Youth football doesn't start up again until August, but summer is the perfect time to work on improving those fundamentals, which is why USA Football has 12 Player Academies scheduled from June through July to get youth football players geared up for the upcoming season.
Besides receiving expert instruction from talented coaches, individual attention and first-class facilities, players also have the opportunity to earn a free helmet from Riddell, the Official Football Helmet and Equipment Partner of USA Football.
The helmet offer is through the Refer-a-Friend program, and it's pretty simple. Just ask Frank Kolencik.
The USA Football coaching member signed up his son, Alex, for the Player Academy on July 6 at Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Va., and saw that if someone else registered for the Academy and used his son's name as a reference, Alex would be eligible for the helmet.
So Kolencik decided to get some other parents on board and soon after, Alex's McLean (Va.) Mustangs teammate, Kevin Green, signed up for the same Player Academy using his friend as the referral.
"The Riddell brand is a household name and makes you feel comfortable and safe knowing that your son will be wearing top of the line protective gear from one of the industry leaders," said Frank Kolencik, who has been coaching his son's McLean Youth Football team for four years, which is a part of the Fairfax County Youth Football League. "I give Riddell a lot of credit for stepping up and sponsoring this program for USA Football. It's a win-win situation, especially in today's turbulent economic environment."
Registrants will be able to choose from three of Riddell's helmet styles: Revolution Youth, Revolution Little Pro and Attack. The helmets come in 12 standard colors, and the total offer value is $89.99 to $155.95.
"The Refer-a-Friend program is a great way to encourage these young athletes to get involved in football," said Dan Arment, President of Riddell. "The free helmet is an added bonus for the player. We want these kids to be exposed to the best protective equipment from an early age and continue to use Riddell products throughout their football careers."
Thirteen-year-old Alex will be able to wear his helmet this year and Kolencik said he is going to donate the helmet back to the league when the season concludes so someone else can put it to good use.
"This helmet is an incredibly generous gift, " Kolencik said. "It's a great program, and the people at Riddell were phenomenal - extremely customer service oriented. I was really impressed with their Web site and their diverse product line."
Kolencik said the helmet was only part of the incentive to sign up for the Player Academy because the camp offered a lot of other positives as well.
The Academies are developmental camps designed for athletes ages 9-14 with a minimum of one year of playing experience. Youth football players will spend three and a half days reviewing the fundamental skills of offense, defense and special teams, allowing each player the opportunity to improve their skills.
"Due to scheduling we couldn't go last year, but we heard rave reviews about it," Kolencik said. "The biggest thing that interested us is it's a local camp at a top-rate facility and we don't have to drive several hours. Number two is that it's geared toward the youth - it's youth and high school coaches, and it makes me more comfortable knowing that it's not an overnight camp like some of the others. Number three is USA Football's involvement with the camp. Whenever USA Football is involved, you know it has to be good. They practice what they preach."
McLean Youth Football Commissioner Craig Richardson also spoke highly of the Player Academy at a coaches meeting in early March, and Kolencik said he has been working on sending additional communication out about the camp to all the parents of his players so more can look into attending.
And thanks to Riddell, a little referral can go a long way.
