Engagement Insider
6/26/13
CLEVELAND, OH June 24, 2013 – The Prep 100 Series Presented by Under Armour culminated in Cleveland this weekend when the best of the best from the first four Series cities joined with Ohio’s elite in the state where football was founded.
And as if this wasn’t historic enough, the 120 or so Prep stars bringing the inaugural Series to an end for this year coincided with the beginning of the NFL’s heralded Rookie Symposium.
In short, a rare moment in time when the paths of potential NFL stars crossed during these two NFL Player Engagement programs, and right down the road from the Pro Football Hall of Fame no less.
This setting was indeed a fitting conclusion to this successful series started last January in New Orleans, which then wound its way through Miami, Houston and Baltimore as top high school players from those areas spent separate weekends learning leadership and football in these cities’ NFL facilities.
From these four venues, the stars of stars representing 20 states were chosen for the Cleveland Browns Training Center event, with these select few comprising approximately 20 percent of the overall group with the other 80 percent hailing from the Cleveland area.
“We are very pleased how the wrap-up event to our first Prep Series synchronized with the kickoff of our Symposium Week,” stated NFL Player Engagement (NFLPE) Senior Vice President Troy Vincent. “It was even more meaningful to see our best performers from the first four Prep events come to Cleveland, and not only get to play with the finest from Northern Ohio, but also be rewarded by watching this year’s NFL rookies arriving for our Symposium.”
Throughout the Series which drew more than 500 student-athletes to the five cities, participants 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.
To deliver this educational component, the NFLPE partnered 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 became 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 in each city, both days featured 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 rounded out the Series’ offerings in each of the five cities. 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," said 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."
Click here to learn more about Prep 100 Series.