07/09/2007
NCAA Football Youth Football Program
NCAA Football Youth Initiative Background
As part of NCAA Football's ongoing mission to promote college football to fans of all ages, NCAA Football is making a significant investment to support youth football across the country. It all began in 2007, as NCAA Football made a $750,000 commitment to help re-build the New Orleans Recreation Department's youth football league in the form of coach's, player's and official's clinics, uniforms, balls, equipment and a postseason banquet at the R+L Carrier Bowl.
Building on that success, NCAA Football has made a $1.5 million investment over 3 years in a 3-part, national youth program that started in 2008. Through this initiative, NCAA Football strives to attract more youth participants to the game, provide them with additional motivation to pursue higher education opportunities, help them develop the necessary skills to be successful on and off the field, and help to establish a new base of lifelong NCAA Football fans.
In 2008, NCAA Football awarded 89 grants to youth football teams across the country for collegiate branded uniforms and pants, hosted three free youth football clinics and partnered with the BCS National Championship host to assist in revitalizing a local park that will include new football playing fields. For 2009 the collegiate apparel program is available to youth teams across the country ages 14 & under, there are 9 youth football clinics planned in conjunction with area bowls and another project to benefit area youth is planned with the city of Pasadena, and the BCS National Championship game.
NCAA Football Youth Day - 2009
Registration is now open. To register, click this link.
All events are free and open to youth ages 14 & under. Clinic participants will receive instruction from college football coaches and participate in a series of drills that collegiate student-athletes do to learn the fundamentals of the game.
The 2009 sites are:
July 18 - Chick-fil-A Bowl (Atlanta, Ga.)
July 22 - Allstate Sugar Bowl & R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl (New Orleans, La.)
July 23 - New Mexico Bowl (Albuquerque, N.M.)
July 24 - Valero Alamo Bowl (San Antonio, Texas)
July 25- Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl (Nashville, Tenn.)
July 26 - DI FCS Championship (Chattanooga, Tenn.)
July 30 - Maaco Bowl Las Vegas (Las Vegas, Nev.)
NCAA Football Youth Day - 2008
Press Release
Albuquerque photos
Atlanta photos
New Orleans photos
During the 2008 preseason three bowls and their communities hosted NCAA Football Youth Day events. In partnership with the bowls, their conference partners and local football playing programs more than 600 youth were able to take part in the clinics that taught fundamentals, team work and good sportsmanship.
The support and participation from NCAA Football's constituents made each event successful as 2008 set the ground work for the opportunities that will be available across the country with NCAA Football's youth initiative develops. Coaches and student-athletes across every division of college football took part in teaching youth about the great game of college football.
For more details on the events held in Albuquerque (New Mexico Bowl), Atlanta (Chick-fil-A Bowl) and New Orleans (Allstate Sugar Bowl and R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl) please click on the Bowl logos below.
Information regarding clinics in these communities and the new sites that will be added in 2009, will be announced in Spring 2009. Thank you to all of our participants, these events would not have be possible without your help.
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BCS National Championship Youth Program
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NCAA Football Helps Revitalize Historic Miami Park
NCAA Football Helps Revitalize Historic Miami Park (Photo Gallery)
Each year, NCAA Football will work with the BCS National Championship host bowl, participating conferences and institutions to develop and implement an impactful program to benefit that area's young people. This program will incorporate the cultural characteristics of the community it serves.
The initial program will launch at the FedEx Orange Bowl in Miami, Fla., in January 2009. The project in South Florida will take place in conjunction with the Moore Park restoration effort. Please check back here often for updates regarding this program and how you can get involved.
Youth League Uniform and Ball Grant Program
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The grant application for 2009 can be downloaded here.
If you are affiliated with Pop Warner and would like to apply for a grant, information on this program and others will be available at popwarner.com.
If you do not qualify for a grant but are interested in purchasing NCAA Football replica youth jerseys and pants from Russell Athletic, please contact Russell Athletic at:
Northeast - 1-888-606-5522
South/Southwest - 1-888-606-5520
Midwest - 1-888-606-5523
West - 1-888-606-5524
NCAA Football's Youth Initiative Announces 2008 Grant Winners
Take A Kid to the Game
Entering its 14th year, the Take A Kid to the Game (TAKG) program provides NCAAź member institutions a national grassroots program that is easily implemented at NCAA Football and men's and women's basketball games. This nationally-recognized program encourages adults to take children to collegiate athletic contests. Institutions participate by signing up online, selecting an official TAKG game, and offering free or discounted tickets to children fourteen and under when accompanied by a paying adult.
