NASHVILLE, TN, NOV. 26, 2008 —The 2008 Titans Punt, Pass & Kick championships were held Nov. 23 at LP field prior to the Titans – Jets game. Forty competitors competed in four age divisions for boys and girls. Participants from four states advanced to the Titans team championships (Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee and South Caroline).!
The day's winners will now wait to see if their scores were high enough to advance to the national finals as their results will be compared with the other 31 NFL team winners.
More than four million youngsters from across the U.S. took part in this year's contest with each NFL team hosting a team championship to determine who would advance to the PP&K National Finals.
The competitors arrived at LP Field early Sunday morning but the competition was delayed due to LP Field's grass being covered with a morning frost. Once the frost cleared, the contestants proceeded to show why each of them advanced to this level and posted very impressive scores in the three types of football prowess - punting, passing and kicking.
The PPK and program was established in 1961 to allow boys and girls the chance to showcase their football ability. Each contestant has one opportunity to throw a pass, kick off a tee and punt a football; all being graded on both distance and accuracy. The PP&K program is free – both to organizers who host a local competition and to every youngster who wants to participate!
The day's winners will now wait to see if their scores were high enough to advance to the national finals as their results will be compared with the other 31 NFL team winners. The top four scorers from all 32 NFL team champions in each age division for boys and girls advance to the National PP&K Finals, which will be held at an NFL playoff game in January.
Among the Titans team champions listed below is Ryan Garner from Dyer, Tenn. Garner won in the 12-13 year old boy's bracket this year. Garner is the only national PP&K winner ever from the state of Tennessee since the competition began in 1961 when he claimed the 8-9 year old national title!
2008 Titans PP&K Winners
8-9 year olds
GIRLS- Jasmine Alahmad (Henry, TN)
BOYS- Jackson Waldrum (El Dorado, AR)
10-11 year olds
GIRLS- Taylor Erickson (Springdale, AR)
BOYS- Tyrel Dodson (Spring Hill, TN)
12-13 year olds
GIRLS- Delaney Griffin (Franklin, TN)
BOYS- Ryan Garner (Dyer, TN)
14-15 year olds
GIRLS- Keely Easterling (Bristol, TN)
BOYS-Quentin Walker (Sharon, TN)
