High School Football America Radio Show

Because of the Christmas holiday, the High School Football America radio show be taking Thursday off, but you can always listen to past shows in our archives.

Above is last Thursday's show that featured MaxPreps' Steve Spiewak. 

We'll return on January 3rd. Happy Holidays!

 Jeff

Listen to High School Football America - December 13th Show

by Jeff Fisher
Editor-in-Chief
High School Football America
Follow @HSFBamerica




If you missed last Thursday's High School Football America show, you missed a good one.  However, if you did, all you have to do to hear it is click-on the "play button or arrow" above to listen whenever you want.

On this show, Jeff Fisher talks with Corona Centennial (California) head coach Matt Logan about his team's preparation for its showdown with De La Salle in the California Open Division championship game.

Fisher also previews the Pennsylvania state championships with Dave Mika of EasternPAFootball.com and WesternPAFootball.net.

Fisher's third guest is Rim of the World (California) High School running back Jake Taylor, who became the sixth player in high school football history to rush for 4,000 yards in a season.

The show wraps-up with a flashback interview that Fisher and Trish Hoffman did back in June 2011 with Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel after he was named the 2011 National Football Player of the Year by the National High School Coaches Association.

"The Turnaround" High School Football America's Look Inside Lubbock High School Football

by Jeff Fisher 

High School Football America

Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than just good.

That’s definitely the case when it comes to today’s post that has us very happy at High School Football America.

If you are a regular reader of our blog, then you know we have moved High School Football America to Los Angeles for a radio show on KLAC AM 570 Fox Sports LA.  This is just the first step in a journey to become a leader in high school sports journalism.

High School Football America – SoCal, which is heard Saturday nights from 10 P.M. to midnight, is just a small part of the overall changes (check out the new logo to the left) we’re making in LA.  With the move to LA comes a redesigned website that will debut on September 10^th and many new partners like Kellogg's Frosted Flakes® that will allow us to fulfill our mission of telling the story of America through great high school sports stories.

Some would say it’s hard to cut through the clutter of what’s out there for high school football fans to choose from.  Some say the country’s too big and the market is too fractured.

We say…NOT… if you go back to old school journalism, which is simply based on good storytelling. 

That gets me to the point of today’s story and why it’s better to be lucky than just good.

My lifelong friend Corky Blake, a sports writer and editor at The Express-Times in my hometown of Easton, Pennsylvania, wrote a story about our move to Los Angeles on August 19th.  The story itself put a smile on my face in the middle of a very hectic life as Trish Hoffman and I serve as chief cook and bottle washers of High School Football America.

This entrepreneurial effort is as America as it gets, and it’s probably one reason Trish added the word “America” into our name when she named the company back in 2008.

Corky and I have the same philosophy when it comes to journalism - the story always needs to be about the subject, not the person writing it.  If you focus on the story, you’ll be a respected journalist.  Corky has achieved that status from my perspective.

While Corky was interviewing me, I had a thought that I wanted to give our readers a true inside look at what it was like to be a high school football coach in America.  I didn’t know who, what, when or where, but I knew that I wanted to find someone that could find time in an already crazy, jam-packed life of high school football.

This is where the luck came in.

On the day our High School Football America story hit the pages of The Express Times and its internet site a head football coach in Texas, who happens to be from my hometown area which is known as the Lehigh Valley, read the story.  His name is Jason Strunk, head coach of the Lubbock High School Westerners' football program.

Lubbock High School has a proud football tradition with three Texas high school football champs from the late 30’s to the 50’s.

I don’t think I have to explain Texas football here, but let’s just say that a Texas football championship may exceed the best gift anyone could receive on Christmas morning!

Until August 19^th, Coach Strunk and I had never officially met.  Yes, he watched my high school football highlights show called The Big Ticket on WFMZ-TV in Allentown when he was a player at Northampton High School.  Yes, he was a follower on Twitter, but until Jason read Corky’s story, he didn’t know that we were kindred spirits from eastern Pennsylvania.

1939 Lubbock State Championship team
Reprinted courtesy of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

Yes, Texas is the crown jewel in the crown of high school football, but Pennsylvania doesn’t have to take a back seat when it comes to the tradition of the sport that is played at over 15,000 schools across America.

After reading the stories, Jason immediately “tweeted” me about our connection, which goes further than our hometown area of the Lehigh Valley.  I actually lived in Jason’s hometown of Northampton for 13 years.

I have to admit, while Jason knew a lot about me when he hit me up on Twitter, I knew little about him…thank goodness for Google!

To my surprise, the Google search showed an article written by Corky Blake (yes, my Corky Blake) about Jason Strunk, who left the Lehigh Valley to turn around the high school football program at Plant City High School in Florida.

Armed with Google-knowledge, I tweeted Jason back to say we should talk.  After exchanging cell phone numbers, we agreed to talk on Monday. 

As I thumbed-out the Twitter message suggesting a call, it dawned on me that Jason should be our featured high school football coach correspondent.

Why?

Corky Blake’s story from September 2011 talked about Jason turning around the Plant City program before leaving too take a coaching job at Purdue University.  It then talked about his next challenge – turning around Lubbock High School, which is right down the block from Texas Tech.

1952 Lubbock teammates holding state championship trophy
Reprinted courtesy of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

While Lubbock has three state championships, it also hasn’t had a winning season since 1975, the year before Jason Strunk was born!  The Westerners are also currently on a 22-game losing streak heading into the team’s season opener Thursday at Canyon High School.

