Room Library, Drills Library, Practice Planner, Interactive Playbook, NFL Films instructional videos and more.
To join or renew membership in the NFHS Coaches Association, visit www.nfhs.org. For NFHS Coach Education courses, visit www.nfhslearn.com.
USA Football Magazine 31
COMMISSIONER CENTER
High school coaches who join NFHS and complete coaching certification receive USA Football Coaching Membership benefits.
NFHS and USA Football pair up for member benefits
Learn more
Have questions?
USA Football now offers League and Club Insurance.
Peace of mind we all need.
32 USA Football Magazine
BY RETT LARSON
One place to save time prior to practice or games is to incorporate a dynamic warm-
up as opposed to static stretching. When it comes to maximizing
performance and keeping off the injured reserve list, being warm is more important than being stretched out. When young athletes are finished with their warm-up, they should have a good sweat going.
The key to this process is making the warm-up tough enough to get the body temperature up while not making it boring or exhausting. That’s where the following three exercises come in.
Add these to your regular routine to get your blood pumping and provide a good stretch to your major lower body muscle groups.
FROG CRAWLS (RIGHT)Mobile hips create a lot of force. Frog crawls open up your stride length and enable you to create more power. Start in the push-up position with your arms extended and initiate the movement by jumping both feet up to just outside your hands. You should try to have your palms and feet flat on the ground.
Once you’ve settled into a frog position, walk your hands out and repeat the crawl for 15 yards.
FORWARD LUNGE TO QUAD STRETCH.This takes care of the major muscles on the front side of your body, namely your quads and hip flexors.
From a standing position, step forward into a lunge, briefly touch your knee to the ground and immediately come up to standing again, this time grabbing your trail leg by the foot and pulling it behind you. Step forward with the other foot and repeat for 15 yards.
HAND WALKS (ABOVE)One of the most frequently strained muscles in the body are the hamstrings, but if you add hand walks to your warm-up, you’ll have your hamstrings primed and ready for action.
Start in a push-up position and initiate the exercise by walking your feet up toward your hands, keeping your knees straight and locked the whole time. All of the walking is done with your ankles. When you can’t go any farther, walk your hands back out to push-up position and repeat for 15 yards.
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
Proper warm-ups should result in a good sweat for young football players. Whether frog crawls, lunges or hand walks, aerobic is the only way to go.
HEALTH & FITNESS
Get moving when warming up for practice or games
Check out this video to learn more about how to properly warm up before practices or games
Photo courtesy Velocity Sports Performance
BY STEVE ALIC
Speed and power. Coaches desire those qualities in running backs, but without
vision and discipline, third-and-short becomes a call for the punt team.
“Many times, the hole is not where it is designed to be,” 2011 U.S. Under-19 National Team running backs coach Mike Muschamp said
“We tell our kids to run to daylight – or an open hole – as opposed to just running to what might be called in the huddle.”
Muschamp, the head coach at Atlanta Lovett High School, adds: “Two of a running back’s best abilities are his vision and his ability to find the hole.”
Blake Beidleman is a coach and commissioner of the Allen (Texas) Sports Association, comprised of 1,600 youth players.
A USA Football coach member since 2007, he enters his ninth year with nine and 10-year-old players.
“Good running backs at the youth level need a combination of ability and vision – they’re seeing multiple things happen at the same time,” he said. “You have to help expand and develop their vision.
“We coach our running backs to always have their heads up and eyes up, looking downfield. Don’t just say, ‘Follow the jersey of your blocker.’ ”
Beidleman drills his running backs to run to a cone and make a cut.
After several reps, the running back will get a verbal cue from a coach to cut on command – before, at or after the cone.
A lead blocker is then incorporated into the drill. The blocker adjusts on what the defender is
doing, and the running back cuts on which direction the block is going. If the block is inside, the running back will cut outside and vice versa.
Jacksonville Jaguars running backs coach and longtime NFL standout running back Earnest Byner amassed more than 8,200 NFL career rushing
yards from 1984-97. The leading rusher for the Super Bowl XXVI champion Washington Redskins in 1991, Byner suggests taking five to 10 cones and positioning them in a line about one to two yards apart.
Have backs weave through them, making sure they plant or push off of their outside leg on each cut.
“After that you can open the cones up to about four yards apart,” Byner said. “Move every other cone three steps to the right and have your backs weave in and out of them, and make sure that they plant on their outside leg each time.”
USA Football Magazine 33
Fast legs only carry a running back so far. Good vision and the ability to follow blocks lead to big gains.
