3. Establishing important standards rooted in the best available science for the good
of our young athletes is what USA Football is about.
And we do this in partnership with a roster of experts across medicine and sport;
world-class medical organizations; leaders on football’s youth, high school, collegiate
and pro levels, organizations such as ESPN that supports our work. They – and other
partners – help our independent nonprofit office provide a fun, better and safer
experience for young players.
Much of the credit for football’s extraordinary progress belongs to high school
and youth league decision-makers who boldly adopt USA Football’s standards in
coaching education and player safety.
In 2014, our Heads Up Football program benefited nearly 1 million athletes on
the high school and youth levels. More than half of all U.S.
youth leagues joined the Heads Up Football movement in
2014, doubling the number of leagues taking part in 2013.
To manage this exciting demand, our roster of Master
Trainers to lead Heads Up Football instruction rose from 26
in 2013 to more than 60 in 2014.
USA Football also hosted its first annual National
Conference in Indianapolis in 2014 with more than 400
youth coaches and league commissioners participating
in attention-rapt sessions covering coach development;
coach, parent and player communication; player safety
standards; injury prevention; concussion awareness; and leadership within a coast-to-
coast networking environment for football leaders.
The following pages offer a comprehensive look at 2014 as we ambitiously
continue our work in partnership with leading experts in medicine and sport.
Scott Hallenbeck
Executive Director
FROM THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
4. As a former football player, coach, scout and administrator for nearly 45 years
on the high school, collegiate and professional levels, I’ve come to understand what I
believe is the element to creating success in this great sport: teamwork.
A group of individuals with a wide range of skills from various walks of life, all
working for a collective goal, become a team.
Building a successful team and watching it develop during a span of years is
exhilarating.
We are witnessing this today, only it’s more than a
team. It’s a family – the sport of football’s family. And USA
Football has become a major part of that family.
Youth leagues and high schools are making an
unyielding commitment to their young athletes, which is
matched by the important standards established by USA
Football, endorsed by leaders across medicine and multiple
levels of our game.
Throughout this sport’s landscape, as diverse and
wonderful as the nation in which we live, USA Football is
changing for the better how coaches are prepared, players are taught, parents are
informed and safety is addressed.
I am extremely proud of what our CEO/Executive Director Scott Hallenbeck and his
staff have accomplished in the six years that I have had the honor to serve as Chairman.
Since 2009, USA Football has grown from 23 full-time employees to 67 within its
Indianapolis-based nonprofit office. Effective managing of costs have increased
revenues from $7.7 million to $22.0, enabling us to reinvest in new standard-setting
programs and resources.
During this time, our depth and breadth of partners across sport and medicine have
grown to virtually every level of football and some of the largest organizations of medical
experts in the world. In particular, I thank the NFL for its financial and promotional
support as well as the National Federation of State High School Associations and the
NCAA for their continued partnership. These and more than three dozen additional
partners have played a vital role in helping us achieve important firsts for the good of
young athletes.
Through its coaching education programs in 2014, USA Football benefitted nearly
1 million young players, approximately 150,000 coaches, more than 5,500 youth
leagues and almost 1,000 high schools.
We all seek the same goals: to grow our game nationally and internationally, to
increase the quality of coaching education across the sport and, most importantly, to
make the sport safer for high school and youth athletes. Scott and his staff are doing
this every day.
As the following pages illustrate, USA Football accomplished much in 2014, and
our brightest days are yet to come.
Thank you for your dedication and support toward those who love to play football
and enjoy the fun, fitness and life skills that come with it.
Sincerely,
Carl D. Peterson
Chairman
FROM THE CHAIRMAN
OF THE BOARD
5.
6. BY THE
NUMBERS
Supported by more than three dozen medical and football
organizations, Heads Up Football®
continues to raise the
bar on player health and safety and addresses the needs
of the youth and high school football community.
Through Heads Up Football, coaches,
players and parents across the United States
are learning important information and
creating a better, safer game for the young
athletes who enjoy the fun and benefits of
the sport.
Heads Up Football is a comprehensive
collection of resources and medically
approved protocols that teach concussion
awareness and recognition, heat
preparedness and hydration, proper tackling
fundamentals and equipment fitting. In 2014,
more than 5,500 youth leagues and 750
high schools participated in the program,
benefitting nearly 1 million young athletes.
Forged in the best available science,
Heads Up Football is creating change and
teaching the sport correctly while instilling
the game’s proper techniques at the
grassroots levels.
“The education and information that
Heads Up Football provides has really
brought on a new way of coaching,” Catholic
Grade School Conference of Chicagoland
commissioner Ed Stortz said. “It’s not about
winning today but building for the future
of young players. Today’s game is not as
In 2014, Heads
Up Football
was featured in
hundreds of local
media markets and
dozens of national
outlets, including
USAToday, the
NewYorkTimes,
Fox News, ESPN,
the Huffington Post
and more.
