2010 High School Football Season is Officially Underway

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

At long last, the 2010 high school football season is here...even if it's only in four states at this point.

Practice began today in Alaska, Hawaii, Mississippi and Tennessee.

The Tennessean reports that temperatures were pretty mild for the start of two-a-days across the Volunteer State.  Tennessee actually conducts one of the longest pre-seasons in America since its regular season doesn't start until August 27th.

To keep up-to-date with news from all three states, click on the links below.

Alaska High School Huddle
Hawaii High School Football Huddle
Missississippi High School Football Huddle
Tennessee High School Football Huddle

Join High School Football America at LinkedIn

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

In my hope of reaching the largest number of high school football fans, I've launched a High School Football America LinkedIn group page.

We've already picked-up 25 members, which ranks the group as the fourth largest in the high school football catagory.

Currently we have a good conversation going on whether fans enjoy the nationally televised high school football games that appear on ESPN, CBS College Sports, etc.

To join the group, click here.

Also, don't forget, you can follow us at Twitter and Facebook.  Click on the linked below to join.

Twitter
www.twitter.com/fishersports
www.twitter.com/hsfbamerica
www.twitter.com/hsfootballwire

Facebook
The High School Football Huddle
High School Football America

51 High School Football Coaches to Take Part in NFL-USA Football Youth Summit

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

The National Football League's outreach into youth football continues this week with the 11th annual NFL-USA Football Youth Summit in Ohio.

51 top high school football coaches, one from each state in the nation, plus Washington D.C., will take part in the three-day summit that begins Wednesday at Kent State University. In addition to the high school coaches, more than 50 other supporters of youth and high school football will attend.

Former Pittsburgh Steeler great Merril Hoge will address Summit participants on the importance of coaching, while two-time Super Bowl winning Dallas Cowboy Darrin Smith will speak about the importance of education.  Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Haynes; former Green Bay Packer all-pro and Vince Lombardi protégé, Dave Robinson; and Canton native and former Chiefs quarterback Todd Blackledge will also address the group.

High school football coaches registered for an opportunity to attend the Summit by entering a nomination and essay contest conducted by the NFL and USA Football. Coaches submitted online essays in which they wrote about their coaching careers, commitment to youth and coaching philosophies. A blue-ribbon panel, consisting of local state representatives, reviewed the essays, and coaches were chosen to serve as their state's delegate at the Summit.

