Henry Frazier III wins Eddie Robinson Award
Prairie View A&M coach Henry Frazier III was named the 23rd winner of the Eddie Robinson Award Thursday night at The Sports Network’s Football Championship Subdivision Awards Banquet, held at the Chattanooga Convention Center on the eve of the NCAA Division I Football Championship title game.
Frazier is the first coach of a Southwestern Athletic Conference team, or a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) to win the Robinson Award, which is presented annually to the top coach in FCS. Robinson, the legendary Grambling State coach, spent much of his career in the SWAC.
“It is a humbling honor,” said Frazier. “It’s a great honor to be considered the top coach in your conference and it’s an even greater honor to be considered the top coach in the country.”
Taking over a program best known for losing an NCAA-record 80 consecutive games from 1989-98, Frazier led the Panthers to a perfect 7-0 conference mark, the SWAC West Division title and their first-ever berth in the SWAC championship game since the title contest was introduced in 1999.
Frazier is 36-27 at Prairie View and has gone 25-5 in the past three years. Prairie View completed its season with a thrilling, 30-24 SWAC title game victory over Alabama A&M. The Panthers hadn’t won a SWAC championship since 1964, and 2009 marked the team’s second consecutive 9-1 season.
“When we took over at Prairie View, if there were 119 teams, we were the 119th team in the country,” Frazier said.
In 2008, Prairie View also beat both Grambling and Southern in the same year for the first time in 35 seasons, and posted its first nine-win campaign since 1953, a feat they duplicated this season.
The 2009 season marks the first time the Panthers have had three consecutive winning years since legendary PVAM coach W.J. Nicks ran off nine straight such seasons from 1957-65.
Frazier also coached the Panthers to the No. 18 spot in the final regular season Sports Network poll, the highest ranking Prairie View has ever held. PVAM was ranked 25th last season, the first time the Panthers had ever made a poll appearance.
In the second-closest balloting in Robinson Award history, Frazier received 24 first-place votes out of the 125 ballots cast by a panel of sports information directors and select media who regularly cover FCS. He picked up 237 points to edge J.C. Harper of Stephen F. Austin by two points. (Full voting information is available at sportsnetwork.com)
Jerry Moore of Appalachian State won by one point over Craig Bohl of North Dakota State in 2006.
The Sports Network established the Eddie Robinson Award in 1987. Past recipients of this prestigious honor include current FCS coaches, two-time winner Mickey Matthews of James Madison, Northern Iowa skipper Mark Farley, New Hampshire’s Sean McDonnell, Villanova’s Andy Talley, Mike Ayers of Wofford and Elon’s Pete Lembo, when he won the coveted award with Lehigh.
Source: The Sports Network
2009 Under Armour American Youth Football National Championships
Athletes to Showcase Football Skills and Learn from Top Performance Trainers at the Under Armour Combines
On December 5th, American Youth Football® (AYF) and Under Armour® will welcome more than 13,000 football players, cheerleaders and families from across the U.S. to Orlando, Florida for the 2009 Under Armour American Youth Football National Championships.
AYF hosts the nation’s largest championship football event as they strive to accomplish their mission of providing all kids a place to play. Participants will compete in 40 different divisions, allowing youth of all ages, sizes and skill levels a chance to play for a national title. AYF President Joe Galat, a former NFL and NCAA coach, emphasizes the goal of inclusiveness, “from 7-year-olds to middle school all-stars, all young people should have the opportunity to experience this extraordinary event. We built the week around family, fun, volunteerism, sportsmanship, and healthy competition; this event is the heart of the game of football.”
Another goal is to keep the event affordable. AYF works with county commissions instead of private facilities to help offset the cost of the event and to ultimately subsidize the participant cost. “It is key for us to keep the event accessible to families of all backgrounds,” says AYF Executive Director, Jessica Abramovich. “Bringing together kids from diverse groups who have a shared passion for football and cheer is an essential part of the championship experience.”
Aside from the intense competition, athletes will participate in Under Armour Combines and learn from the best performance trainers in sport. To celebrate their accomplishments, players and their families will take over Universal Studios for a private party. AYF will also induct a new class into the AYF Hall of Fame, which honors volunteers who have dedicated more than 25 years of service to their community youth football program. This year the inductees hail from Hawaii, California, Mississippi, Illinois and Florida.
Daily score updates and pictures from the event can be found at www.ayfchampionships.com.
Coverage of the Under Armour American Youth Football National Championships will be broadcast on the Versus Network.
American Youth Football (AYF)
(AYF) is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides support services, scholarships, grants, giving back programs and tournaments to over 600,000 youth members in 50 states and several countries worldwide. AYF is the nations largest football program and is committed to Giving Back; since its inception in 1996, AYF has donated over $15 million dollars in grants and athletic product to communities that support youth football. AYF was the first national organization to offer all-inclusive football divisions, enabling every child a place to play. For more information visit the website at www.americanyouthfootball.com.
Source: American Youth Football
Knights of Columbus to Promote Volunteerism in 9/11 Tribute Ad
60-second broadcast spot to air during inaugural game of NFL ‘09 Season
The Knights of Columbus, one of the nation’s most active volunteer service organizations — and the world’s largest lay Catholic organization — will air a unique 60-second 9/11 tribute ad during NBC-TV’s broadcast of the inaugural game of the NFL’s 2009 season on Thursday night, Sept. 10.
The piece will run during halftime of the 8:30 p.m. ET game, which will feature the Tennessee Titans and the Pittsburgh Steelers. The spot will run in New York, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and Dallas.
Recalling the heroism displayed on 9/11, the 60-second spot reminds Americans that “we can still see the best in humanity today,” if we “give back.”
The spot directs viewers to www.servicetogether.org — a Web site with resources for volunteers and volunteer organizations.
The importance of giving is captured in the commercial through the story of 9/11 hero Capt. Al Fuentes of the FDNY Marine Division. Capt. Fuentes, now retired, was buried in the rubble of World Trade Center for nearly two hours before being rescued by his fellow firefighters.
“What I have been given is another chance,” Fuentes recounts in the piece. “I need to, and I will, give back: that is what the Knights of Columbus have always shown me for 38 years.”
The Knights of Columbus produced the ad as a tribute to those who lost their lives in the 9/11 attacks and as a reminder of the importance of keeping their heroic spirit of service alive.
The spot concludes by listing a new Web site, www.servicetogether.org, set up by the Knights of Columbus to help volunteers find organizations that can put their talents to good use, and includes resources to help volunteer organizations work more effectively with the volunteers they have.
“We will never forget the tragedy of September 11, 2001,” said Carl Anderson, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus. “But we also must not lose sight of the heroic giving spirit of that motivated the heroes of 9/11 and those who volunteered in its aftermath. The problems we face today are different from those of 2001, but the need for service to our neighbor remains the same: it is truly, ‘the best of humanity.’”
In addition to the game on Sept. 10, the piece will run during NBC’s regional coverage of NFL games on Sunday, Sept. 13 in the same cities, and in New York, Dallas and Los Angeles during the PGA tournament.
One of the nation’s most active charities, last year the Knights of Columbus donated more than $150 million and nearly 69 million hours of service to charitable causes.
The Knights of Columbus was one of the first organizations to organize a response to 9/11. On Sept. 12, 2001, the Knights of Columbus launched the “Heroes Fund” which provided emergency funding — without red-tape — to the families of fallen police, firefighters and emergency services personnel. Nearly $1.5 million was distributed via this program.
Source: Knights of Columbus