The NFL
Foundation
has committed
$45 million to
USA Football to
support advanced
standards in youth
football, including
Heads Up Football.
USA Football’s
Heads Up
Football program
is supported by
the NFL, ESPN
and college
football’s Power 5
conferences – the
ACC, BigTen, Big
12, Pac-12 and SEC.
important as tomorrow, and we’re taking care
of the future of the game. We are custodians
of the game.”
Like the game itself, Heads Up Football
continues to evolve. As the 2014 season
closed, USA Football was preparing to
announce the addition of Heads Up Blocking
and sudden cardiac arrest protocols that
will be included with USA Football’s Level
1 coaching education course and its high
school certification course.
“Heads Up Football is a movement
toward a better, safer game for youth
football and all the way up through high
school,” said John Roderique, who has
led Webb City High School to 10 Missouri
state titles and teaches Heads Up Football
nationally as a USA Football Master Trainer.
“You see a lot of coaches talking about this
program and what a great thing it is for
football across America.”
6
HEADS UP FOOTBALL
®
7. PLAYER SAFETY COACH
COACHING CERTIFICATION
CONCUSSION RECOGNITION
AND RESPONSE
EQUIPMENT FITTING
HEADS UP TACKLING
HEAT AND HYDRATION
KEY FEATURES OF HEADS UP FOOTBALL
®
EDUCATION COMPONENTS OF HEADS UP FOOTBALL
®
Some the leaders across medicine and sport who support
USA Football’s Heads Up Football®
program in 2014 include:
These individuals are responsible for ensuring their schools or organizations comply
with core Heads Up Football health and safety protocols, including coaching
certification and conducting safety clinics for coaches, players and parents.
All coaches within a program must complete USA Football’s nationally accredited
Level 1 Coaching Certification Course or online high school course created by USA
Football and the National Federation of State High School Associations.
Coaches learn and are assessed on CDC concussion recognition and response
through USA Football’s Level 1 Coaching Certification Course.
Coaches, parents and players are taught concussion-related protocols at the start of
the season at a leaguewide clinic and have them reinforced throughout the season.
Coaches, parents and players are taught proper helmet and shoulder pad fitting.
Series of fundamental drills reinforce tackling mechanics, teaching players how to
perform this basic football skill with a focus on reducing helmet contact.
Coaches, parents and players learn heat and hydration safety measures provided by the
Korey Stringer Institute at the University of Connecticut.
Amateur Athletic Union
Korey Stringer Institute at the U. of Conn.
Nat’l Interscholastic Athletic Admin. Assoc.
American College of Sports Medicine
Md. Public Secondary Schools Ath. Assoc.
National Parent Teacher Assoc. (PTA)
American Football Coaches Association
Maxwell Football Club
National Police Athletic League
American Medical Society for Sports Med.
Michigan H.S. Football Coaches Assoc.
North Carolina Coaches Association
Arizona Interscholastic Association
Minnesota Football Coaches Assoc.
Northern Va. Football Coaches Assoc.
Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)
National Association of Sports Officials
Pac-12 Conference
Big 12 Conference
National Athletic Trainers Association
Pop Warner Little Scholars
Big Ten Conference
NATA Research & Ed. Foundation
Pro Football Athletic Trainers Society
Boys and Girls Clubs of America
National Fed. of State High School Assoc.
Southeastern Conference (SEC)
Conference USA
National Football League
Sport Safety International
ESPN
NFL Alumni Association
Sports & Fitness Industry Association
Indiana Football Coaches Association
NFL Head, Neck & Spine Committee
United Youth Football League
8. HEADS UP FOOTBALL
®
BY THE
NUMBERS
USA Football works with leaders in medicine, child advocacy, education and sports
throughout the United States to develop and implement its programs. Through these
partnerships, parents receive peace of mind knowing that coaches have the education they
need to properly teach young athletes to play the game they love.
The Heads Up Football® program is delivered from USA Football’s Indianapolis office
to high schools and communities across the United States through a train-the-trainer model.
MASTER TRAINERS
Selected and trained by USA Football, Master
Trainers include top high school coaches, current
college coaches and former NFL players who are
dedicated to work with youth leagues and high
schools in order to deliver the best information
about teaching the sport to young players. These
60 Master Trainers represented USA Football at
more than 200 events across the United States.
“All of us benefit from consistent teaching
that is based on education and research,” said
USA Football Master Trainer Gary Swenson, who
has led West Des Moines High School to five
Iowa championships. “I feel Heads Up Football is
a tremendous initiative that will help our game.”
PLAYER SAFETY COACHES
Appointed by their youth leagues or high
schools, Player Safety Coaches oversee their
programs’ implementation of the highest national
coaching standards for football. These standards make sure that all coaches are certified
through USA Football’s online course.
