Twelve high school football players receive belated Christmas gift from Trusted Sports.
Trusted Sports and Daniel ‘Rudy’ Ruettiger announce the top twelve High School Football ‘Rudy’ Award Finalists. $25,000 in college scholarships awarded to final four.
Bend, OR – December 28, 2010 – Santa is coming a little late for twelve inspirational high school football players this year. Trusted Sports and Daniel ‘Rudy’ Ruettiger announced today the top 12 finalists of the second annual High School Football Rudy Awards. Chosen from over 250 nominees, these 12 young men have inspired their teammates, coaches, and communities. Chosen for their ability to inspire others to excellence on and off the gridiron, the finalists come from the four corners of the nation, and across the pacific from Hawaii. Their inspirational stories can be found at www.HighSchoolRudyAwards.com.
“These twelve finalists are amazing! I’d like to meet each and every one of them so I can shake their hand and let them know how much they’ve inspired me,” said Drew Bledsoe, Chairman of the Selection Committee. “Over the Holidays I’ve shared some of their stories with friends and family, and we’re in awe by what these kids have been through. They really honor the soul of the High School Football Rudy Awards which is all about motivating others, and demonstrating immense courage and integrity. Every single one of them is a ‘Rudy’.” Bledsoe heads up the selection committee that includes notable sporting personalities such as Leigh Anne Tuohy, mother of NFL player Michael Oher and inspirational figure of the film The Blind Side; Shaun Alexander, former Seattle Seahawks running back and NFL MVP; and NBC Football Sideline Reporter, Andrea Kremer.
The High School Football Rudy Awards top twelve finalists are:
- Chance Anthony of Hardinsburg, Kentucky
- Kamron Clark of Canton, South Dakota
- Kenny Daily of Bend, Oregon
- Tyler Dutruch of Slidell, Louisiana
- Jake Eilers of Breese, Illinois
- Michael Harris of Fort Worth, Texas
- Schuylar Hurd-Johnson of Indianapolis, Indiana
- Reid Layton of Seminole, Texas
- Phillip Madriaga of Aiea, Hawaii
- Cody Rye of Ironwood, Michigan
- Tray Waite of Warren, Ohio
- Kyle Wilcox of Seffner, Florida
The finalists were chosen based on their ability to inspire others, their courage and character, and their commitment to the game while overcoming personal or physical challenges. Known by high school football coaches as the award that honors athletes for the heart they bring to the game as opposed to the stats, the final four scholarship recipients will be named on January 18, 2011. The winner will receive a $10,000 academic scholarship to a college of their choice. Two runners-up in addition to a fan favorite determined by online voting will each receive a $5,000 scholarship. America can vote for their favorite nominee online through January 17th. Since voting began, nominees have tallied more than 1,250,000 votes.
About Trusted Sports
The High School Football Rudy Awards™ are operated in partnership with the Trusted Sports Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity focused on getting and keeping kids in the game. Trusted Sports empowers young athletes to live up to their full potential through positive sports experiences that form active, healthy habits for a lifetime.
For information:
Sandy Henderson
Trusted Sports Inc.
www.HighSchoolRudyAwards.com LOG IN AND VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE!
Phone: (541) 848 9509
Email: sandy@trustedsports.com
Showing posts with label Youth Athlete News. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Youth Athlete News. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Playing for Fun
As I walked out of my dorm today at the University of Notre Dame, I saw a group of about 40 students running around on south quad. I stopped because they were not playing any ordinary sport. They had 3 balls in one game and they were using them for different purposes. One player from each team was holding a ball and they were pegging them at the players of the opposing team whenever that player picked up the remaining ball. As I watched a while longer, I saw that the remaining ball was being thrown into hula hoops that were on top of long posts at the end line of each side of the field. I had no idea what game they were playing until the following happened. All of the sudden, as I was watching the field, I turned around and there was a kid from our track team dressed in all gold, wearing wings, and running full speed passed me while being chased by a player from each one of the teams on the field. I now understood that they had made a fictional wizard game into reality. My fellow classmates put together a non-flying game of Quiditch from Harry Potter!
