VIKINGS WELCOME 4,000 YOUTH FOOTBALL PLAYERS TO THE METRODOME TO KICK OFF USA FOOTBALL “PLAY FOOTBALL” CAMPAIGN
The Minnesota Vikings and USA Football, the sport’s national governing body on youth and amateur levels, will host 4,000 youth football players at the August 23 Vikings-Steelers game to celebrate the “Play Football … it’s more than a game” campaign. These youth football players are among 100,000 youngsters who will attend preseason games nationwide as part of “Play Football” through team-donated tickets. As part of the pre-game festivities, legendary Brainerd High School head football coach and executive director of the Minnesota Football Coaches Association Ron Stolski will serve as the Honorary Viking and sound the Gjallarhorn. The game will feature in-stadium promotion through “USA Football” field stencils, banners, public address announcements, and JumboTron video messages. USA Football is also distributing “Captain’s Packs” free of charge through usafootball.com to the first 5,000 youth football leagues wishing to recognize youngsters’ leadership qualities. By receiving a free Captain’s Pack, youth coaches obtain 25 “C” Captain jersey patches, 200 helmet decals, and 25 Captain’s Pledges that a young player signs as a commitment to good sportsmanship. The “Play Football” campaign will feature “I Played” public service announcements, featuring six everyday professionals in their respective work environments united by the leadership and strong character traits they gained by playing football – a sport that employs teamwork to attain success. The “I Played” television message invites viewers to usafootball.com to share memories of playing football and how the game has enriched them as people. As part of the “I Played” promotion, Minneapolis firefighter Charles Rucker, who starred at defensive back for Minneapolis Central High School and later played for the University of Nebraska, will serve as the Honorary Captain of the Vikings/Pittsburgh match up. Rucker is also a longtime volunteer youth football coach for the Minneapolis Police Activities League. In addition to promoting football’s values, the Play Football campaign also celebrates the sport’s rising participation figures. According to the independent sports marketing firm The Bonham Group, 3.2 million youngsters ages 6-14 played tackle football in 2007, up from 3.0 million in 2006. About USA Football USA Football, the national governing body of America’s favorite sport on youth and amateur levels, hosts nearly 100 football training events per year offering education for coaches and game officials, skill development for players and resources for youth football league administrators. The independent non-profit manages U.S. national teams within the sport for international competitions. Endowed by the NFL and NFLPA through the NFL Youth Football Fund, USA Football is chaired by former U.S. Congressman and professional quarterback Jack Kemp. ###