Youth Football Camp Families Choose "Remember the Titans"

Youth Football Camp Families voted and Remember the Titans ranked number one as the "Best Family Football Movie."  Below, you will see how the voting faired for the Top 7 finishers.  

1. Remember the Titans (57 Votes)
2. Rudy (40 votes)
3. Facing the Giants (19 votes)
4. Brian's Song (17 votes)
5. Little Giants (14 votes)
6. The Game Plan (10 votes)
7. Invincible (7 votes)

This poll is based exclusively on camper family feedback and not an endorsement of any movie. 

Please review and research all movie choices for content before viewing. 

Thanks for participating!

Christy Lukes

Football Entertainment Director
Pro Sports Experience, LLC

Pro Sports Experience is the official management company of Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles Youth Football Camps.

http://www.prosportsexperience.com/

Best Family-Friendly Football Movie?

Football season has come and gone, but luckily, this Sunday we have the biggest movie night of the year to fill the Sunday Night Football time slot.  Football is always on our mind, and now we can't stop thinking about football movies. 

But which are the best?  There are so many out there.  Some teach life lessons, some inspire us with stories of teamwork and friendship, and some are perfect when you need a laugh. 

For instance, Little Giants teaches the all-too-true life lesson to not let preconceived notions get in the way of success.  This Rick Moranis and Ed O'Neil flick chronicles a team of smaller and presumably less-talented football players who must persevere to beat the team of bigger, better and meaner players.

In Remember the Titans, we see the story of a high school team that overcomes odds and adversity to form a strong team.  Denzel Washington stars as a head coach who must teach the importance of respect, loyalty and friendship in becoming a winning football team.

If you're looking to get the whole family together and put smiles on everyone's faces, feel-good football movies like Air Bud: Golden Receiver and Angels in the Endzone are sure to satisfy.

We can't even begin to touch on the pile of great football movies out there, so we want to know from YOU: What is the Best Family-Friendly Football Movie of all time?  Take our survey and let us know!  We will post the results at a later date…

Take the survey now!

 

Christy Lukes

Football Entertainment Director
Pro Sports Experience, LLC

Pro Sports Experience is the official management company of Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles Youth Football Camps.

http://www.prosportsexperience.com/

American Presidents Love American Football

It's President's Day. As we honor the legacy of past presidents, we realize many of them share with us a passion for football.  Many have been caught in action playing the game and a few were celebrated football stars before they were known as Commander-in-Chief. 

Most recently, President Barack Obama was seen running routes on the White House lawn and has even appeared in ads for the NFL's "Play 60" campaign.

President George W. Bush has always been a big sports fan, and in 2009 he appointed New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning to the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.

Among his extracurricular participation at Eureka College, President Ronald Reagan was a member of the school's football team and was sometimes seen tossing the pigskin around during his presidency.

President Gerald Ford was well-known for his athletic ability, playing center and linebacker for the University of Michigan, leading his team win national titles in 1932 and 1933.  The 1934 season was not so victorious, and Ford, in his presidential years looked back to those games and said, "Remembering [those games] has helped me many times to face a tough situation, take action, and make every effort possible despite adverse odds."

Growing up in a household devoted to physical activity, President John F. Kennedy was involved with many sports, and went onto play on the football team at Harvard.  He, like many presidents preceding and following, continued to play the game at the White House.

Take the time today to honor our presidents and celebrate America by throwing the football around out back.

Tom Finks
Executive Director
Pro Sports Experience, LLC

Pro Sports Experience is the official management company of Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles Youth Football Camps.

http://www.prosportsexperience.com/

Evaluating Camp Coaches: The Six Key Segments

Green Bay Packers Youth Football Camps

Before hiring, we vigorously evaluate our prospective youth football camp directors and coaches. 

Then, having gathered all the necessary information, we determine how they will handle the six key segments of customer contact.


We ask ourselves, "How will this coach rate in these six segments?"

1.  The First Impression and Welcome
2.  Introduction, Opening Speech and Tone
3.  One on One Coaching & Camper Management
4.  Off-the-Field Social and Non-Coaching Communication Skills
5.  End-of-Day Summary and Camper Performance Appraisals
6.  Conflict Management

Each segments is very different than the other and requires a specific communication skill.

As a coach, do you excel in all six segments of the job?

For more on each of these segments, visit the Youth Sports Library.

Tom Finks
Executive Director
Pro Sports Experience, LLC

Pro Sports Experience is the official management company of Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles Youth Football Camps.

http://www.prosportsexperience.com/

Not “If” but “When” Your Moment Arrives!

During practice, we frequently preach “go hard…at full speed, just like a game!”

That reminder is easy to accept when you are a starter at your position.  You know you will see 20 to 30 minutes of game action.  You know you can be a difference maker.  There is an easy connection between practicing hard and your impact on the game results.

But what if you sit as a second, third or fourth stringer?  What then?  Even if you practice hard, the “plan” is for you to play very little or maybe not at all.

If you don’t plan on playing, you simply won’t practice effectively.  And if your moment comes, you won’t be ready.

The approach must not be “if” you get your chance.  It must be about “when” that chance arrives.  Consider these facts:

1) At the beginning of the 2010-11 season, Kevin Kolb was expected to be the Philadelphia Eagles starting quarterback.   He was injured.  Michael Vick was not only “scheduled” to replace Kolb, he was prepared to replace him.  Vick took the opportunity and won the starting quarterback job.  Vick also has earned consideration of MVP honors.

2) Going into the NFC Championship Game vs. the Packers, Jay Cutler was scheduled to start as quarterback for the Chicago Bears.  In the second quarter, a knee injury sidelined Cutler.  Second string quarterback Todd Collins was also pulled from the game.  So third string quarterback Caleb Hanie entered and led the Bears to a comeback, nearly defeating the Green Bay Packers.  By being prepared, Hanie earned the enormous respect from teammates, coaches and fans.  More importantly, he earned himself future opportunity because he produced when in the spotlight and under pressure.

3) During the 2010-11 season, the Green Bay Packers team suffered 15 roster changes that gave second and third stringers a chance to play.  Despite the turnover in personnel, the Packers made the playoffs.  And on Sunday, February 6, the Green Bay Packers defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers to win the Super Bowl.

Each of those 15 back-ups prepared….not “if” but “when” their moment would arrive.

That’s the key difference.  Great opportunities are seized when you believe the opportunity will arrive.  Athletes must have faith they will get a chance.  When they bring that faith to practice, they will practice more effectively and gain much more.

And when (not “if”) they take advantage of that opportunity, that is the greatest reward sports can offer - for both the athlete and the coach that supported that athlete.