I am writing about this strange, but yet interesting scene today not because of what it was, but because of how much fun my classmates were having with this game. At that moment, I came to the realization that all the games that have been made up in the past were for the pure purpose of enjoyment and I think a lot of coaches and parents can forget that in today’s society. Many parents are caught up in getting their child that D1 scholarship or that professional contract that they forget the whole reason for playing the game in the first place; to have fun!
Many parents do not understand the statistics behind their child’s chances of “making it” as time goes on. The percentage of high school varsity athletes that receive a scholarship to play a D1 sport in college is 4.9% and the percentage of D1 athletes that go on to play a professional sport is even lower at 3.2%. I am not spitting out this data because I want to crush any dreams, I just believe that it is more important to focus on developing our child’s and our player’s morals and values than to focus on making a player or child into the next Lebron James or Peyton Manning. We, as parents and coaches, have more control over developing our child’s moral development than we do over their athletic ability and I think that in the long run, their moral development will get them a lot further than their athletic ability. Aside from the fact that a child going on to play a D1 or professional sport is a long shot, it also can sideline the morals and values that sports potentially can teach these kids. Many coaches and parents argue that if a player is having fun, then they will not be competitive. This could not be further from the truth, especially in youth sports. Studies have proven that when players in youth sports stop enjoying themselves, they are less likely to want to continue playing. When coaches or parents take the fun out of playing for the children, it will cause the children to react in opposite ways of what the sport and the parent actually intends to do.
So what I am trying to say is that as coaches and parents, we should take a step back and look at what we are teaching our children and players. If we cannot honestly say that the most important thing for our players or children is to have fun, then it is time to reevaluate our reason for coaching or supporting our children in that sport.
Brandon Porras
University of Notre Dame
Senior Class of 2011
I am writing about this strange, but yet interesting scene today not because of what it was, but because of how much fun my classmates were having with this game. At that moment, I came to the realization that all the games that have been made up in the past were for the pure purpose of enjoyment and I think a lot of coaches and parents can forget that in today’s society. Many parents are caught up in getting their child that D1 scholarship or that professional contract that they forget the whole reason for playing the game in the first place; to have fun!
Many parents do not understand the statistics behind their child’s chances of “making it” as time goes on. The percentage of high school varsity athletes that receive a scholarship to play a D1 sport in college is 4.9% and the percentage of D1 athletes that go on to play a professional sport is even lower at 3.2%. I am not spitting out this data because I want to crush any dreams, I just believe that it is more important to focus on developing our child’s and our player’s morals and values than to focus on making a player or child into the next Lebron James or Peyton Manning. We, as parents and coaches, have more control over developing our child’s moral development than we do over their athletic ability and I think that in the long run, their moral development will get them a lot further than their athletic ability. Aside from the fact that a child going on to play a D1 or professional sport is a long shot, it also can sideline the morals and values that sports potentially can teach these kids. Many coaches and parents argue that if a player is having fun, then they will not be competitive. This could not be further from the truth, especially in youth sports. Studies have proven that when players in youth sports stop enjoying themselves, they are less likely to want to continue playing. When coaches or parents take the fun out of playing for the children, it will cause the children to react in opposite ways of what the sport and the parent actually intends to do.
So what I am trying to say is that as coaches and parents, we should take a step back and look at what we are teaching our children and players. If we cannot honestly say that the most important thing for our players or children is to have fun, then it is time to reevaluate our reason for coaching or supporting our children in that sport.
Brandon Porras
University of Notre Dame
Senior Class of 2011
Monday, September 13, 2010
A Strange Game Down Under
Last fall I was able to spend 5 months living and studying in the Fremantle, Western Australia. On my return, most people when made aware of my semester abroad “Down Under” would ask me if I spent time in the outback, or ran into any kangaroos, or saw the Opera House in Sydney. The answer to all these question was thankfully yes; my time in Australia was a wonderful experience full of wonderful memories that will continue to shape my life. However, one experience that I had that is usually passed over when being questioned about my semester abroad is my encounter with the strange game of Australian Rules Football.
