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 American Youth Football
 American Youth Cheer
July 2010 

Fundraising time 
Even with the regular season a few weeks away, it is never too early to start raising funds.  AYF and AYC are here to help you raise the funds you need for travel, uniforms, equipment, camps, facilities, etc.  This issue of the Huddle will focus on new ways to raise necessary dollars and introduce you to two new fundraising partners who will make your life easier.
  • Entertainment Publications - We're very excited to introduce a new and truly unique fundraising sales opportunity for AYF teams and squads-a customized coupon booklet tailored exclusively to your team and squad's needs!  Imagine how successful your fundraiser will be when you can sell something truly unique-your own customized coupon book. The best part?   High profit margins - start at 45% ($9) per book OR 50% ($10) per book if you sell everything you print.  No money is required up-front!     Contact AYF's Ashley Schwartz or e-mail [email protected] with any questions.
  • The Benefit Toolbar - This is one of the easiest programs you can use.  It is based on click search.  Your team members and their families download a toolbar to your home computer.  Each time someone does a search, your organization earns money.  Contact Kristin Walker.
  • UCA Camps - You probably have some of your squad attending camps, so why not host your own?  UCA put together a program that rewards cheer organizations with a portion of each participants camp tuition.  For more information, contact Elizabeth Bray.
Successful fundraising all year
When you have a full time job, full time kids and if you are involved in youth sports, it may leave little time for fundraising.  But every little bit counts.  AYF and AYC have great partners who will try to make your life easier.  Enthusiasm, creativity and community help too.  To get full involvement, it will take a year-round effort.  Here are 10 tips on how to run a successful fundraiser.
Current Events
Summer events and jamborees are another great way to raise money for your conference or association.  Teams around the country are taking advantage of the summer months to put on events to celebrate athleticism and teamwork.  Want to learn how they did it?  Reply to this e-mail and we'll help you out.
  • 7/26 - 8/1 - The Chicagoland AYF will host three teams from Panama for a week of football and fun.  They will be visiting local attractions, Notre Dame campus and will take a trip to see the Chicago Bears training camp.
  • 8/6 - 8/7 - Southeast Region's Unity Conference will be hosting Deion Sanders TRUTH Select in the Prime Time Kickoff Classic.  360 football players, 160 cheerleaders, 3 divisions and 2 days of football.
  • 8/14 - Metroland AYF will be hosting the 2nd annual MAYFC Jamboree.  Teams from New York, Connecticut, Maryland and Virginia will face off in Baltimore City.
  • 8/22 - AYF teams from Chicago, Maryland and Ohio are joining forces at the Hall of Fame Kick-off in Canton, OH at Fawcett Stadium.  They will also take advantage of the Pro Football Hall of Fame while they are in the area.
Ladies, it's Game Time 
A Game Time Division at Championships has been created to showcase what cheerleading is all about - leading the crowd! The division gives teams who traditionally don't compete a chance to show how they rule the field and lead the crowds at their schools.  Teams can step off the sideline and into the competition. "Bring your sideline skills & get your game on!"  Learn more in the 2010 AYC Rule Book.

Attention AYC conferences: consider hosting your own Game Time division and take your cheer competitions to new heights!  Questions?  Contact Elizabeth Bray.
Gents, tune in for Primetime 
Wilson_2009In 2010 AYF will offer a championship bracket in the new AYF Primetime Division, Inspired by AYFs newest member, coach and trendsetter, Deion Sanders! Primetime is a pre-season players select division (as opposed to the AYF Conference All-Star Division which is post-season players select). The Primetime division will allow for pre-season selected teams to compete for a national title. Only existing 'select' teams in AYF conferences may submit teams into the Primetime Division bracket for 2010 (exceptions many exist in TX). Please contact Joe at [email protected], if you have Primetime teams in your AYF organization.
UA_combine
We hope that all the participants enjoyed the Youth Combine Clinics and learned a lot.  Click here to check out the stats - Great job! 
 
Combine Clinic t-shirt winners:
-  Desmond Springs - Upper Marlboro, MD
-  Daniel Zidrich - Vacaville, CA
-  Rashod Dickerson - Clinton, MD
Meet the New Commish
DeeGI appreciate the notes and calls and I'm excited to join the talented AYF National Staff and work with all of you.  I worked with Bill Brown for the past few years and look to build upon the great things that he has done.  My main areas of focus are the AYF National Championships and All-Star Game, presented by Under Armour.  These are two great events that I encourage all of our Tournament Members to fully participate in - we will be implementing some great enhancements and activities, so please proactively prepare to join us in Florida the first week of December. The objective is to provide memorable experiences that provide high value to our youth participants, coaches, parent volunteers, and our partners and sponsors.  Stay tuned for monthly web chats, surveys, and the continued use of old and new technologies as we seek your opinions, ideas, and feedback. 

