Football Coaching and Development by Age

Young Football

Developing excellence in a young football player is a fine art. Each age brings its own challenges and hurtles, but the approach, patience and guidance should be focused on the age of the potential team player. Children are still in the development of their physical bodies and should be given tasks that they can achieve within their age groups. The variances and approach are called ‘Introduction’ (ages 6-8), ‘Foundation’ (ages 9-13) and ‘Refinement’ (ages 14-16). Each level brings a difference in learning, growing and philosophy for young football coaching. Continue reading “Football Coaching and Development by Age”

Top 10 Funny Outdoor Billboards

outdoor-billboards

Advertising is an art and if a marketing guru is also creative, they can reach beyond the boundaries of the mundane and boring and design an ad that will be remembered for a long time (or at least a few months). As a society, we associate commercials as a bad experience, only comparable to going to the dentist. For outdoor billboards, you have the added disadvantage that these are typically viewed in the seven seconds someone is driving buy. This means the advertisement has to be noticeable, creative, potentially funny and grab the attention, in 7 seconds.

Here are some very creative outdoor billboard ads that could be award winners:
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If You Saw the Football Equipment of the 1920’s, You Wouldn’t Have Played the Game

football scoreboards

Football has become an iconic American sport, with billions of dollars spent each year on teams, players, stadiums, electronic scoreboards, equipment and, of course, merchandising. The sport itself has experienced an evolution, from humble beginnings as a spinoff of a kind of Rugby game, to the mega-sport of today. If you could turn back the hands of time and attend a football game in the 1920’s, you might not want to watch it.
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The Evolution of Our Beloved American Football Game

football

The U.S. considers football to be our own American sport and has made a rather profitable business out of it. In towns and cities across the country, local, collegiate, state and national football games are celebrated with fanfare like no other. The actual history and evolution of our oh-so-well-loved sport is actually quite interesting and surprising.
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College Recruiting for Football

college football recruiting

Each season, everyone holds their breathe in anticipation for the recruiting process of the nation’s best college football teams. This year is no different, and it brings excitement as well as drama to the scene. While no one ever has a college football recruiting day, there were quite a few twists to the process. Alex Collins had an extra hurtle to overcome in signing up with the Arkansas Razorbacks. It turns out his Mom refused to sign the letter of intent because she wanted him to be closer to home in Florida. Alex received a reprieve when his father agreed to co-sign and the letter was sent.

OleMiss had reason to celebrate (and they did rather exuberantly) when they signed the nation’s number one player: Robert Nkemdiche. Alabama’s Crimson Tide has achieved an accomplishment to be proud of. They are officially the Number 1 recruiting class in the country, for a second year, outbeating Ohio State and Florida. So far, they have signed twenty five prospects to national letters of intent. Something to note is that 18 of these are among the ESPN 300. This includes a well received Alvin Kamara (number 32 on the ESPN list).
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Health and Safety on the Football Field

Health in Football

The topic of football safety and health has been a long time coming to front and center of public discussions and is now a main focus of both youth and professional football followers. While past health disasters were viewed as part of ‘playing the game’, new information is showing that some of the injuries that resulted in lifelong problems and even death, could have been avoided. Attention is now being placed on education, awareness and resources to keep our players in a positive health situation and deter safety problems through individual and group participation.
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Cloverdale Getting New Electronic Scoreboard

Cloverdale-High-School

Cloverdale High School has never been known for sitting around and waiting for things to happen. They are a small community in the heart of America’s Midwest and they live by the solid stability and convictions that has earned this part of the country so much respect. So when it came time to make some decisions on their athletic field and scoreboard, John Butler, Cloverdale Varsity Football Coach came front and center to begin the discussions. It became very apparent that the football team needed a new practice area as well as a goal post and therefore, Mr. Butler came prepared to talk to the school counsel with all of the information needed.
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Newest Technologies for Today’s Electronic Scoreboards

electronic-scoreboard

Every time you attend a sporting event, whether large or small, the electronic scoreboard becomes the main focus on getting updates for the game. In the past, you would only see these kinds of technologies at the big games. The reason for that, of course, was cost. But that is all changing. Now, even the local junior high or high school can have the ability to have a sharp, clear and colorful electronic scoreboard for their sporting events.

