As a part of USA Football Month the Steelers will honor Youth Football during their preseason games against the Detroit Lions and Carolina Panthers at Heinz Field.
USA Football and its mission of youth and amateur football development is emphasized across the NFL this August through youth football scrimmages in NFL venues, USA Football messages during network telecasts, stadium video board promotion, and NFL team web sites. USA Football is the official youth football development partner of the NFL, the NFL Players Association and all 32 NFL teams.
The Indianapolis-based non-profit will have educated more than 50,000 youth football coaches across the country by the start of this football season through its online coaching courses and 37 full-day coaching schools, 24 of which are conducted with NFL teams. USA Football members are coaches, players, game officials and youth league commissioners who reside in all 50 states.
In addition, USA Football, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other sports' national governing bodies work together to deliver consistent information regarding concussion awareness and management. USA Football is the only national governing body in sports to have produced a concussion education video for its website, available for viewing at no cost.
"USA Football Month" incorporates the following August initiatives:
Ø USA Football television spots for network and local game telecasts promoting youth football during NFL preseason and regular season games
Ø More than 100,000 NFL team-donated preseason game tickets for youth football players
Ø On-field promotion throughout the preseason through "USA Football" field stencils and end zone banners
Ø In-stadium "USA Football Month" scoreboard video messages
Ø USA Football "Captain's Packs," available through usafootball.com, which empower coaches to reward players who demonstrate football's team-first values
Ø Youth football scrimmages in NFL stadiums on preseason game days
USA Football is the only organization in the NFL's 90-year history to be recognized as the league's official youth football development partner.
USA Football will distribute NFL team-branded "Captain's Packs" free of charge through usafootball.com to more than 6,000 youth football leagues. Rewarding youth players for leadership and teamwork, each USA Football "Captain's Pack" includes 25 "C" Captain jersey patches, 200 helmet recognition decals, and 25 "Captain's Pledges" which a player signs as a commitment to good sportsmanship.
"USA Football is proud to be the official youth football development partner of the NFL, the NFLPA and the league's 32 teams," said USA Football Executive Director SCOTT HALLENBECK. "From youth leagues to the NFL, football captures the imagination of all fans, regardless of age, and instills discipline, responsibility and physical fitness in our young people. We're proud to lead the game's development and further strengthen our NFL and NFL Players Association partnerships."
"USA Football Month encourages young people to be active and provides them with the necessary structure to enjoy our sport through thousands of youth leagues," says NFL Senior Advisor to the Commissioner and USA Football Board Member JOE BROWNE. "We in the NFL strongly support USA Football."
"The NFLPA and its 1,800 players are proud to join USA Football and the NFL in showing a unified commitment to youth football," said NFLPA Senior Director of Player Services and Development and USA Football Board Member JASON BELSER. "USA Football stands for teaching the game the right way and the NFL preseason is an ideal time to herald the sport's fundamentals as well as the excitement and anticipation we feel during this time of the year. We salute the young people and selfless volunteers who power youth football."
About USA Football
USA Football, the sport's national governing body on youth and amateur levels, leads the game's development, inspires participation, and ensures a positive experience for all youth, high school, and other amateur players.* The independent non-profit hosts more than 80 football training events annually for coaches, players and youth football league commissioners. USA Football is the official youth football development partner of the NFL, its 32 teams and the NFL Players Association and manages U.S. national teams for international competition. Endowed by the NFL and NFLPA in 2002 through the NFL Youth Football Fund, USA Football (usafootball.com) distributes $1 million annually in equipment grants and offers youth league volunteer background check subsidies. Former NFL team executive Carl Peterson is USA Football's chairman.*
