NFL UPDATE -- MAY 28, 2014
CAROLINA PANTHERS HOST FIRST HEADS UP FOOTBALL MOMS CLINIC
The Panthers hosted their first Heads Up Football Moms Clinic in partnership with USA Football last week. Nearly 100 local moms attended the clinic at Bank of America Stadium.
Panthers head coach Ron Rivera welcomed the moms, who spent an interactive evening learning about the importance of the Heads Up Football initiative.
Carolina Panthers head athletic trainer Ryan Vermillion led an information session on how to properly manage heat and hydration for youth players, as well as concussion recognition and response. USA Football master trainer E.Z. Smith demonstrated proper fitting for helmet and shoulder pads.
"We hope all of these moms can now go back to their community and advocate to make sure their coaches are Heads Up Football certified," said Smith.
Stephanie Rivera, wife of Coach Rivera and former a WNBA coach, was an active contributor throughout the clinic, participating in an informative panel discussion and leading moms through a series of football drills with current Panthers players.
"We want to help moms make decisions about their kids' sports participation with confidence -- this includes understanding good coaching, proper techniques and player safety," said Rivera.
JAGUARS TEAM UP WITH WARRICK DUNN CHARITIES AND EVERBANK TO SURPRISE A LOCAL FAMILY WITH A NEW HOME
The Jaguars recently teamed up with HabiJax, Warrick Dunn Charities and Ashley Furniture to provide Octavia Jones and her family with a new, fully-furnished home.
Jones, a single mother in Jacksonville, completed more than 300 hours of volunteer service and participated in financial literacy workshops to fulfill HabiJax requirements for a new home. HabiJax is the Jacksonville affiliate of Habitat for Humanity and has partnered with Jaguars' sponsor EverBank since 1995 to provide 70 houses and over 900 volunteers to the Jacksonville community.
Former Pro Bowl running back Warrick Dunn and his foundation partnered with Ashley Furniture to completely furnish the home, to the surprise of Jones and her three children.
"This partnership represents the amazing things that happen when we work together for the good of our community," said Peter Racine, president of the Jaguars Foundation. "There are no better examples of this type of leadership than HabiJax, EverBank and Ashley Furniture in their commitment to building strong families and neighborhoods. The Jaguars organization shares this commitment."
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HOUSTON TEXANS HELP OPEN NEW FITNESS AREA, HELPING LOCAL KIDS 'PLAY 60'
The Texans recently visited Patrick Henry Middle School to help them celebrate the opening of their new track. As a part of the team's Play 60 efforts, the school received a $10,000 grant from the Houston Texans Foundation to install a 400 meter cinder track, which will be used for all their sporting activities and other recreational activities to encourage 60 minutes of physical activity every day. The track will also be accessible for those in the community, which serves over 55,000 residents within a 2-mile radius of the school.
To celebrate the opening, Texans cheerleaders and ambassador J.J. Moses helped kickoff a student vs. teacher track meet, where they participated in the 100 meter dash, 50 meter dash, 400 meter relay and 100 meter relay. Patrick Henry Middle School's current enrollment is over 900 students, serving a predominantly Hispanic community.
FORMER PLAYER BENEFITS
Here are some statistics on programs that provide benefits to former NFL players:
- Retired players have received $68,055,421 through the Bert/Rozelle retirement plan in the past 12 months.
- In the same time period, former players' widows and surviving children have received more than $10,596,331.
- 297 applications have been approved under the 88 Plan since its inception in 2007.
- Since 2007, more than $31 million has been distributed through the 88 Plan.
- Since its creation in 2007, the NFL Player Care Foundation has issued more than $6,027,580 in grants to 621 former players to cover medical and housing expenses.
-- NFL Communications