Player Safety Coaches also conduct Heads Up Football clinics for coaches, parents and
players while monitoring their organizations’ practices and games throughout the season.
The 60 USA Football
MasterTrainers
account for 81
state high school
championships,
including eight in
2014.
Heads Up Football
is supported by
eight state coaches
associations,
including
Arkansas, Indiana,
Michigan, Missouri,
Minnesota, South
Carolina, South
Dakota and
Wisconsin.
Heads Up Football is
endorsed by seven
state high school
associations,
includingArizona,
California, Hawaii,
Idaho, Indiana,
Maryland and
Washington.
8
9. HEALTH & SAFETY
BY THE
NUMBERS
The health and well-being of every young athlete is USA Football’s
No. 1 priority. And in 2014, data revealed that education is changing for
the better how the sport is taught and played.
In 2014, a Datalys Center for Sports
Injury Research and Prevention study revealed
that youth football players
in leagues that participate
in USA Football’s Heads Up
Football® program have
a 76 percent reduction in
injuries compared to those
in leagues that do not take
part in the program. Heads
Up Football leagues also saw
a reduction in concussions
and time-loss injuries (see box at right).
USA Football commissioned the two-
pronged study in which Datalys compared
the risk of injury and head impacts in players
introduced to Heads Up Football against
those who were not. More than 2,100 youth
Players in Heads Up
Football leagues
were 57 percent
less likely to
sustain an injury
that kept them
out of competition
beyond that day.
Heads Up Football
leagues saw
a reduction in
concussions during
both practices
(34 percent) and
games (29 percent).
Youth players
in leagues that
adopted Heads Up
Football registered
an average of 2.5
fewer impacts per
practice of at least
10g.That equates
to 90 fewer head
impacts per season.
Through three
years of research
encompassing
more than 6,000
players ranging
in age from 5 to
10, 2.8 percent of
all youth football
players sustained a
concussion.
tackle football players age 5 to 15 across 100
teams and 10 youth organizations spanning
four states were matched
for location, socio-
economic, playing standard
and other factors. Datalys
placed athletic trainers at
the leagues’ practice and
game fields to manage and
document player health.
“Results of this study
are encouraging,” USA
Football Executive Director Scott Hallenbeck
said. “This early research underscores that
education changes behavior, which is a
long-standing premise held by USA Football
and the medical community, and we are
committed to learn more.”
9
10. BY THE
NUMBERS
Moms and dads want the peace of mind that their
children are being taught the proper way by coaches who
are certified to pass on the fundamentals of the sport.
Young athletes enjoy playing football.
The inherent fun and excitement of the game
draws millions of players to youth football
leagues across the United States.
To be part of
Heads Up Football,
every Heads Up
Football league
holds a Parents
Safety Clinic,
where moms and
dads are taught
the program’s
principles and
learn important
health and safety
information.
More than 4.5
million individuals
visited USA
Football’s website
(www.usafootball.
com) in 2014,
reading articles,
watching videos
and utilizing
resources on a
variety of topics
to improve the
youth football
experience in their
communities.
USA Football engages with parents and
players through Heads Up Football, Protection
Tour events and Moms Clinics hosted by
colleges, NCAA conferences and NFL teams.
Through free memberships, parents are
elevated from their roles as spectators and
made a necessary part to the educational
process. Coaches spend a limited amount
of time with players each week. Informing
parents on how to fit equipment, being aware
of concussion signs and to properly hydrate
their children before practices goes a long
way to advance safety.
Working alongside commissioners from
more than 5,500 youth football organizations
across the nation, USA Football is shaping
the way leagues educate their coaches and
train their players in the fundamentals of the
sport. Football and youth sports in general
provide meaningful learning opportunities. It
is important that everyone comes together to
teach our children these important lessons.
10
YOUTH FOOTBALL
11.
12. USA Football’s National Practice Guidelines for Youth Tackle
Football define levels of contact and set a 30-minute time
limit on full contact within a practice session.
Developed in 2014 and endorsed by leading medical organizations, the guidelines also
provide youth football organizations with heat acclimatization procedures set forth by the Korey
Stringer Institute.
Recommendations include:
• No more than four practices per week during preseason and three per week during the
regular season.
• Maximum of 30 minutes of full contact per practice, and two-a-day practices are
prohibited at any time during the preseason and regular season.
• Establishes methods to appropriately plan practices and track overall contact.
• Athletes are permitted to drink fluids at any time during a practice beyond designated
breaks.
“USA Football’s practice guidelines for youth tackle football, created in collaboration
with medical leaders, marks a watershed moment for youth sports,” American
College of Sports Medicine President Dr. Carol Ewing Garber said. “Identifying
guidelines for heat acclimatization and defining levels of contact with
time limits are critical. Not only are young athletes safer by learning the
fundamentals in a smarter way, but monitoring levels of contact and
heat acclimatization also advances their well-being.”
