Former High School Football Star Wrongfully Jailed for Rape to Sue State of California

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

The story of former Long Beach Poly (California) football player Brian Banks, whose 2002 rape conviction was dismissed by a judge on Thursday, continues to twist and turn like a soap opera.

The LA Times reported on its blog today that the 26-year old Banks will be seeking money from the State of California for the five years he was in prison.  In the same story, the LA Times Blog reports that the former high school football star will not take legal action against his accuser Wanetta Gibson.

The path to Banks' freedom came after Gibson "friended" him on Facebook and telling him she felt guilty about making-up the rape allegations.  Banks, who wanted to play college football at USC at the time of the allegation, always contended the sex was consensual.

Banks, who's in great shape, is hoping to get a tryout with an NFL team.

Based on the odds Banks overcame to win his freedom, stay tuned to see what happens next in his story...I don't doubt that one NFL will give him a shot.

Who knows, since Banks still has his college eligibility, maybe a college coach will give him a chance to resume his dream.

In the meantime, watch the story on NBC's Today Show on Friday that includes an exclusive interview with Banks.

   

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

USA Football Announces Team USA Under-19 Coaching Staff

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

If you listen to the May 10th High School Football America radio show, you heard how excited St. Xavier (Cincinnati, OH) head coach Steve Specht was to also be the head coach of USA Football's Under-19 national team that will be playing for a world championship in Austin, Texas in about a month.

Yesterday, USA Football, the sport's national governing body, announced the other members of Specht's staff that will be helping him try to defend the gold medal that Team USA won in the inaugural IFAF Under-19 World Championships in 2009.

The man that led the Red, White and Blue to that first championship three years ago in Canton, Ohio is back.  Chris Merritt, the head coach at Christopher Columbus in Miami will be Specht's offensive coordinator.  Specht was Merritt's defensive coordinator in 2009.

This year's defensive coordinator will be Rick Streiff of Indianapolis Cathedral, who has led his school to seven Indiana state titles in 17 years at the school.

Below is the rest of Specht's staff:

• Tom Bolden, Colerain (OH) - offensive line coach
• Gabe Infante, St. Joseph's Prep (PA) - defensive line coach
• Ken Lucas, Annapolis Area Christian School (MD), secondary coach
• Greg McCaig, Cypress Creek (TX), tight ends and special teams coach
• Cory Moore, Lakewood (FL), linebackers coach
• Charlie Ward, Westbury Christian School (TX), wide receivers coach
• L.D. Williams, Westwood (TX), offensive line coach

Click here to read the entire news release from USA Football.

Click here to listen to my interview with Coach Specht on May 10th on the High School Football America radio show.

The world championships will begin June 30th, ending with the gold medal game on July 7th.

To learn more about the IFAF Under-19 World Championships, click here to go to the event website.

Another Top Texas High School Football Coach Steps Down

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

Courtesy: txhshelmetproject.com

For the second time in the last week, one of Texas' top football coaches is leaving the sidelines - this time it's the state winningest coach.

G.A. Moore announced Tuesday that he's stepping down as head coach at Aubrey High School after three seasons.  More came back to coach at Aubrey in 2009, five years after he resigned as the head coach at Celina, which was his second stint with the Bobcats.

If this in fact Moore's last coaching stint, he'll retire with an overall record of 429-92-9, although some historical record keepers list him as having 426 victories.

What's not in dispute is the fact that Moore won eight state titles.

Last week, Butch Ford, the man that replaced Moore at Celina retired after 10 years and two state titles.

An American Hero and Former High School Football Player Needs Your Help

by Jeff Fisher

High School Football America

Courtesy: www.travismills.org

This Thursday I'll be talking with former Vassar High School (Michigan) football coach Vince Leveille about the heart wrenching story his former player Travis Mills on High School Football America.

On April 10th, Mills, a Marine who was a three-sport athlete and a high school football star, stepped on a landmine while serving his third tour of duty in Afghanistan.  The ensuing blast resulted in Mills losing all four of his limbs.