Joe's Presidents Corner

It won't be long until Thanksgiving!

My college athletic trainer always used that line at the first day of Football Practice.  In the heat of the summer, it was a strange opening to his safety lecture. But you know what? Ultimately, the practices rolled into games one after another until Thanksgiving happened.  And suddenly, it was Playoffs and Championship Time.  If your Association is planning to attend the awesome 2010 AYF/AYC Championships - now is the time to launch your fundraising programming.

Fundraising, donations, and arm twisting can be successful if you start early and involve your entire organization. Your ideas may be sparked by past successes or you may try new ideas. There are many worthwhile projects listed for you on the Internet at web sites like www.fundraisers.com.  At AYF, we've welcomed new partners like the Benefit Tool Bar and Entertainment Publications to help out with your efforts.  Some familiar faces, like UCA have structured their summer camps to benefit your local programs.  Options like these only enhance events that you are already organizing - they are an easy way to earn funds for your kids. 

Successful fundraising requires People, Planning, and Plenty of Publicity.  Perhaps you will sell coupon books. There is a good value for merchant and customer alike. You could get paid for clicks with our special AYF tool bar.  If you want to go GREEN there are funds for recycling. Some non-profits earn huge profits from Casino Nights or Bingo.  If you have a quirky community you may be successful with Night Golf Tournament or "Dunk the Coach" baseball throw events. Our new commissioner, Dee Grayer, puts on a golf tournament, the Turkey Tee Off each year.  Also, donations are readily available from local merchants who support youth teams, like Wal-Marts, McDonalds, Burger King, Taco Bell etc.

I prefer fundraisers that involve having fun in the community. A spaghetti dinner when matched with a memorabilia auction of NFL, MLB, or NHL can bring in thousands of dollars. Hey, why not auction off some of your teams memorabilia from last year.  Some creative thinking by a caller to a local radio show once caused 'yours truly' to sing a duet of 'Mac the Knife' with a coaching friend.  You may laugh - but, we raised enough donations to pay for the installation of a new lighting system at our stadium.  A "help me pay my bail" (with donation pledges) got me out of a mock jail in Vancouver.  We raised thousands of dollars for The Special Olympics.

If you use your imagination, the fundraiser car wash will raise the fee according to who washes the car; Football players for five dollars, cheerleaders for ten, but the Mayor of Police Chief will get twenty dollars for his wash job. If you think being served at a Pancakes Breakfast by a Cheerleader coach, Football Coach, or League President is worth ten dollars, so will your community. The famous Rubber Duck Race charges ten to twenty five dollars for a numbered duck. Each duck has an equal chance of floating down stream to be first across the finish line. Of the potentially thousands purchasedm the winning rubber duck owner receives lots of swag from the donating merchants.
 
You get the idea - Planning, People, and Publicity - fun will produce funding. Remember, it won't be long until Thanksgiving! 
In This Issue
Fundraising time
Successful fundraising
Current Events
Ladies, It's Game Time
Gents, tune in for Primetime
Combine Stats
Meet the New Commish
Joe's Presidents Corner
Upcoming Dates 
7/20 - Joe's online coaching course will be available
8/1 - Player Membership cards delivered.

Interested? Email us!

Visit Our Sponsor


AYF Membership Cards
Coming to a practice near you at the end of July.  Ask your local administrator! 
 


IMG Football Academy
Get an edge with the top youth trainers in the nation.  Book by 8/31 and receive $100 off every week you register for.
FT

Take the Field Project Does your community need a new football field? E-mail Joe for more information.


Joe Galat's new book, Coaching Youth Football will be available in July.

Click here to pre-order a copy.  The book is chock full of AYF photos and great advice from our fearless leader.

AAA Scholarships!!
Keep an eye out for the talent on and off your field.  Scholar athletes must hold a GPA of 98% or higher and be involved in activities in the local community.  It is all about academics, respect, discipline, and performance.  Let's make our 2010 Academic Team the largest yet! 
 
Nomination forms are posted at MyAYF.

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AYF/AYC Staff List
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Joe Galat
President

Jessica Abramovich
Executive Director

Dee Grayer
Football Commissioner

Elizabeth Bray
Cheer Director/Member Communications Director

Kristin Walker
Director, Events & Marketing Communications

Shannon Shy
New Membership Director

Diedrea Willis
Step Coordinator
  American Youth Football
  American Youth Cheer
July 2010