Footy as it is often referred to the by the locals, is a uniquely interesting game, especially to the outsider with absolutely no knowledge of the game. I once heard Australian Rules Football described as being a little like every sport we play in America, and unlike any sport we play or know. The ball looks something like a rugby ball, oddly shaped and large in comparison to a football. The field is a massive oval, resembling a cricket field. There are 18 players for each team trying to get the ball through the tallest set of goalposts at either end of the field (there are two sets of goalposts, two short and two tall on each side). Much to my confusion early on, in getting the ball down the field through the goalposts the ball can not be thrown; it must either be passed to a teammate by either kicking the ball, bouncing the ball, or by a sort of underhanded volleyball serve-pass. Players are allowed to tackle only anywhere between the shoulders and knees, making the game at first glance look a lot like rugby or football without pads.
My experience with footy began as merely an escape from the normal day of studying and school work. Whether it was playing a pick-up game in the park with classmates, or going to watch a game at the local footy club, Australian Rules Football was for me, an important athletic outlet during my time abroad. Growing up being a competitive tennis player, athletics and competition were an important part of my life. Much to my surprise and disappoint, I found opportunities to play tennis during my semester abroad relatively inaccessible in my situation; mainly because of the hefty court fees required. Thankfully though, footy stood in as an enjoyable substitute while I was abroad, speaking to the athlete inside me by giving myself and the other American students studying there a chance to get back on the athletic fields to compete and most importantly have a good time.
Ian Rangel
Social Foundations of Coaching
University of Notre Dame
Finance, Class of 2011
Footy as it is often referred to the by the locals, is a uniquely interesting game, especially to the outsider with absolutely no knowledge of the game. I once heard Australian Rules Football described as being a little like every sport we play in America, and unlike any sport we play or know. The ball looks something like a rugby ball, oddly shaped and large in comparison to a football. The field is a massive oval, resembling a cricket field. There are 18 players for each team trying to get the ball through the tallest set of goalposts at either end of the field (there are two sets of goalposts, two short and two tall on each side). Much to my confusion early on, in getting the ball down the field through the goalposts the ball can not be thrown; it must either be passed to a teammate by either kicking the ball, bouncing the ball, or by a sort of underhanded volleyball serve-pass. Players are allowed to tackle only anywhere between the shoulders and knees, making the game at first glance look a lot like rugby or football without pads.
My experience with footy began as merely an escape from the normal day of studying and school work. Whether it was playing a pick-up game in the park with classmates, or going to watch a game at the local footy club, Australian Rules Football was for me, an important athletic outlet during my time abroad. Growing up being a competitive tennis player, athletics and competition were an important part of my life. Much to my surprise and disappoint, I found opportunities to play tennis during my semester abroad relatively inaccessible in my situation; mainly because of the hefty court fees required. Thankfully though, footy stood in as an enjoyable substitute while I was abroad, speaking to the athlete inside me by giving myself and the other American students studying there a chance to get back on the athletic fields to compete and most importantly have a good time.
Ian Rangel
Social Foundations of Coaching
University of Notre Dame
Finance, Class of 2011
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Changing the Way We Think
At the VA Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, a lab seemingly like any other holds a group of scientists doing research. Bennet Omalu, a neurologist, studies a computer screen. However, this lab is unlike any other. Surrounding them are vats filled with typical levels of deteriorated brains of 80 year old men. However, none of these brains belonged to anyone who made it past 80. They were all brains of former NFL big hitters. All of them with a history of concussions.
Often times, when we think of the result of concussions, we think of extreme brain damage or death. What if the actual effects of concussion are not immediately visible. What if they do not appear until years later.
Andre Waters played for the Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals between 1984 and 1995 and was All-Pro hard-hitting NFL safety. He was highly regarded as on of the hardest hitters during his NFL tenure. On November 20, 2006, Waters committed suicide. He was 44. His brain was 85 and in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. His family had donated it to the lab at the VA for Omalu to study.
Justin Strzelczyk was an offensive linemen who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1990 to 1998. In 2004 and at the age of 36, he died in a car crash following a high speed pursuit to evade police. He was clinically depressed and had bipolar disorder. His brain was also studied at the VA by Omalu at was also determined to be deteriorated to the level found in an 85 year old man.
Former teammates NFL guard Ralph Wenzel and Hall of Fame tight-end John Mackey reunite at an assisted living facility. The only problem is that the two men cannot remember each other. Their wives help the men by showing pictures of themselves on the playing field cheering together. But neither man can remember each other for more than a few moments. In a separate incident, Mackey’s family discusses an incident in which he became confused and enraged after seeing Marvin Harrison formerly of the Indianapolis Colts wearing his 88 jersey. Both Wenzel and Mackey suffer from dementia.