State delegates for 2010 NFL Youth Football Coaching Summit

State/Name/High School

Alabama/Tim Carter/Auburn High School

Alaska/John Jessen/Bartlett High School

Arizona/Ronald Jacobson/Dobson High School

Arkansas/Mike Banning/Clarksville High School

California/Ken Peralta/Marin Catholic High School

Colorado/Wayne Voorhees/Legacy High School

Connecticut/Duane Maranda/Bacon High School

Delaware/Dan Ritter/Howard High School

District of Columbia/Horace Fleming/Wilson High School

Florida/Reggie Roberts/Zephyrhills High School

Georgia/Brian Smith/Hebron Christian Academy

Hawaii/Randall Okimoto/Farrington High School

Idaho/Jason Warr/Rocky Mountain High School

Illinois/Elton Harris/Hubbard High School

Indiana/Geneo Riley/Pike High School

Iowa/Jason Mehrhoff/Interstate 35 School

Kansas/TBD

Kentucky/John Davis/North Hardin Christian School

Louisiana/Jabbar Juluke/Edna Karr High School

Maine/Rick Marcella/Bridgton Academy

Maryland/Tommy Green/Eleanor Roosevelt High School

Massachusetts/John Aloisi/Nantucket High School

Michigan/Jeremy Gold/Pioneer High School

Minnesota/Rufus Bess/Park Center High School

Mississippi/Perry Wheat/Purvis High School

Missouri/Greg Reynolds/Park Hill High School

Montana/Jim Oberweiser/Drummond High School

Nebraska/Jeff Bellar/Norfolk Catholic High School

Nevada/John Elwell/Valley High School

New Hampshire/Mike Beliveau/Souhegan High School

New Jersey/Leonard Marshall/Hudson Catholic High School

New Mexico/Jared Howell/Piedra Vista High School

New York/Joe Vito/Roosevelt High School

North Carolina/Scott Braswell/John T. Hoggard High School

North Dakota/Barry Holmen/Minot High School

Ohio/Dennis Fowlkes/Columbus East High School

Oklahoma/Kenny Blair/Northeast Academy

Oregon/Terry Summerfield/Barlow High School

Pennsylvania/Kevin Vaughn/Norwood Academy

Rhode Island/Geoff Marcone/LaSalle Academy

South Carolina/Jimmy Woods/Timmonsville High School

South Dakota/Terry Dosch/Aberdeen Roncalli Catholic High School

Tennessee/Tony Brunetti/Pearl-Cohn High School

Texas/Ray Seals/Madison High School

Utah/Les Hamilton/Alta High School

Vermont/Charlie Burnett/Essex High School

Virginia/Jim Poythress/Lake Braddock Secondary School

Washington/Steve Valach/Liberty High School

West Virginia/John Bowers/Morgantown High School

Wisconsin/Duane Rogatzki/Oconto Falls High School

Wyoming/Chris Williams/Cody High School

ESPN to Broadcast 8 High School Football Games August 27-29

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

While the 2010 high school football season will officially kick-off in Alaska on August 6th, the biggest inaugural weekend across the country will be the last weekend of August.

With that in mind, ESPN and ESPN RISE have put together an eight-game television schedule for August 27th, 28th and 29th.

The ESPN RISE High School Football Kickoff will feature sixteen teams from seven states, including eight team's in the ESPN RISE FAB 50.

Here's the schedule....

August 27 - #2 Plant (FL) vs. #19 Manatee (FL) 7 p.m., ESPN
August 27 - #4 Grant (CA) vs. Folsom (CA) 10 p.m., ESPN 2
August 28 - #9 Hoover (AL) vs. Byrnes (SC) 12 p.m., ESPN
August 28 - South Point (SC) vs. #42 Northwestern (SC) 4 p.m., ESPNU
August 28 - Steele (TX) vs. Madison (TX) 7 p.m., ESPN
August 28 - #6 Euless Trinity (TX) vs. Tyler Lee (TX) 10 p.m., ESPNU
August 29 - #15 Good Counsel (MD) vs. #39 St. Xavier (OH), 3 p.m., ESPN
August 29 - Moeller (OH) vs. Huber Heights Wayne (OH) 7 p.m., ESPN U

Less Than Two Weeks Until the Start of 2010 High School Football Season

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

12 days and counting until the start of high school football practice in Alaska, Mississippi and Tennessee!!

As you can tell, I'm really working on improving things here at The High School Football Huddle and also High School Football America.

First, you'll notice our new look across our 52 blogs.  I think it's cool, but you can always give me feedback in the comment section or by emailing me.

Secondly, we're still collecting story ideas for High School Football America.  We have some good ones so far...the latest being a doctor in Illinois, who has watched over 400 straight games at St. Rita High School in Chicago!

Keep the stories coming!!  You can email me at jeff@highschoolfootballamerica.com.

Finally, I'm putting the finishing touches on a weekly segment that will start next month that will give my readers an inside look at a unique tiny high school program from back in my hometown in Pennsylvania.

Jeff

Connecticut High School Football Assistant Coaches Charged After Player Collapses

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

 
Having just spent the better part of five days sweltering in the New York City heat, I know first hand how dangerous the current Northeast heatwave is.

It was especially oppressive Tuesday when a Middletown (Connecticut) High School football player collapsed during a strength and conditioning drill.  The Hartford Courant is reporting that the incident has resulted in a misdemeanor summons for second-degree reckless endangerment being issued for assistant coaches Christopher Ellis and Joshua Hamilton.

NBC Connecticut is reporting that the player was treated and released at a local hospital.

High School Football America Releases Part 2 of Video Series on New London HS/Norwich Free Academy Football Series

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

Hope everyone had a great 4th of July!!

Later today, I'll be posting the second part of High School Football America's two-part series on America's oldest high school football game between New London High School and Norwich Free Academy.  The two Connecticut schools have been playing each other since 1875.

You can check-out the nine-minute video vignette at www.highschoolfootballamerica.com/videos.

And, don't forget, we're still looking for story ideas for the upcoming season.  So far, I've been contacted about covering the Tee Cotton Bowl in Louisiana between Ville Platte and Sacred Heart; Scott's Branch High School in Summerton, South Carolina and the rivalry between Episcopal High School and Woodbury Forest in Virginia.

I still want to hear more, so please email me at jeff@highschoolfootballamerica.com.