USA Football’s youth practice guidelines are the first to earn the
endorsement of national and international medical organizations,
including the ACSM, National Athletic Trainers’ Association and
the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine. The guidelines
are freely accessible to all youth football organizations at
www.usafootball.com/practiceguidelines.
“Like teachers preparing lesson plans, properly recording the
levels of contact within a daily practice schedule is an important
process for all coaches,” said Chris Merritt, the head coach at
Christopher Columbus High School in Miami, Fla. “USA Football
helps coaches do this right through its Practice Planner application
that mimics what many of us do on the high school level.”
12
YOUTH PRACTICE GUIDELINES
13. BY THE
NUMBERS
USA Football’s
Practice Planner
includes a tool that
totals the amount
of full contact
within sessions
and turns red if the
30-minute daily
limit is surpassed.
Per USA Football’s
practice guidelines,
there is no full
contact until at
least the fifth
practice.
No youth football
practice should
ever extend beyond
120 minutes in a
single day.
USA Football defines full contact as any drill conducted in gamelike, competitive
conditions in which there is no predetermined winner – outlined as “Thud” or “Live” in
USA Football’s Levels of Contact.
USA Football’s Levels of Contact focus on varying intensity levels throughout
practices to build player confidence, ensure the safest possible environment and prevent
both physical and mental exhaustion. The first three levels – air, bags and control –
teach these skills with minimal or no contact. The final two – thud and live action – are
defined as full contact.
• Air. Players run a drill unopposed without contact.
• Bags. Drill is run against a bag or other soft-contact surface.
• Control. Drill is run at an assigned speed until the moment of contact. One
player is designated by the coach ahead of time as the predetermined winner.
Contact remains above the waist and players stay on their feet.
• Thud. Drill is run at competitive speed through the moment of contact with no
predetermined winner. Contact remains above the waist, players stay on their
feet and a quick whistle ends the drill.
• Live Action. Drill is run in gamelike conditions and is the only time that
players are taken to the ground.
“The medical community agrees that our practice guidelines are a necessary
part of the Heads Up Football program to advance player safety,” USA Football
Senior Director of Football Development Nick Inzerello said. “USA Football has
provided coaches and commissioners with another tool to create a
better, safer game for our children.”
WHAT CONSTITUTES
‘FULL CONTACT?’
usafootball.com/health-safety/levels-of-contact
14. BY THE
NUMBERS
Friday nights in the fall are appointment viewing in
many communities across the United States. The high
school football stadium serves as a meeting ground for
old friends to reconnect and young athletes to enjoy the
sport’s lasting benefits while kicking off the weekend for
America’s favorite sport.
And while time seems to stop during
those 48 minutes of exhilaration each week,
the game continues to evolve for everyone
involved. Players play. Coaches coach.
Parents cheer. But as knowledge of the sport
grows, so too does their understanding of
health and safety standards within it.
“Every sport deserves trained and
prepared coaches, an emphasis on
fundamentals and techniques and the best
information on player health matters to
minimize risk of injury for young athletes,”
National Federation of State High School
Associations Executive Director Bob Gardner
said. “Heads Up Football fulfills these areas
and holds relevancy for other sports.”
The high school football coach is one of
the most influential football voices in every
community and can be a driving force to
advance the sport. These coaches and their
administrators are addressing greater concern
from parents pertaining to safety. The Heads Up
Football program offers them a comprehensive
The National
Federation of
State High School
Associations
reported that 1.09
million high school
boys played high
school football in
2013, an increase
of 6,600. Football
is the only high
school sport with
more than 1 million
boys participating.
More than 5,500
high school
athletes took part
in U.S. National
Team events
throughout 2014,
including Regional
Development
Camps, National
Development
Games, the
International
Bowl and the IFAF
Under-19World
Championship.
USA Football
partners with
the National
Interscholastic
Athletic
Administrators
Association
to reach more
than 8,300 high
school athletic
administrators who
are responsible to
ensure a standard
of care for their
student-athletes.
solution in response to those inquiries.
Nearly 1,000 high schools in 44 states
and Washington, D.C., signed up for USA
Football’s Heads Up Football program in
2014, bringing a unified language, proper
procedures and important guidelines for all
coaches, players and parents who love to
teach, play and enjoy this great game. USA
Football worked with the NFHS and other
experts in sport and health to create the
high school coach certification course, which
provides coaching education specific to the
needs of the high school community.
“Our entire staff has implemented Heads
Up Football’s terminology, techniques and
tackle progression,” said Tom Bainter, the
head coach at Bothell High School, a 2014
Washington state champion. “We use the
Levels of Contact during practice, allowing us
to practice tackling every day of the week,
and we’ve seen improvement across the
board. The system was a huge part of our
success this year.”
14
HIGH SCHOOL
15.
