DETROIT, Mich. - On Monday, July 25, more than 200 youth football players from the Think Detroit PAL football league are scheduled to attend a free clinic led by coaches from Mid-American Conference Schools, including Central Michigan University, Eastern Michigan University, the University of Toledo and Western Michigan University from 4:00pm-7:00pm at Ford Field in Detroit. The clinic is hosted by the MAC and Ford Field in partnership with the NCAA Football Youth Initiative. Clinic participants will receive two (2) free tickets to the 2011 Marathon MAC Football Championship Game, scheduled for Friday, Dec. 2 at Ford Field.

During the free, half-day clinic, participants will have the opportunity to meet and work with college football coaches and student-athletes; run offensive, defensive and agility drills; learn proper techniques to promote on-field football safety; and learn about the importance of character development and good sportsmanship.

An NCAA Compliance Seminar and a Safety and Concussions seminar will also be offered for parents and coaches attending the clinic. The concussion seminar will be led by Dr. Kenneth Podell, Ph.D., FACPN; Director of the Division of Neuropsychology & Sports Concussion Safety Program at Henry Ford Health System. The seminars will be held at 5:00pm-6:30pm.

To kick off the clinic, Detroit native, Eastern Michigan standout and former Detroit Lions safety, Ron Rice, will speak with the young football players about his career path, the importance of education, character and sportsmanship. Rice is an inductee of the EMU Hall of Fame and currently holds the position of President of the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) Former Players – Detroit chapter.

“The NCAA Football Youth Initiative is an incredible program and we are proud to partner with them in hosting this clinic to benefit youth players in Detroit, in an effort to give back to the city that continues to support our MAC Championship Football Game,” said Dr. Jon Steinbrecher, Mid-American Conference Commissioner.

“Learning football fundamentals, proper technique and safety is essential to youth football players' success on the field,” said Bob Vecchione – Chair of the NCAA Football Youth Initiative Committee and Executive Director of the National Association of Athletic Directors (NACDA). “NCAA Football youth clinics provide an opportunity for young athletes to learn these valuable skills and more importantly, to learn the invaluable character-building and sportsmanship lessons needed to be successful off the field.”

Media Notes:

Monday, July 25, 2011

Ford Field
Registration: 3:00pm
Clinic: 4:00pm-7:00pm
Seminars: 5:00pm-6:30pm

Photos / Footage/ Interview Opportunities with:
                PAL Detroit Youth Football Participants
                MAC Institution Coaches (subject to change)
                                EMU – Ron Rice (alum)
                                CMU – Mike Cummings, Kyle Nystrom, Steven Shankweiler
                                Toledo – Kelly Cummings, Joe Gilreath, Dan Ifft, Shawn Roche
                                WMU – Steve Casula, Lou Esposito, Rich Nagy, Richard Reichert