Since the news of Mills' injuries reached the town of 2,700, residents have been doing everything they can think of to help the young man, who in 2003 led the school to its first-ever playoff berth, and his young wife.  Travis and his wife Kelsey also have a young daughter named Chloe.

Leveille, who is also the former head coach of the Saginaw Sting, a professional indoor football team, held a fundraiser with the help of his former team that raised over $10,000 for the Mills family.

What type of young man is Travis?  Click here to watch a video that he and his wife posted on Facebook on Tuesday.

To donate to a special fund set-up for the Mills family, please go to his website at www.travismills.org.

The interview with Coach Leveille will air Thursday night at 7pm Eastern Time at www.artistfirst.com/jefffisher.htm.

May 10th High School Football America Radio Show Now Available On-Demand

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

If you missed last Thursday's High School Football America radio show on the ArtistFirst Radio Network, don't despair, you can now listen whenever you want in our archives.


In this episode I talk with St. Xavier High School (Ohio) head coach Steve Specht, who has won two Ohio state titles since taking over in 2003. Specht is also the head coach of USA Football's Under-19 national team that will be competing for a world championship in Austin in June and July. 


Then I chat with Dean Dompierre, who is trying to get the Michigan High School Athletic Association to change its constitution so his son Eric, who has Down Syndrome, can play his senior season of high school football and basketball.  


You can learn more about Eric's story at Learn more at www.letemplay.us 

My final guest is Mark "Coach" Soto, the executive director of Battle for Veterans that will put-on seven high school football games in Northern and Southern California this August to raise money and awareness for wounded military veterans.

Click here to listen or download the show.

Georgia Takes Steps to Make August Practices Safer in the Heat

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

Over the past 15 years, Georgia has had more heat-related deaths of high school football players than any other state in America.  That fact wasn't lost on the state's governing body on Monday when it made big changes to its policy on teams practicing in the heat.

For the first time in state history, the Georgia High School Association has implemented a policy that limits practice time, that includes a ban on three-a-day preseason practices.  Also included in the sweeping changes is a rule that prohibits two-a-day practices on consecutive days, plus limits practice to no more than five hours in a single day.

The GHSA also is requiring that all schools must use wet-bulb temperatures, and not the heat index, to determine when excessive heat and humidity call for limiting or canceling practices. Wet-bulb temperature is the temperature one feels when one's skin is wet and is exposed to moving air.

Here are other rules changes approved by the GHSA on Monday:

- Each player must participate in five days of practices in only helmets, t-shirts and shorts before going to pads in August. These practices without pads, which may begin no sooner than July 25, are limited to two hours.

- Practice in pads, which may begin Aug. 1, are limited to three hours.

Directors of Academy Award-nominated "Undefeated" join Jeff Fisher on High School Football America

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

If the Super Bowl is football's pinnacle, then the Academy Awards are the Super Bowl of movies.

On Sunday in Hollywood, directors Dan Lindsay and T.J. Martin will be trying to win the Super Bowl that comes with a golden statue known as Oscar.

Back in 2009, Lindsay and Martin shot more than 500 hours worth of video while covering the Manassas High School football team that was trying to win the school's first-ever playoff game in the 110-year history of the Memphis, Tennessee school.

The result was more than just a football documentary called Undefeated.  It's what critics are calling a real life Blindside, and as a result, Undefeated is now nominated in the category of Best Documentary at Sunday night's Oscars.

Tonight at 7pm Eastern Time, Lindsay and Martin will be my guests on High School Football America to talk about catching lightning in a bottle all the way to the red carpet.

Former Manassas head coach Bill Courtney is at the center of this piece of football history that I can't wait to see next week.

From the moment I watched the first seconds of the trailer (below), I was hooked and ready to see the entire 113 minutes.  Undefeated is currently showing in LA and NYC and will be opening in additional cities on March 2nd.

Click here to listen to this evening's show at 7pm EST.

Florida High School Football Leads the Way with Eight Former Players Winning Super Bowl Rings

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

We all know that the New York Giants won Super Bowl XVI behind another outstanding 4th quarter comeback led by MVP quarterback Eli Manning.