Christopher Nowinksi, a former football player, professional wrestler, and Harvard graduate, discusses findings with scientists. He writes a book titled Head Games: Football's Concussion Crisis. After studying numerous brains of athletes like Waters, they have discovered a few unexpected and shocking results. A person with 3 concussions is 3 times more likely to become depressed and 5 times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s. Athletes were at the greatest risk when an earlier concussion had not healed. Over half of all players in the NFL were being sent back into games following concussions and hits that had even rendered them unconscious.
In 2007, the co-chairman for Concussions Committee of the NFL and lead neurologist, Dr. Ira Casson, denies that any of this is true. Part of the video can be seen here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4NbU_HaB3Y
The issue became hot this past September and ultimately ended up before Congress in late 2009. After reviewing the scientific evidence, the NFL realizes it must make changes. The rules are changed to prevent helmet to helmet contact, teams must have independent doctors, players must pass strict tests before returning to the field, and Dr. Ira Casson resigns. The NFL Player’s Association enacted the “88 Plan” in honor of John Mackey, which supplies former players with $88,000 in nursing home care and $50,000 for adult day care. The NFL now supports Nowinski and Omalu’s research. Ultimately, the NFL has changed its position and actively tries to protect its players.
Head injuries are a serious, but an unavoidable aspect of football. However, coaches and trainers must remember that the players are people and not merely an instrument to win games. A coach’s decision to play a professional or high school student before their concussion has fully healed can have serious consequences later in life. Athletes will often beg to return to the game, but it is the responsibility of ethical coaches to make the decision to protect their athletes from long-term injuries. Unfortunately this is often not the case, as discovered in Nowinski’s research. As potential coaches for the next generation, we need to change the way we think or potentially change our players’ ability to think in the future. We should all remember what long term affects our decision have on our players and do what is best for them.
Patrick Hernandez
Social Foundations of Coaching
ND 2010
Often times, when we think of the result of concussions, we think of extreme brain damage or death. What if the actual effects of concussion are not immediately visible. What if they do not appear until years later.
Andre Waters played for the Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals between 1984 and 1995 and was All-Pro hard-hitting NFL safety. He was highly regarded as on of the hardest hitters during his NFL tenure. On November 20, 2006, Waters committed suicide. He was 44. His brain was 85 and in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. His family had donated it to the lab at the VA for Omalu to study.
Justin Strzelczyk was an offensive linemen who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1990 to 1998. In 2004 and at the age of 36, he died in a car crash following a high speed pursuit to evade police. He was clinically depressed and had bipolar disorder. His brain was also studied at the VA by Omalu at was also determined to be deteriorated to the level found in an 85 year old man.
Former teammates NFL guard Ralph Wenzel and Hall of Fame tight-end John Mackey reunite at an assisted living facility. The only problem is that the two men cannot remember each other. Their wives help the men by showing pictures of themselves on the playing field cheering together. But neither man can remember each other for more than a few moments. In a separate incident, Mackey’s family discusses an incident in which he became confused and enraged after seeing Marvin Harrison formerly of the Indianapolis Colts wearing his 88 jersey. Both Wenzel and Mackey suffer from dementia.
Christopher Nowinksi, a former football player, professional wrestler, and Harvard graduate, discusses findings with scientists. He writes a book titled Head Games: Football's Concussion Crisis. After studying numerous brains of athletes like Waters, they have discovered a few unexpected and shocking results. A person with 3 concussions is 3 times more likely to become depressed and 5 times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s. Athletes were at the greatest risk when an earlier concussion had not healed. Over half of all players in the NFL were being sent back into games following concussions and hits that had even rendered them unconscious.
In 2007, the co-chairman for Concussions Committee of the NFL and lead neurologist, Dr. Ira Casson, denies that any of this is true. Part of the video can be seen here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4NbU_HaB3Y
The issue became hot this past September and ultimately ended up before Congress in late 2009. After reviewing the scientific evidence, the NFL realizes it must make changes. The rules are changed to prevent helmet to helmet contact, teams must have independent doctors, players must pass strict tests before returning to the field, and Dr. Ira Casson resigns. The NFL Player’s Association enacted the “88 Plan” in honor of John Mackey, which supplies former players with $88,000 in nursing home care and $50,000 for adult day care. The NFL now supports Nowinski and Omalu’s research. Ultimately, the NFL has changed its position and actively tries to protect its players.