16. COACHING EDUCATION
BY THE
NUMBERS
USA Football educates more high school
and youth football coaches combined than
any organization in the United States.
In 2014, coaches in all 50
states and Washington, D.C.,
completed and passed USA
Football’s Level 1 Coaching
Certification Course or high
school certification course,
representing nearly 1 million
players.
As the only football
coaching course certified
by the National Council for
Accreditation of Coaching
Education, USA Football’s
teaching model provides
coaches with age-appropriate
drills and tools that are right for their players.
Through USA Football memberships,
coaches get the tools and resources to
properly plan practices, monitor contact
levels and develop the necessary skills in
their young athletes. Medical experts agree
that developing proper fundamentals at a
young age dramatically reduces the chance
for injury.
“USA Football’s online coaching
education gives all coaches a baseline of
knowledge and a common language that’s
necessary to teach the sport to young
USA Football’s
online coaching
certification
course includes 16
chapters covering
various aspects of
health and safety,
communication
and fundamentals.
Each chapter quiz
requires a score
of 80 percent or
better to continue.
USA Football coach
members reside in
all 50 states and
Washington, D.C.
A practice planner
and drills library
along with blogs
and videos at
usafootball.com
reinforce coaching
education
by offering
hundreds of skill
development drills
and resources to
plug and play into
their practices.
athletes,” said Bruce Rollinson, head coach at
Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, Calif.,
and a member of the USA Football Football
Advisory Committee. “We can then build
upon that foundational knowledge to help
our players develop the fundamentals and
skills required to enjoy success.”
16
17. NATIONAL CONFERENCE
BY THE
NUMBERS
More than 400 youth football leaders gathered in
Indianapolis for the inaugural USA Football National
Conference.
The attendees represented more than 1
million players across the country, taking part
in presentations on groundbreaking football
standards, injury prevention, concussion
awareness, leadership and the USA Football
Heads Up Football program.
Coaches and commissioners attended
a special viewing of the NFL Scouting
Combine, taking part in an onfield Heads
Up Football training session inside Lucas Oil
Stadium, home of the Indianapolis Colts.
Medical experts and leading football
voices served as speakers throughout the
weekend, including:
• Cincinnati Bengals Head Coach
Marvin Lewis
• Former NFL general manager and
ESPN analyst Bill Polian
• University of Washington-Harborview
neurologist Dr. Stanley Herring
• Korey Stringer Institute Chief
Operating Officer Dr. Douglas Casa
Throughout the weekend, attendees
learned about the standards being
established by USA Football and its Heads
Up Football program.
“This conference is really the start of
something big,” said Frankqunetta Dillon,
chief administrative officer for TNT Youth
Football and Cheerleading in Mississippi.
“Where we’re located, we have other leagues
that we discuss things with and share
knowledge. Our whole thing is to go back,
because none of them are here, and say,
‘Hey, you need to do this, because this is our
children.’ In order to be a part of TNT Youth
Football and Cheerleading, this is what you
have to do.”
With more
than 400 youth
football leaders
in attendance,
the USA Football
National
Conference is the
largest gathering
of its kind in the
United States.
More than 20
USA Football
MasterTrainers
led all conference
participants in
Heads UpTackling
drills during a
demonstration
inside Lucas Oil
Stadium, home of
the Indianapolis
Colts.
17
18. 18
PROGRAMS
PROTECTION TOUR
USA Football’s annual Protection Tour takes
elements of Heads Up Football on the road. In 2014,
USA Football and partners Riddell and AIG joined five
NFL teams and Northwestern University in hosting
Protection Tour events, where youth players, parents,
coaches and administrators learned proper tackling
fundamentals, concussion education and helmet fitting.
Led by Master Trainers and local physicians and
supported by spokesperson Christine Golic, discussions
centered on proper techniques, medically approved
protocols and industry standards set to improve player
health and safety in the sport. The free events brought
these important messages to more than 2,500 families.
GRANTS
Each year, USA Football distributes more than $1 million in equipment grants through a donation from the NFL
Foundation. All youth leagues, elementary schools, middle schools and high schools are eligible to receive a grant
toward the purchase of new football equipment, further advancing player safety. Since 2008, USA Football has
awarded more than $7 million in equipment grants.
USA Football also partners with FieldTurf to award $50,000 field-building grants to school districts and
communities toward the purchase of a FieldTurf synthetic turf field.
19. TEAM MOM OF THE
YEAR AND INSPIRING
GREATNESS
Alongside partners MinuteClinic
and Courtyard, USA Football rewarded
hard-working moms and coaches while
engaging more than 250,000 members
of the youth and high school football
communities through the Team Mom of
the Year and Inspiring Greatness programs.
Both initiatives gave organizations
the opportunity to recognize the men
and women whose countless hours of
dedication and hard work serve as the backbone to success.