The art of following your blocks
HEALTH & FITNESS
Disciplined running backs possess patience and make proper cuts
Check out how New York Jets running back LaDainian Tomlinson follows his blockers
Phot
o: S
haw
n H
ubba
rd P
hoto
grap
hy
Blake Beidleman
34 USA Football Magazine
BY EMILY NEWELL
About two years ago, when MJ Stewart first learned about USA Football and its National
Team program, he knew he wanted to be a part of it.
“I knew it would be a once in a lifetime chance,” said MJ.
“I knew this would be something I would never forget.”
A freshman at Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington, Va., MJ had the opportunity to see playing time as a member of the varsity team.
His father, Marvin, a youth coach for the past nine years, said he was ready in part because of USA Football.
“I heard about Team USA and the USA Football Player Academy from another coach in the Northern Virginia area,” Marvin said.
“I signed MJ up to give him the opportunity to develop his athletic skills on and off the football field.
“The player academy has taught MJ to focus on the more technical skills to become a better player in high school. He’s gained greater self-
confidence since the academy.” USA Football Player Academies held each year across the country, are three-and-a-half-day camps that have a detailed curriculum covering on-field techniques and fundamentals as well as off-the-field classroom sessions that include discussions, chalk talks and film study.
“I advise all young players to try and improve their athletic skills by attending a camp such as these,” Marvin said.
“I believe the in-classroom instructions were one of the most valuable parts of the camp for MJ.”
While MJ originally wanted to do the camp because of the opportunity to try out for Team USA, he said the camp gave him the skills needed to more easily transition into the high school game.
“I learned to understand the entire game of football through the Player Academy,” MJ said.
“I would tell other players that it is definitely worth it, and it’s something
you should do if you want to improve your football skills.”
The on-field skills and in-classroom knowledge MJ picked up at the player academy paid off – MJ has recently been selected to the U.S. 2011 Under-15
National Team.“To be selected to play for Team
USA means a whole lot to me, especially since I was selected from a group of other players,” MJ said.
“It also makes me feel like my hard work has paid off.
“I’m looking forward to meeting new coaches and my fellow players and just having fun
while playing football.”As for the future, MJ
hopes that someday he will also get the chance to participate in international play
as a member of the U-19 National Team. “The U-19 team is certainly something I’d be interested in someday trying out for,”
he said. “I just love the competitive nature of football.”
MJ Stewart
PLAYER CENTER
USA Football Player Academy teaches skills on and off the fieldU.S. Under-15 National Team member gets head start after academy
Click here to see a video of MJ Stewart’s road from the USA Football Player Academy to the U.S. Under-15 national team Ph
oto
cour
tesy
Chr
is Le
hner
t
SM
SM
www.velocitysp.comFind a location near you:
CHAMPIONS ARE MADE IN THE OFF-SEASON.Velocity specializes in making football players stronger, faster and more powerful. Before letting your players go until next year, introduce them to elite level performance training by scheduling a complimentary team training session at the Velocity nearest you.
Our expert performance coaches will demonstrate how Velocity training can improve speed, power and agility.Better athletes make better teams.
Get a jump start on next season with a complimentary team training session at Velocity.
36 USA Football Magazine
HEALTH & FITNESS
BY JOE FROLLO
USA Football’s Player Membership is now powered by the Player Progression Development Model (PPDM), which
introduces age-specific techniques and skills for players to master based on their physical, emotional and cognitive maturity as they develop through the sport.
A first for football, PPDM resources are delivered by the coach to the player in an athlete-centered but coach-driven system.
Player Membership resources provide an understanding of the player’s capabilities and deliver a plan to maximize his or her development. In addition, it allows parents to emphasize the teaching points that the player is using on the field.
“Together, parents and coaches can play a significant part in the development of a player by using consistent language and understanding their player’s development,” said Nick Inzerello, USA Football director of football development. “This is delivered on football’s first team-based, closed social network designed specifically to spur player development and training.”
Player membership resources include:
Player Film RoomHours of fundamental instruction for offense,
defense, speed training and strength training. Watch the best way to practice football fundamentals, including proper techniques.
Drills LibraryAccess more than 150 practice drills broken down by age and position. Dynamic 2D and 3D animation makes drills easy to learn, and helpful summaries identify the required equipment, time allotment and number of players needed for each drill.
myPLAYER’s PageA football-specific social networking tool takes USA Football resources and delivers them directly from the
coach to the player, based on what is applicable to upcoming practices and games. Players and parents can share their youth football experience with family and friends all over the nation by inviting them to be a part of the private social network.
Football 101This resource was created for youth football
players and first-time parents to provide a better understanding of the game, its objectives and what parents and players can expect.
