Coaches from Howard, Bowie State and Morgan State Team Up At EagleBank Bowl Youth Football Clinic in Southeast

The EagleBank Bowl and the Washington Convention and Sports Authority (WCSA), in partnership with the NCAA Football Youth Initiative, hosted a free football fundamentals clinic for more than 150 D.C. youth, ages 7-13, at the Ridge Road Recreation Center in Southeast D.C.

Working in collaboration with the DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR), youth football players from the D.C. Pop Warner Football League participated in the half-day clinic, receiving offensive and defensive skills instruction from local coaches from Howard, Bowie State and Morgan State universities. In addition, the kids were given a “pep talk” by local sports personality Glenn Harris on the benefits of sportsmanship, teamwork and positive character development.

WCSA Senior Vice President Erik A. Moses and DPR Director Jesus Aguirre closed with a message for the participants centered on maintaining a positive attitude on and off the field. Following the remarks, all the kids enjoyed pizza and a gift bag from the bowl and the WCSA.

“At the end of the clinic, the kids were tired but had wide smiles on their faces,” said Marie Rudolph, director of teams and events for the EagleBank Bowl. “That says mission accomplished in our book.”

“We wanted to provide valuable skills training heading into their fall football seasons and the kids were very receptive all day,” added Moses. “We thank the local college coaches for making this a great experience for the kids.”

The D.C. clinic is one of 22 conducted this summer in conjunction with various bowls around the country. NCAA Football’s Youth Initiative is a $1.5 million, three-year investment that began in New Orleans in 2007. Through this program, NCAA Football strives to attract more youth participants to the game, provide them with additional motivation to pursue higher education opportunities, help them develop the necessary skills to be successful on and off the field, and help to establish a new base of lifelong NCAA Football fans.

This was the first event associated with the 2010 EagleBank Bowl, which is scheduled for December 29 at RFK Stadium. This year’s game is scheduled to pit an Atlantic Coast Conference team against a Conference USA opponent. Public ticket sale information will be announced soon.