The Falcons showed their continued support for youth football by hosting USA Football’s Georgia State Leadership Forum in Flowery Branch on Feb. 27. USA Football is the sport’s national governing body on youth and amateur levels and is the Falcons’ official youth football development partner.
Youth league commissioners, presidents and board members from across the state gathered at the team’s training facility to discuss best practices and to learn how USA Football and the Falcons can strengthen their organizations.
“We feel that USA Football is such a great resource for every youth football organization. Every organization in the state of Georgia should take advantage of all that they have to offer,” Chris Millman, Community Relations and Youth Programs Manager for the Atlanta Falcons said. “By utilizing all of USA Football’s resources, organizations will only strengthen and become a more bona fide organization. This will benefit the coaches and the youth football players immensely.”
USA Football’s resources include coaching education for football’s dedicated volunteers, concussion awareness information, equipment grants, coaching benefits such as online practice planners, and a video drills library, as well as price breaks for the leagues to conduct in-depth background checks on potential volunteers.
“With the support from NFL teams like the Falcons, USA Football is helping unify the sport on youth levels,” said Rick Peacock, USA Football’s Southeast Regional Manager, who led the forum.
“Ultimately it’s the kids who love to play football who benefit from these meetings – they’re going to enjoy the game more if their coaches and league commissioners are prepared and offer them the proper guidance,” Peacock added.
The full-day event gives attendees comprehensive football information that they can bring back and share with their respective organizations.
Ross Mosley, commissioner of the Metro Atlanta Youth Football League (MAYFL) who attended his first state leadership forum said, “As a volunteer it’s hard for me to devote the kind of time it takes to stay current with all the trends surrounding youth football. The state forum provides a place to stay informed and talk about hot topics affecting youth football with other league administrators. It’s also a great way to learn best practices and standards that we can implement in our leagues to make the game stronger.”
Other items discussed included player registration, officiating training resources, a national youth football playing standard, pre- and post-season events and fundraising guidance.
“One of the most valuable parts of the day was learning more about USA Football’s coaching education and certification program,” said Dennis Covington, who serves as Athletic Director for the Atlanta Youth Football Association (AYFA). “Coaching certification is very important to our league because it shows parents that our coaches have been trained properly and that their child is being taught the right fundamentals.”
USA Football selects one commissioner at each of its state forums to attend the NFL/USA Football Youth Summit in Canton, Ohio, in July. Approximately 200 coaches and administrators from every state take part in the annual event to discuss topics vital to the continued success of youth and high school programs. Receiving the special invitation from the Atlanta forum was Valister Wilson, founder of the Metro Atlanta Youth Football League.
“We’ve become the second-largest program in the state,” Wilson said. “We want to exchange ideas, gather information and continue to grow and develop.
“We have already decided to implement USA Football’s certified coaching education program and we look to bring home more ideas as well as share some of ours,” Wilson added.
More than 800 youth football commissioners are invited to take part in USA Football state forums annually, each of which are led by a USA Football regional manager.
Learn more about USA Football or have a regional manager meet with your league’s leadership by visiting www.usafootball.com.
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USA Football, Team Unite to Support Youth
The Falcons showed their continued support for youth football by hosting USA Football’s Georgia State Leadership Forum in Flowery Branch on Feb. 27. USA Football is the sport’s national governing body on youth and amateur levels and is the Falcons’ official youth football development partner.
Youth league commissioners, presidents and board members from across the state gathered at the team’s training facility to discuss best practices and to learn how USA Football and the Falcons can strengthen their organizations.
“We feel that USA Football is such a great resource for every youth football organization. Every organization in the state of Georgia should take advantage of all that they have to offer,” Chris Millman, Community Relations and Youth Programs Manager for the Atlanta Falcons said. “By utilizing all of USA Football’s resources, organizations will only strengthen and become a more bona fide organization. This will benefit the coaches and the youth football players immensely.”
USA Football’s resources include coaching education for football’s dedicated volunteers, concussion awareness information, equipment grants, coaching benefits such as online practice planners, and a video drills library, as well as price breaks for the leagues to conduct in-depth background checks on potential volunteers.
“With the support from NFL teams like the Falcons, USA Football is helping unify the sport on youth levels,” said Rick Peacock, USA Football’s Southeast Regional Manager, who led the forum.
“Ultimately it’s the kids who love to play football who benefit from these meetings – they’re going to enjoy the game more if their coaches and league commissioners are prepared and offer them the proper guidance,” Peacock added.
The full-day event gives attendees comprehensive football information that they can bring back and share with their respective organizations.
Ross Mosley, commissioner of the Metro Atlanta Youth Football League (MAYFL) who attended his first state leadership forum said, “As a volunteer it’s hard for me to devote the kind of time it takes to stay current with all the trends surrounding youth football. The state forum provides a place to stay informed and talk about hot topics affecting youth football with other league administrators. It’s also a great way to learn best practices and standards that we can implement in our leagues to make the game stronger.”
Other items discussed included player registration, officiating training resources, a national youth football playing standard, pre- and post-season events and fundraising guidance.
“One of the most valuable parts of the day was learning more about USA Football’s coaching education and certification program,” said Dennis Covington, who serves as Athletic Director for the Atlanta Youth Football Association (AYFA). “Coaching certification is very important to our league because it shows parents that our coaches have been trained properly and that their child is being taught the right fundamentals.”
USA Football selects one commissioner at each of its state forums to attend the NFL/USA Football Youth Summit in Canton, Ohio, in July. Approximately 200 coaches and administrators from every state take part in the annual event to discuss topics vital to the continued success of youth and high school programs. Receiving the special invitation from the Atlanta forum was Valister Wilson, founder of the Metro Atlanta Youth Football League.
“We’ve become the second-largest program in the state,” Wilson said. “We want to exchange ideas, gather information and continue to grow and develop.
“We have already decided to implement USA Football’s certified coaching education program and we look to bring home more ideas as well as share some of ours,” Wilson added.
More than 800 youth football commissioners are invited to take part in USA Football state forums annually, each of which are led by a USA Football regional manager.
Learn more about USA Football or have a regional manager meet with your league’s leadership by visiting www.usafootball.com.