Head injuries are a serious, but an unavoidable aspect of football. However, coaches and trainers must remember that the players are people and not merely an instrument to win games. A coach’s decision to play a professional or high school student before their concussion has fully healed can have serious consequences later in life. Athletes will often beg to return to the game, but it is the responsibility of ethical coaches to make the decision to protect their athletes from long-term injuries. Unfortunately this is often not the case, as discovered in Nowinski’s research. As potential coaches for the next generation, we need to change the way we think or potentially change our players’ ability to think in the future. We should all remember what long term affects our decision have on our players and do what is best for them.
Patrick Hernandez
Social Foundations of Coaching
ND 2010
Friday, March 20, 2009
What do kids say about winning?
Summary of article by Sherry Labyer, The Duncan Banner, Okla., February 22, 2009
According to a survey Baylor University’s Health, Human Performance and Recreation Department conducted among kids at the lowest levels of youth sports, “fun” is the primary reason most young athletes play sports. This survey, distributed to 6000 youth sports participants revealed that while 62% of respondents said that they mainly played sports “to have fun,” only 2% identified “to succeed or win” as the most important reason they play sports. Competition proved the least common motivator among this age group, ranking at the bottom of the seven responses given in the survey, behind “To be with their friends" (11 percent), "To make new friends" (10 percent), "To become physically fit" (7 percent), "To improve their skills" and "To learn new skills.”
The Baylor survey results may shed some light on other studies conducted by the Northeastern University Center for the Study of Sports in Society and the Institute for the Study of Youth Sports at Michigan State University. These studies show that among kids who began playing sports by age 8, 42% have stopped playing by age 16. Teenagers offer a variety of reasons for leaving athletics, but these studies indicate that 50% of respondents say they stopped playing sports because “It’s not fun anymore.”
Sherry Labyer’s article identifies the “fun” correlation between the two studies and exhorts parents and coaches to ensure that children gain positive attributes from youth sports. She reminds parents that emphasizing winning at a young age is counterproductive and can lead to feelings of failure an adequacy that can spill over into other areas of life. She encourages parents instead to focus on supporting young athletes, their teammates, and coaches, developing skills, and promoting sportsmanship. Similarly, Labyer argues that coaches should not focus on winning games, but rather on ensuring that kids gain positive attributes from sports, and that they have fun and want to continue playing. Kids can see the sports aren’t all about winning, Labyer claims, adults should too.
According to a survey Baylor University’s Health, Human Performance and Recreation Department conducted among kids at the lowest levels of youth sports, “fun” is the primary reason most young athletes play sports. This survey, distributed to 6000 youth sports participants revealed that while 62% of respondents said that they mainly played sports “to have fun,” only 2% identified “to succeed or win” as the most important reason they play sports. Competition proved the least common motivator among this age group, ranking at the bottom of the seven responses given in the survey, behind “To be with their friends" (11 percent), "To make new friends" (10 percent), "To become physically fit" (7 percent), "To improve their skills" and "To learn new skills.”
The Baylor survey results may shed some light on other studies conducted by the Northeastern University Center for the Study of Sports in Society and the Institute for the Study of Youth Sports at Michigan State University. These studies show that among kids who began playing sports by age 8, 42% have stopped playing by age 16. Teenagers offer a variety of reasons for leaving athletics, but these studies indicate that 50% of respondents say they stopped playing sports because “It’s not fun anymore.”
Sherry Labyer’s article identifies the “fun” correlation between the two studies and exhorts parents and coaches to ensure that children gain positive attributes from youth sports. She reminds parents that emphasizing winning at a young age is counterproductive and can lead to feelings of failure an adequacy that can spill over into other areas of life. She encourages parents instead to focus on supporting young athletes, their teammates, and coaches, developing skills, and promoting sportsmanship. Similarly, Labyer argues that coaches should not focus on winning games, but rather on ensuring that kids gain positive attributes from sports, and that they have fun and want to continue playing. Kids can see the sports aren’t all about winning, Labyer claims, adults should too.
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