Somewhere during the 10+ hours of pre-game, game and post-game coverage, it was mentioned that Peyton's younger brother played his high school ball at Isadore Newman High School in New Orleans.

While pundits and fans are still breaking down the game and the commercials, we thought we'd take a look at how high school football fared Sunday.

Florida wins the overall battle with eight former Sunshine State high school players on the Giants' roster. California and Ohio tied for the second most Super Bowl champs with five players each.

When you combine the rosters of the Giants and Patriots, California led the way with 13 former high school football players taking the field in yesterday's Super Bowl in Indianapolis.  Florida had the second most players in yesterday's game with eleven, Ohio wasn't far behind with nine.

Below is a look at the Giants roster followed by the high school of each player.

New York Giants Super Bowl Roster

#5 - Steve Weatherford (North Vigo HS, IN)
#8 - David Carr (Stockdale HS, CA)
#9 - Lawrence Tynes (Milton HS, FL)
#10 - Eli Manning (Isadore Newman HS, LA)
#12 - Jerrel Jernigan (Eufaula HS, AL)
#13 - Ramses Barden (Flintridge Prep, CA)
#15 - Devin Thomas (Canton HS, MI)
#20 - Prince Amukamara (Apollo HS, AZ)
#21 - Kenny Phillips (Carol City HS, FL)
#22 - Derrick Martin (Thomas Jefferson HS, CO)
#23 - Corey Webster (St. James HS, LA)
#26 - Antrel Rolle (South Dade HS, FL)
#27 - Brandon Jacobs (Assumption HS, LA)
#28 - D.J. Ware (Rockmart HS, GA)
#31 - Aaron Ross (Tyler HS, TX)
#33 - Da'rel Scott (Plymouth Whitemarsh HS, PA)
#34 - Deon Grant (Josey HS, GA)
#36 - Will Blackmon (Bishop Hendricken HS, RI)
#39 - Tyler Sash (Oskaloosa HS, IA)
#44 - Ahmad Bradshaw (Graham HS, VA)
#45 - Henry Hynoski (Southern Columbia HS, PA)
#47 - Travis Beckum (Oak Creek HS, WI)
#51 - Zak DeOssie (Phillips Academy, MA)
#53 - Greg Jones (Archbishop Moeller HS, OH)
#55 - Spencer Paysinger (Beverly Hills HS, CA)
#57 - Jacquian Williams (Riverview HS, FL)
#58 - Mark Herzlich (Conestoga HS, PA)
#59 - Michael Boley (Elkmont HS, AL)
#62 - Mitch Petrus (Carlisle HS, AK)
#63 - Jim Cordle (Lancaster HS, OH)
#64 - David Bass (Riverview HS, FL)
#66 - David Diehl (Brother Rice HS, IL)
#67 - Kareem McKenzie (Willingboro HS, NJ)
#69 - Justin Trattou (Don Bosco Prep, NJ)
#70 - Tony Ugoh (Westfield HS, TX)
#71 - Dave Tollefson (Ygnacio Valley HS, CA)
#72 - Osi Umenyiora (Auburn HS, AL)
#73 - Jimmy Kennedy (Roosevelt HS, NY)
#76 - Chris Snee (Montrose HS, PA)
#77 - Kevin Boothe (Pine Crest HS, FL)
#79 - James Brewer (Arlington HS, IN)
#80 - Victor Cruz (Patterson Catholic HS, NJ)
#82 - Mario Manningham (Harding HS, OH)
#85 - Jay Ballard (Springboro HS, OH)
#86 - Bear Pascoe (Granite Hills HS, CA)
#88 - Hakeem Nicks (Independence HS, NC)
#90 - Jason Pierre-Paul (Deerfield Beach HS, FL)
#91 - Justin Tuck (Central Coosa County HS, AL)
#94 - Mathias Kiwanuka (Indianapolis Cathedral, IN)
#95 - Chase Blackburn (Marysville HS, OH)
#97 - Linval Joseph (Santa Fe HS, FL)
#99 - Chris Canty (Charlotte Latin, NC)