I have written about the lack of volunteer youth coaches in our inner city and the importance of having organized and efficient youth programs with the hope that a local organization will step up to the challenge. Following is an edited letter from USA Football, which is looking for volunteer football coaches.
* * * * *
USA Football and the 2012 Indianapolis Super Bowl Host Committee have partnered to help grow the sport of youth football in Indianapolis. Of the leagues in Indianapolis, the Greater Central Indianapolis Youth Football League is one organization that will have a unique opportunity to be a part of the inaugural initiative to make youth football better in Indianapolis.
You can be a part of history by supporting the Greater Central Indianapolis Youth Football League (GCIYFL). The league is made up of key youth football leagues that operate within Indianapolis’ city limits. The union of the leagues is the work of Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) in an effort to increase football participation in the city.
As Indianapolis’ newest resident National Governing Body, USA Football is committed to the growth and further strengthening of football in its own backyard. The independent non-profit is donating $125,000 in new helmets, new shoulder pads, and coaching education to the leagues, clubs and teams that make up the GCIYFL in order to alleviate significant expenses and provide a boost for the GCIYFL’s growth efforts.
The Indianapolis Super Bowl Host Committee is committed to working with USA Football and the GCIYFL to stage the 2011 Football Jamboree in the new, University of Indianapolis Student Athletic Recreation Center, as well as a Fall Football Clinic at the Indianapolis Colts Complex. Additionally, the GCIYFL will benefit from the installation of a new turf football field at Arsenal Technical High School beginning fall 2012.
Despite the generous donation and supportive efforts of USA Football and the Indianapolis Super Bowl Host Committee, the leagues within the GCIYFL are still in need of one key component: dedicated volunteer coaches. USA Football can train even the greenest of people to be an effective coach. Your practice plans, player/parent communication, and playbook will all be provided by USA Football. Volunteers will also have free access to a course that teaches the fundamentals of coaching.
Volunteers will serve as coaches for an 11-week period beginning in early August. There will be nine game weeks and two weeks of playoffs. Each week consists of two practice days and one game day. Practices are 1 1/2 hours, with games generally lasting two hours. Please keep in mind, preparation and breakdown/debriefing will add an additional hour to the practice and game days. Practices and games take place at Tabernacle Presbyterian Field, Forest Manor Middle School, John Marshall High School, Douglass Park, Northwest High School and Arsenal Tech High School. The only thing we require of volunteers is to pass a National Center for Safety Initiatives (NCSI) background check.
If you are interested in serving as a volunteer coach, contact Krista Washington at USA Football at (317) 614-7762 or kwashington@usafootball.com.