BY THE
NUMBERS
Each year, USA
Football honors
26 NFL players
through theAll-
FundamentalsTeam
who use proper
technique at their
positions for young
athletes to emulate.
Each team member
receives a $1,000
equipment grant to
donate to the youth
organization or high
school of his choice.
USA Football
supported more than
two dozen Moms
Clinics hosted by
NFL teams, college
conferences and
other USA Football
partners in 2014
where mothers
of youth and high
school football
players got a hands-
on experience with
the sport.
SAFESPORT
USA Football has
implemented a corporate
SafeSport policy that ad-
dresses six primary types
of misconduct: bullying,
harassment, hazing, emo-
tional misconduct, physi-
cal misconduct and sexual
misconduct, including
child sexual abuse. All USA
Football employees and
contractors are required
to complete the SafeSport
training, designed by the
U.S. Olympic Committee.
USA Football also strongly
recommends this program
to all youth organizations.
FUNdamentals
FUNdamentals incorporates a series of
drills to teach passing, catching and running
skills in a non-contact setting. All drills are
based on USA Football’s Player Progression
Development Model, ensuring children are
learning in an age-appropriate manner based
on their cognitive and physical maturity.
In 2014, 70 current and former NFL
players hosted FUNdamentals camps thanks
to NFL Foundation grants. Designed as a turn-
key football clinic that can be run in any facility or physical education class, USA Football also
hosted FUNdamentals clinics at Big Ten Championship Weekend, the College Football Playoff
national championship and the Popeye’s Bahamas Bowl, bringing the program to more than
18,000 children across the United States and beyond.
ESPN ‘MONDAY NIGHT
FOOTBALL’ STOPS
ESPN teamed up with USA Football in 2014 to
advance player safety on high school and youth levels,
including a financial commitment of $175,000. The
organizations hosted events in Detroit, Dallas and
Philadelphia to coincide with “Monday Night Football”
games in those cities.
The events included high school and youth football
player and parent clinics, football equipment donations
to youth leagues and high schools, appearances by
NFL legends, fun and free football festivals and special
giveaways at youth league game sites.
“We are proud to join USA Football in this
collaboration, which further establishes our commitment
to improving access to sport, including programs that
promote athlete safety and develop great coaching for
youth around the country,” ESPN Director of Corporate
Outreach Angela Woods said. “Ensuring that players,
coaches and parents can enjoy sports in safe and healthy
ways is an important part of our ongoing efforts.”
20. NATIONAL TEAMS
USA Football selects and manages U.S. National Teams
for international competition within the sport, including
men’s, women’s and high school – Under-19, Under-18,
Under-17, Under-16 and Under-15 – tackle teams along with
men’s and women’s flag football. As the national governing
body of the sport, the NCAA permits USA Football to employ
current college coaches among its instructors alongside top
high school coaches and former NFL players.
USA Football is the U.S. representative to the
International Federation of American Football, which
unites 67 nations on six continents that possess a
national federation dedicated solely to the sport.
As part of the U.S. National Team selection process,
USA Football held 17 Regional Development Camps and
four National Development Weeks across the United States
to identify potential players for the high school divisions. At
these camps, players ages 13 to 18 learned from some of the
nation’s best coaches while being evaluated by college scouts.
Nearly 6,000 athletes
took part in national team
events in 2014.
20
21. NATIONAL TEAM ALUMNI REPORT
From Oklahoma freshman running back Samaje Perrine (2014) to Baylor sixth-year senior
quarterback Bryce Petty (2009), U.S. Under-19 National Team alumni helped shape the college football
landscape in 2014. Others included:
Ohio State DL Michael Bennett (2011)
Texas DL Malcom Brown (2012)
Stanford DB Alex Carter (2012)
Baylor WR Corey Coleman (2012)
Nebraska DB Corey Cooper (2010)
Michigan WR Devin Funchess (2012)
Stanford QB Kevin Hogan (2011)
Northwestern RB Justin Jackson (2014)
Georgia RB Todd Gurley (2012)
Penn State LB Mike Hull (2010)
Stanford WR Ty Montgomery (2011)
Oregon WR Charles Nelson (2014)
Arizona QB Anu Solomon (2012)
Florida State QB Jameis Winston (2012)
Nearly a dozen former U.S. National Team players appeared in NFL games during the 2014 season,
including Tyrann Mathieu (DB, Arizona Cardinals), Jack Mewhort (OL, Indianapolis Colts) Stephon Tuitt
(DL, Pittsburgh Steelers) and Brian Winters (OL, New York Jets).
INTERNATIONAL
COMPETITION
The U.S. National Team program took part in
three international events in 2014, including the first
IFAF Under-19 World Championship held outside the
United States. Led by head coach Aaron Brady of Malvern,
Pa., the U.S. Under-19 team defeated Mexico, Germany,
Japan and Canada in Kuwait to reclaim the gold medal.