As with any technology, the longer it remains on the market, the lower the cost becomes. The same thing is true with electronic scoreboards. The LED technologies are replacing the old bulbs and many of the recreational facilities, large and small, are switching out their old boards for the new ones. The latest trends also include some of the features that we have almost come to depend upon. Wireless is a hot requirement, along with smaller control panels for the people in charge of the updates.
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Jordan Hare Stadium Attendance Puts Auburn on the Map!

Jordan Hare StadiumAuburn, Alabama boasts an incredible support of their favorite sport, football.   The Jordan Hare Stadium exemplifies the area’s team spirit at each game, with crowds that top of the charts.  As the fifth largest stadium in the U.S., the 85,214 seating capacity, the attendance record was set for the stadium in 1989 at 85,319. Those that were there will remember when Auburn won against Alabama, which was at that time undefeated, untied and ranked second in the U.S… That was the day that Auburn was officially on the map.
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Jacksonville, Florida: Sports, Technology, Education

Jacksonville, Florida

Jacksonville Florida has a history steeped in a multi-cultural heritage of Native American, French, Spanish and British influences. Inhabited by Native American tribes for thousands of years, this city is the largest land mass area in the State of Florida. Home to the annual College Football rivalry game between the Florida Gators and the Georgia Bulldogs, Jacksonville has evolved into a city with incredibly diverse offerings of old world and high tech. The football scoreboards at the Gator Bowl display just the first level of fan devotion. The area has also been dubbed as the biggest outdoor cocktail party and is something to behold.
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Tampa, Florida: Football Underdogs

Tampa,-Florida

Tampa, Florida is home to some of the best sports teams and also part of the lightning capital of the nation. Whether you are fan of the Buccaneers, Lightning or Rays, the stadiums are packed for every game. A a football underdog team, Tampa Bay has shocked the country with an incredible array of talent. Football scoreboards are top of the line and are followed avidly by each loyal fan. The subtropical climate, combined with the beauty of the gulf coast oceans makes the Tampa area one of the most coveted areas of the country to live. Tampa experiences a rich cultural diversity and an even more unsettling past.
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Nashville, TN: A metropolitan city with its heart in country music and football

Nashville,-TN

If you have never had the opportunity to visit Nashville, Tennessee, you may have some rather incorrect perceptions of what the city really is. Most people may be aware of the fact that Nashville is the heart of country music, but they may also be surprised at the fact that it is a thriving, cultural center and so many facets that you didn’t expect. Nashville is also home to an incredible group of sports fans. From the professional teams to their college sports, the favorite is LP Field, home of professional and college football and their beloved Tennessee Titans. The football scoreboards are a favorite focal point at every game and fans attend in record numbers.
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Tuscaloosa, Alabama: Simply the Best

Tuscaloosa,-Alabama

Tuscaloosa, Alabama is the crowning glory for the state. Known as a center of education and the arts, it reflects everything good about the gracious south. They are the City of Champions with their famed football team with football scoreboards lit with excitement. University of Alabama shares their stadium for football games, with some of the best attendance for any collegiate games.
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Athens, Georgia: A University Town of Culture, Basketball and Football

Athens, Georgia

Athens Georgia is considered to be one of the few cities in the country that was founded on the concept of education. A visit to Athens shows you that it is so much more than learning. The area is vibrant with art, culture, music and an incredible array of things to do. One of the prized accomplishments is the intense pride that the people of Athens feel for their local college teams. Attendance at any game is intense. Whether a small field or large stadium, basketball and football scoreboards and winning is an essential part of life in Athens.
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Mobile, Alabama: A City with Multiple Cultures and Sports

Mobile, Alabama

The people of Mobile take great pride in their rich heritage and the fact that they are currently considered one of the rich cultural centers of the country. From the early beginnings of French. Spanish and British colonization through their battle to overcome the natural disasters of hurricanes and floods, Mobile has made use of their unique strengths to continue down a path of success. The sense of pride of community is exemplified in every area of their town and their love of their sports teams has kept the spirit alive. Football is the main sport of the area, but it is followed closely with fans of baseball, basketball and golf.
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Knoxville, Tennessee: The City That Was Almost Missed

