High school football players from all over the country converged on Indianapolis last weekend to participate in this year's NFL High School Player Development (HSPD) 7-on-7 National Championship, sponsored by the National Guard. For the first time since the event's establishment in 2001, all 32 NFL teams were represented in this year's national championship tournament. The Indianapolis Colts were this year's host and all games were played at their practice facilities.
The purpose of the event was not only about great competition and displaying amazing physical ability but it also stressed the importance of great character, education and making positive decisions. Keynote speakers included former Titans linebacker David Thornton and Wounded Warrior and Marine Josh Bliel. Both speakers stressed the importance of dedication, hard work, exemplifying great character and overcoming adversity.
Former Oilers great, Billy "White Shoes" Johnson, who is heavily involved in the program as a regional director, also attended the tournament.
The two-day event included six-game pool play in which the athletes competed three games within their respective NFL divisions and three games outside of the division on the first day. The second day included two more games in pool play, a seeded playoff and the championship game.
A team based out of northern Mississippi represented the Titans region. Coached by Darryl Carter and Boris Ivy, the team included players from Itawamba Agriculture High, Hamilton High, Shannon High and Tishomingo County High School. Having limited practice together, the group played extremely well and was highly competitive. Even though they did not win the 7-on-7 championship, the players truly represented the Titans well and gained valuable life lessons.
"It was great representing the Titans," said Dennis Grubbs, regional director of Titans HSPD 7-on-7. "Having our athletes from different schools compete together was a great experience for them all."
About HSPD:
The High School Player Development is part of the National Football League's Football Operations Department headed by Executive Vice President Ray Anderson. The NFL realizes that teaching young people has to encompass more than just football.
The High School Player Development program aims to develop productive members of society as well as good football players. We use the newest techniques and instruction from a wide range of colleges and look to constantly improve the fundamentals of the game.
The program was started in 2001 to aid in the development of inner-city and underserved areas to develop their football programs and players. It began in New York City with four sites and has grown each year to its current size of more than 150 sites nationwide.
The NFL does not believe that every student athlete that goes through the HSPD program will play in the NFL, but we know that we are making better firemen, better doctors, better parents and better overall citizens.
In 2009, the NFL and the National Guard teamed up through the HSPD program to build stronger communities that create opportunities for all individuals and families to succeed. We've continued to improve the program by adding safety components such as the CDC's "Heads Up" concussion safety component in order to increase awareness of concussions by players, coaches and parents as well as working to prevent them in the future.
The program is run out of the NFL League Office located in Manhattan, N.Y., and is directed by Jerry Horowitz. The program has 12 regional directors that work with high school coaches and administrators to determine camp locations for communities in need of quality football instruction and character development guidance.