The U.S. Under-19 team also defeated Canada, 42-7, at
the 2014 International Bowl in Arlington, Texas, part of a
weekend event that featured six games between the two North
American countries. The U.S. Under-15 team and Under-17 Blue
also earned victories over our neighbors to the north, while the
U.S. Under-18, Under-17 Red and Under-16 squads lost.
The U.S. men earned the gold medal at the 2014 IFAF Flag
Football World Championships in Italy, defeating Mexico in
the finale to finish 10-0 on the tournament. The U.S. women
took home the silver after going 8-1 overall, including a loss to
Canada in the title game.
22. NFL FLAG
More than 250,000 children ages 5 to 17 enjoyed the fun
and excitement of NFL FLAG powered by USA Football in
2014, an 8 percent increase over the year before.
Enjoyed by more than 2 million
Americans nationwide, flag football offers
children and adults the chance to learn many
of the game’s basic skills while competing in
a limited-contact environment.
With a record number of NFL FLAG
participants, USA Football once again joined
with NFL clubs to host eight NFL FLAG
regional tournaments. Winners from four
age divisions qualified to the Championships
at Super Bowl XLIX in Phoenix, Ariz., where
they also enjoyed Pro Bowl festivities and
took part in Super Bowl Media Day.
The sport also is growing at the high
school level, where USA Football works with
scholastic programs in 30 U.S. cities, helping
more than 32,000 girls participate on those
levels. Eight states and Washington, D.C.,
offer girls flag football as a varsity sport.
All NFL FLAG coaches and parents
receive free USA Football memberships,
which include access to playbooks, practice
planners, a drills library and original blog
content to help create lasting memories in
their youngsters’ football experience.
22
23. NFL FLAG ESSENTIALS
The NFL and USA Football teamed
up to provide NFL FLAG Essentials kits
to children in elementary schools and
afterschool programs in 15 cities. Through
this program, middle school students and
children in inner cities benefitted from the
opportunity to play the fun and fast-paced
game of NFL FLAG.
The NFL FLAG Essentials program is
scheduled to be rolled out nationwide by
2016.
NFL PUNT, PASS & KICK
USA Football manages the nation’s largest grassroots sports skills
competition, bringing the NFL Punt, Pass & Kick program to more than 2,500
communities and nearly 200,000 boys and girls ages 6 to 15 in all 50 states
and Washington, D.C.
Champions from 32 NFL clubs are narrowed to four individuals in each
of the 10 age groups. These young athletes then competed for national titles
and were saluted onfield at CenturyLink Field during the NFC playoff game
between the Seattle Seahawks and Carolina Panthers.
24. BOARD MEMBERS24
USA Football’s Board of Directors include representatives from all levels of football – youth to professional – to guide the
organization’s initiatives and further strengthen the game.
Led by Chairman Carl Peterson, the knowledge and experience of the Board are invaluable resources for USA Football as it
continues to teach the game’s fundamentals and promote its values to benefit young athletes.
CARL PETERSON,
CHAIRMAN
Former NFL executive
BOB GARDNER
Executive Director
National Federation of State
High School Associations
DR. GAIL L. ROSSEAU
Neurosurgeon
NorthShore University
HealthSystems
DERON CHERRY
Former NFL player
National Football League
LEROY HOLLINS II
Commissioner
Louisiana Youth Football
GRANT TEAFF
Executive Director
American Football Coaches
Association
DAWN APONTE
Executive Vice President
Miami Dolphins
ROGER GOODELL*
Commissioner
National Football League
STEVE SPECHT
Head Football Coach
Cincinnati St. Xavier
High School
TOM COVE
President and CEO
Sports and Fitness Industry
Association
MARK MEANA
Chairman Emeritus
Fairfax County (Va.) Youth
Football League
MIKE WILCOX
Chairman and CEO
Wilcox Financial/Wilcox Sports
Management
JOE BROWNE
Senior Advisor to the
Commissioner
National Football League
SCOTT HALLENBECK*
Executive Director
USA Football
MICHAEL STRICKLAND
Senior Associate Commissioner
Atlantic Coast Conference
WOODIE DIXON
Senior Vice President
Pac-12 Conference
MARK MURPHY
President and CEO
Green Bay Packers
*-Ex-officio Board Member
NEW BOARD MEMBERS IN 2014
Deron Cherry, Woodie Dixon, Michael Strickland
25. DR. STANLEY HERRING, CHAIRMAN
University of Washington Harborview Medical Center
Neurology
DR. JOHN BERGFELD
Cleveland Clinic
Orthopedics
DR. DOUGLAS CASA
Korey Stringer Institute
Heat preparedness and hydration
DR. JONATHAN DREZNER
University of Washington Primary are Sports Medicine Fellowship
Sudden cardiac arrest
DR. GERARD GIOIA
Children’s National Medical Center
Neurology
DR. ANDREW GREGORY
Vanderbilt University
Orthopedics
DR. TAMERAH HUNT
Ohio State University
Certified athletic trainer
DR. PATRICK KERSEY
St. Vincent Sports Performance
Sports medicine
DR. MARGOT PUTUKIAN
Princeton University
Internal medicine
DR. GAIL ROSSEAU
Neurology
MEDICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE 25
USA Football’s Medical Advisory Committee guides the continued development of the organization’s education resources
and player safety initiatives, including Heads Up Football, a national background check initiative and a multi-year youth football
safety surveillance study.