Knoxville, Tennessee

The Knoxville area has had many struggles throughout its history. From the start, it seemed to be a quietly beautiful area tucked away near the Tennessee River. It has survived conflicts and wars as well as bad economic times and has remained a pride of the people of Tennessee. With all that Knoxville has been through, they remain known for the University of Tennessee’s Volunteers Athletic Program. The Vols, as they are called, are the top football team of popularity. Every game is a sell out and all eyes are on that football scoreboard.
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Charlotte, North Carolina: The Queen City of Basketball and Football Fame

Charlotte, North Carolina

Often referred to as the gem of the U.S., Charlotte, North Carolina is richly steeped in old world and southern charm. This is a dichotomy, as Charlotte has also progressed to now be the U.S. 2nd largest financial center. The grace and beauty of the city is complimented with high tech, culture, incredible universities and colleges and pride in their sports teams. Football and basketball reign supreme in Charlotte; with stadiums, fans and both basketball and football scoreboards to support the Carolina Panthers and Charlotte Bobcats.

Charlotte was originally settled by people of European descent. After the American Revolution the city experienced a boom with the cotton and railroad industries. After the Civil War, many of the soldiers posted at Fort Greene cherished the area so much that they decided to remain. This increased the population and spurred an intensity of growth and opportunity. Named after King George, III queen consort, Charlotte of Mecklenburg Strelitz, the city wanted to retain some of its original relationship to its European roots.
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Weird, odd and slightly strange sports information

Weird, odd and slightly strange sports information

We cruise along in life with an expectation that some things will go right and inevitably, some things will go wrong. The challenges we face are the continuing efforts to fix, correct or make-right those areas that go awry. This rule of thumb remains the same, no matter what topic we address. There are, however, some things that someone made a decision on at one point or another that simply don’t make sense. Here are four rather odd sports situations (or decisions) that went down rather strange paths.

The never ending search to sell to the sports enthusiast was apparently a topic for the decision makers at VISA. They came up with what they thought was a brilliant idea of an incentive card that would feature a picture of the sports scoreboard of your choice. Apparently this little gem is a perfect gift (available in a variety of denominations) for the sports loved on in you life.
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Jim Brown: Incredible athlete, actor and activist

There was a time in sports that the name of Jim Brown was a common household word. While most were familiar with him from his success as a football player, he was also known on the television and movie screen as one heck of an actor. Those that studied his past were usually astounded at the sports talent that was packed into one person. Jim has been a major force in professional sports but also in building positive relations in the world of sports.

Brown was born in 1936. The son of a professional boxer and a housekeeper, he later moved to an all African American community where he lived and was raised by his grandmother. By the age of eight, he moved to New York with his mother. Brown was an unbelievable athlete, accomplished in basketball, lacrosse and track. Jim’s sophomore year brought an array of winning scores for both basketball and track, but his decision to go to Syracuse University opened the doors to show his abilities, where he settled on the sport of football. Jim had a banner junior year which included basketball and lacrosse and by the time he was a senior has 14 touchdowns under his belt, was on the honor roll of the National Intercollegiate All-American Football Players and added his name to The Pigskin Club of Washington, D.C. Jim’s talent spanned across four different sports and he was great in every one of them.
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Bo Jackson: A Rare Success in Both Football and Baseball

It is a rough road for any athlete to perfect a single sport and very few in the world have the option of becoming the best in two sports. Bo Jackson was one of these rare individuals. His careers in both baseball and football are legendary; and he accomplished it all with a sense of ease. Often described as one of the best athletes in the world, Bo set himself apart by accomplishing a high standard of excellence.

Vincent Edward Jackson (“Bo”) was born in 1962 in Bessemer, Alabama. He was number eight out of a family of ten children and often referred to as “the wild boar hog”. The reason for the reference was simply that he was always getting into unruly trouble. The name evolved to “Bo” and that was what he preferred to go by for the rest of his life. Bo was raised by a single mother, who worked multiple jobs to support her family and Bo was a constant distraction with the trouble he got into and caused. By the time Jackson was thirteen he was forced to change his bad behavior when he had to take on odd jobs to pay for damage he had caused. It was then that he decided to play baseball.
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