USA Football Player and Parent Memberships – as part of League Affiliation – also include a rules
interpretation library, access to exciting NFL Films instructional videos, health and safety resources
as well as an E-newsletter and more to help young athletes develop the fundamentals it takes to succeed.
Click here to see exactly how USA Football helps families enjoy the sport even more.
Player Memberships are the platform for a young athlete’s success
USA Football Magazine 37
FOOTBALL FACTS, STATS & FIGURES
BY MEGAN MOYER AND JOE FROLLO
It’s all about the kids 24Average number of players on a youth
football team
As NCAA Division I college football programs are wrapping up spring practices in preparation for the 2011 season, let’s take a look back which conferences have produced the most national champions.
Poll Championship (1936-1997)Independents 18; Big 12 (Big 8) 12; Big Ten 12; SEC 12; Pac 10 8; SWC (Southwest Conference) 5; ACC 4; Big East 1; WAC 1.
(Independent breakdown: Notre Dame 8; Miami 3; Army 2; Pittsburgh 2; Penn State 2; Syracuse 1)
BCS National Championship (1998-present)SEC 7; Big 12 2; ACC 1; Big Ten 1; Big East 1; Pac-10 1.
33Percentage of youth
players who also have at least one sibling
playing football
12Percentage of youth players who have a parent coaching
football
Poll Championships BCS National Championships
There are approximately 3 million players in organized youth tackle football – ages 6 to 14 – throughout the United States.
This number includes independent leagues and clubs that are a part of national affiliations as well as those who play for their middle school and junior high school. The number does not include boys or girls playing flag football.
Here’s the breakdown of what ages those 3 million youth players are:
SEC
SEC BIG 12
BIG 12
Independents
BIG 10
PAC
SWC
ACC
BIG 10
ACC
PAC
BIG EAST
38 USA Football Magazine
The big catch. The long run. The touchdown-saving tackle. Memories are made every
season in youth football.Sports Authority, the official
sporting goods retailer of USA Football, is helping children across the nation create some of their own memories through the Pass The Good campaign in which donated equipment and clothes are distributed to youth football players in need.
Rich Barrows of the Denver Broncos Boys and Girls Club in Montebello, Colo., runs a league that charges just $5 per player, so every dollar the group saves can be spent helping out somewhere else. He recently picked up a bag of practice jerseys and pants that he says will save families $20 to $30 each fall.
“The kids normally have to supply their own (practice jerseys), and many just wear t-shirts,” Barrows said. “They go through three or four t-shirts a season, and that can add up for families. A lot of kids who normally don’t get to play tackle football get to play this way.”
Sports Authority and NFL Play 60, in cooperation with USA Football, are collecting the gear – including cleats, gloves and officially licensed NFL apparel. New and gently used items can be dropped off at collection bins inside Sports Authority stores.
In return, those who contribute receive a $10 Sports Authority cash card good toward any in-store purchase.
The program began in December and has been extremely successful, said Tony Vasquez, the Sports Authority store manager in Frankfort, Ill. The local shore has continued to
receive bags of practice pants, cleats and other equipment from area families as well as leagues.
“It’s been very positive,” Vasquez said. “Overall, I’d call it a big success.” Mike McKinnon of the
Westminster, Colo., Sports Authority store also has gotten supportive feedback from the community about the program.
“Anything from jerseys to footballs to cleats, people have asked if they can bring all types of equipment. It has really taken off,” McKinnon said. “A lot of customers who have visited the store I see come back in a few days later dropping off sporting goods equipment.”
McKinnon and Vasquez both remain in search for leagues to accept the donations. If your league would like to be considered for donated goods, contact your USA Football Regional Manager
Barrows appreciates the help his league has received and encourages other groups to take part as well.
“We’ve given big bags of jerseys to our other clubs as well. I can’t say enough about how much this has helped us ,” Barrows said.
Pass the Good program helps kids in need
Individuals can donate gently used athletic apparel and equipment at Sports Authority stores across the nation and receive a $10 gift card for in-store purchases.
See how you can make a difference by donating clothes and equipment through the Sports Authority Pass The Good program
“A lot of kids who normally don’t get to play tackle football get to play this way.”– Rich Barrows, Denver Broncos Boys and Girls club
USA Football Magazine 39
OFFICIATING CENTER
BY STEVE ALIC
If football is built around integrity, sportsmanship and fair play, then the position where these values must be
at their highest point is the game official. Craig Ochoa enters his 30th season as a game official in 2011. A referee in a major college football conference, he still occasionally works high school games.
