Engagement Insider
April 2, 2013
HOUSTON, TX April 1, 2013 – Spring is finally in the air, and down in Texas that can only mean one thing – football is back in season.
And what better setting to get back to the gridiron than the Houston Texans’ Training Center at Reliant Park, where 100 of the top high school players from the Lone Star State participated this past weekend in the NFL Player Engagement (NFLPE) Prep 100 Series presented by Under Armour.
As the Series’ third stop in 2013 following New Orleans and Miami, the student-athletes were treated to former NFL players and coaches teaching them how to hit not only opponents on the field, but how to hit the books off the field. And in addition to learning leadership skills in both athletics and academics, they received instruction on goal-setting, decision-making, proper social media protocol, and social etiquette.
“We had another successful event in Houston, and are very pleased with the positive momentum generated as we look forward to our final two Series stops in Baltimore in Cleveland,” stated NFL Player Engagement (NFLPE) Senior Vice President Troy Vincent. “One of the hallmarks of our program is creating an experience not just for the student-athlete, but for his family as well, and that approach again proved to be a positive one in Houston.”
For Dana Baker, the weekend was twice as good as expected since she had two sons participating.
“This is an awesome experience since they are being exposed to the perspective of people who have been there,” said Baker about her two boys, Marcus, a high school junior, and Ed, a ninth grader. “As a mother, I am hoping to get the inside information that I can’t provide for my sons from the people who have been there.”
She added, “It’s easy for them to get caught up in the glamour, but I want them to hear about the inside struggle of how you get to the final destination. I tell them constantly that they need to realize that football is a means to an end, which is what are you going to do after football is over, and they really addressed that in today’s life skills section. So it provided them with what I wanted them to hear, which is the reality of football, not just the glamour of football.”
Another happy camper mom was Lakisha Lockhart, whose high school junior son DeKwan is a linebacker. “It was much more than I anticipated, and I am very pleased with the information they provided to the players. I am glad they were stressing education, and correctly teaching the boys that although it is great to aspire to the NFL, the most important thing is to focus on education, which is reinforcing and strengthening what I am teaching them at home.”
To deliver this educational component, the NFLPE partners with key players in this industry, including VTO Sports in helping to stage the Series, APTUS Discovery in administering assessments, the NCAA in advising the student-athletes on the transition to the collegiate level, and the Officiating Academy to teach both respect for the rules and to consider a career path as an official.
Together, they have become one team dedicated to presenting an experience that uses both the field and the classroom to fulfill both the football and life needs of the student-athletes.
On the field, both days feature football fundamentals taught through proper techniques and drills, complete with position breakouts, competitions, and even a team-building Tug of War.
And beyond the white lines, chalk talks and instructional settings round out the weekend’s offerings. This blend proved perfect for the famed Under Armour brand as presenting sponsor.
"Under Armour is proud to partner with the NFL on a camp concept that stretches beyond the field and creates better athletes ready for life," observed Leon Duncan, Director of Sponsorship-Sports Marketing at Under Armour. "We saw what NFL Prep was all about and we are on the same page that there is a need for a platform to develop these players into whole athletes."
Duncan also added, "Under Armour's mission is to make all athletes better and we believe that this camp series is doing just that, making athletes better on and off the field. We are committed to the next generation of athletes."
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PREP 100 SERIES, CLICK HERE.