Chaired by Dr. Stanley Herring, the committee examines player safety, injury prevention and trending health issues for
America’s football community as well as collaborates with other USA Football committees, national governing bodies and
medical organizations to determine best practices and recommendations for safer play.
COMMISSIONER TASK FORCE
GEOFF MEYER, CHAIRMAN
The Chicagoland Youth Football League
ANTHONY BIELLO
Katy Youth Football (Texas)
JEFF GLENN
Jeffco Midget Football League (Colorado)
LEROY HOLLINS II
Louisiana Youth Football
PHILLIP LOMAX
San Diego AYF
DAN MACARTNEY
Bert Bell Memorial Football Conference (Pennsylvania)
BRIAN NOE
Downriver Junior Football League (Michigan)
TERRY RIDDLE
Florida Youth Football and Cheer
FLAG FOOTBALL COMMITTEE
VANCE FORADORY
Austin, Texas
ELLIOTT GILES
Youngstown, Ohio
TOM LANEVE
Baltimore, Md.
HUY NGUYEN
Round Rock, Texas
HECTOR SANTIAGO
Cedar Park, Texas
Stanley Herring
26. FOOTBALL ADVISORY COMMITTEE26
The Football Advisory Committee guides the continued development of USA Football’s educational resources and player safety
initiatives, including USA Football’s Heads Up Football program.
Chaired by former NFL general manager Bill Polian, USA Football’s Football Advisory Committee also reviews recommended
coaching points on key fundamentals and drills to improve skill development; provides recommendations to enhance USA Football’s on-
field instruction, resources and guidelines; advises USA Football on prospective football development models for player development;
and advises USA Football on key topics, including playing standards, practice guidelines and rules, to advance player safety and
promote a positive coaching philosophy.
BILL POLIAN,
CHAIRMAN
Pro Football Hall of Famer,
former NFL general manager
CHUCK KYLE
Cleveland St. Ignatius High
School head coach
BRUCE ROLLINSON
Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei
High School head coach
PAT FITZGERALD
Northwestern University
head coach
SAM MUTZ
Pop Warner Little Scholars
youth football national
commissioner
BOB STOOPS
University of Oklahoma
head coach
DAVID CUTCLIFFE
Duke University
head coach
BILL LEMONNIER
Former Big Ten referee
JEFF SATURDAY
Former NFL offensive lineman
MERRIL HOGE
Former NFL running back
ROMAN OBEN
NFL director of
youth football,
former NFL offensive lineman
GRANT TEAFF
Former American Football
Coaches Association
executive director
GEORGE TEAGUE
Shelton (Texas) High School
head coach
TONY DUNGY
Former NFL
head coach
OLIVER LUCK
NCAA executive
vice president
of regulatory affairs
DAVID SHAW
Stanford University
head coach
GABE INFANTE
Philadelphia St. Joseph’s Prep
head coach
JOHN RODERIQUE
Webb City (Mo.) High School
head coach
27. STATEMENT OF
OPERATIONS
YEAR ENDED MARCH 31, 2015
(unaudited, amounts in thousands)
Revenue
Expenses
Grants & Donations
$7,435
Membership
$1,311
Sponsorship
& Sales
$2,815
Events &
Programs
$9,802
Other
$610
Total Revenue: $21,973
Heads Up Football®
and other
Membership Programs
$6,219
Events & Programs
$9,528
Football Development,
Safety & Research
$744
General & Administrative
$2,745
Equipment Grants
$1,123
Total Expenses: $20,359
Assets
Cash $3,470
Accounts Receivable $3,507
Investments $3,076
Other Current Assets $2,094
Current Assets $12,147
Net Fixed Assets and Intangibles $135
Endowment Investments $3,000
Non-Current Assets $3,135
Total Assets $15,282
Liabilities and Net Assets
Accounts Payable and
Accrued Liabilities $2,740
Deferred Revenue $768
Current Liabilities $3,508
Net Assets $11,774
Total Liabilities and Net Assets $15,282
STATEMENT OF
FINANCIAL POSITION
MARCH 31, 2015
(unaudited, amounts in thousands)
28. USA FOOTBALL
45 N. Pennsylvania St., Suite 700
Indianapolis, IN 46204
www.usafootball.com