USA Football Magazine spoke with the Chicago-area resident, and he offered advice for fellow officials, particularly those new to officiating.
What primary points of advice do you have for new officials?
Rules knowledge and mechanics – that’s your positioning on the field, being sure that you’ve got the right angle on the play.
You’ve got to get the rule book and know it inside and out. A good way to accelerate your mastery of mechanics is to watch video. It may be tough to get video of your own games, especially if you’re calling youth or high school games, but you can always watch other officials.
How have you improved your officiating skills over the years?
I’ve gotten experience, and that includes going to as many games as I could, even if I wasn’t working them. I’d tag along with another crew and watch them from the stands.
Also, get aligned with a football officials’ association – most cities have one. Officiating associations usually have weekly meetings that begin a few weeks before the season starts through the middle of October.
You can likely gain access to game film through an association, too, that you can take home for a week.
What else would you like new officials to know?
I got into officiating when I realized that I didn’t have the ability to play the game on a professional level.
Through officiating, I can take my love for the sport and carry it on in this position.
It’s a great way to remain part of the game and it keeps you young. That’s for sure.
You have one of the best seats in the house. You’re getting exercise. You’re compensated and having fun.
Officiating insight for new officials
With officiating courses and valuable resources, a USA Football officiating membership will help you become a better official.
The Officials Certification course is included in every membership. It provides up-to-date practical and theoretical knowledge designed to improve your game.
The two-hour course includes instructional video and 3D animations that illustrate proper technique, signals and positioning
Your USA Football Officials Membership also includes:
Certification options by different crew sizes An officials video library, including a segment on
learning from the pros The opportunity to purchase up to $1 million in
general liability insurance coverage.
Visit usafootball.com/game-officials to learn more.
BECOME A BETTER OFFICIAL TODAY
Craig Ocha has been an official for 30 years.
40 USA Football Magazine
Working as a team toward a common goal is the foundation of football and at the heart of every good business.
Gary Bertolucci learned that lesson growing up in Bakersfield, Calif. Now as the owner of WB Industries, a metal fabrication company, and a member of the USA Football Youth Coaches Committee, Bertolucci stresses that fundamental principle as coach of the Chesterfield (Mo.) Bears and vice president of the Gateway League near St Louis.
“During two-a-days, when it’s hot out and you are pushing your body to its fullest, you rely on your teammates to keep you going,” Bertolucci said.
“They are the ones who pick you up while you are picking them up. That allows you to get things done as a team.
“More than any other sport, in football you absolutely have to rely on your teammates.”
Bertolucci played football in grade school and high school, where he was a center and defensive end. It was at St. Francis Elementary, though, where Bertolucci met Coach Jerry Goodell.
Coach Goodell taught flag football, instilling the values of teamwork and dedication that carried Bertolucci through his playing career and into his professional life. “He was so good about
understanding how to play as a team, making sure we were organized and structured,” Bertolucci said.
“It was something I didn’t understand at the time, but he was such a good coach. He had a unique ability to rally you and to get young kids to understand about singular focus and what the team was trying to accomplish. He was special.”
At WB Industries, Bertolucci makes aircraft tooling for Boeing, the U.S. government and other contractors. He continues to use sports metaphors and even borrows from movies to get his message across.
“Everything we do here is identical to what we use at Chesterfield,” he said.
“There is a theory in the movie ‘Wedding Crashers’, where Rule 76 is ‘No excuses. Play like a champion.’
“Whether with the kids or at work, we use that.”
Bertolucci is coaching second-graders with the Chesterfield Bears.
While he can’t talk to players that age like he does his workers, the lesson of team first extends to all.
“No matter what age you are, having focus on a singular goal will help you achieve,” he said.
“With the younger kids, the talent and the ability aren’t always there, but it is
up to coaches to bring them along. Set goals for them so that when they get older, they grow to the point where they can perform at a high level.”
BY JOE FROLLO
Gary Bertolucci, owner of WB Industries
“With the younger kids, the talent and the ability aren’t always there, but it is up to coaches to bring them along. Set goals for them so that when they get older, they grow to the point where they can perform at a high level.”– Gary Bertolucci
Marriott® is a proud new sponsor of USA Football.Tournaments, training, tryouts. When your passion for the game means you’ll be hitting the road, we’ve got over 3,400 locations—offering a complete range of hotel experiences—for all of your football travel needs. And whether you’re playing, coaching or cheering for your team, Marriott makes sure every stay is a winning one.
Visit Marriott.com/usafootball or call 877.MARRIOTT to book your stay.
© 2
011 M
arrio
tt In
tern
atio
nal,
Inc.
GD
PS 11
0026