Obviously the Eyes of Texas haven’t been smiling on Lubbock High football.

Jason and I talked on Monday, August 20^th and by the end of our 30 minute chat, we agreed that he was going to be High School Football America’s poster child for an inside look at turning around a proud football program in the football-crazed state of Texas throughout the 2012 season.

And, like a typical high school football coach, Jason is attacking the assignment as hard as he’s attacking that 22-game losing streak. 

Like I said at the top, sometimes it’s just good to be lucky, and that’s the case here.  If it weren’t for my friend Corky and his connection to Jason and myself, I’m not sure who’d be writing this column this year.  However, I do know this, High School Football America is extremely pleased that Jason has agreed to do it for us and for you.

Jason began his journey into journalism by sending me several photographs, new and old, and then his first “story”.

So without further ado – I give you “The Turnaround”, an inside look at Lubbock by Jason Strunk.

Welcome to Lubbock Football…Day #1

by Jason Strunk

Head Football Coach

Lubbock High School

Jason Strunk in action on the sideline
Reprinted courtesy of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

My name is Jason Strunk, Head Football Coach and Athletic Director at Lubbock High School, located in Lubbock, Texas.

Last week Jeff Fisher presented the idea to me about being a guest columnist for High School Football America. Without hesitation, I accepted the offer. I cannot think of a better way for us to tell our story of rebuilding the mighty Westerner football program! I felt this would be a great way to get our program, players, coaches and support staff some recognition for all they do for me on a daily basis.

My goal is to share with you the daily life of rebuilding a west Texas football program from the ground up. I hope you find these entries insightful and interesting.

2012 kicks off this week! Please enjoy the ride with us!

My Background

I am currently the head football coach at Lubbock High School, home of the Westerners. We are a 4A school (dropped down from 5A following last season). Prior to LHS, I was an assistant at Purdue University. Coaching in the Big Ten Conference was the best move I have ever made. Coaching Division I football was always a dream of mine. The lessons I learned on that level will be with me for the rest of my career. I can also say, with 100% certainty, that had I not coached at Purdue I would not have been hired in Texas.

Jason & Tracy Strunk with daughter Kennedy & son Mac

Before my family and I packed up for Indiana, I was the Head Coach at Plant City High School, a 5A school located about twenty minutes east of Tampa, Florida. I inherited a program that had not experienced much success in recent years. After struggling through year one, we rebounded in year two and qualified for the state playoffs. We posted the best record (7-3) the school had achieved in fourteen years. Our program was featured on ESPN.com and several other major media outlets for our quick turnaround. It didn't hurt that we had a handful of national recruits either. Coaching in Florida was a fantastic experience on all levels.

Moving to Florida was a dramatic step for our family. My wife and I grew up in Pennsylvania and moving away from family was a tough decision. It was a tough decision for me on a professional level as well. I spent the 2007 season as the Linebackers coach at Muhlenberg College. We were 10-0 in the regular season and advanced to the second round of the NCAA play offs. It was one of the most enjoyable seasons I have ever been apart of. Giving up a sure thing at Muhlenberg was a difficult decision. However, I felt that being a Head Coach in Florida would help me advance further in the profession.

From 1996 to 2006 I spent my time growing in the profession on the high school sidelines. I started off as a volunteer coach and advanced all the way to Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator by 2003. From 2003 to 2006 I helped with a remarkable turnaround at my alma mater, Northampton Area High School. In a four year span we won 31 games and qualified for the playoffs three times, including winning an Eastern Conference championship. Winning 31 games in four years was no small feat; Northampton only won 7 games in four years prior to our run.

As we progress over the course of this season I will be referencing my past quite a bit. I am a firm believer that experience is the best teacher. My past experience is a major factor in my day-to-day life. I draw from lessons learned in the past daily!

Editor’s Note:  I interviewed Jason on last Thursday’s national radio show.  Click here to listen to that show.  Also, between now and the relaunch of www.highschoolfootballamerica.com on September 10^th, “The Turnaround” will appear here on our main blog.

You can follow Coach Strunk on Twitter. His handle is @WestTXCoach.

39 Days and Counting

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

Even on the 4th of July the switch was on.

Spent about an hour on the phone with Lone Star Gridiron talking about how we may be able to work together.  It's a great website run by two guys that have the same passion for high school football as I do.

It amazes me how many passionate guys are talking-up  high school football on the internet, just for the good of the game.  I love it and want to help as many as I can.

I also spent about two straight hours on Twitter and picked-up 24 followers.  If you want to follow us, click here.

Otherwise, a pretty peaceful and restful day other than chilling by the pool with Trish listening to Bruce Springsteen's Born to Run front to back.

Trish Hoffman picking corn for 4th of July dinner

Now time to pick some corn from the urban garden in the front of Lois and Chip's home and grill some ribs.

Chilling to prepare for our flight back to Chicago where we'll immediately hop into a rental car and begin the trek east for more meetings.

Happy Birthday America!!

Go watch some fireworks!!

Jeff

Saturday High School Football Scoreboard - September 10th

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

Back in Chicago, recharged from a great weekend in Lowell, Michigan at the 4th Annual Pink Arrow Pride game.

Lots of great memories, including this one from the kids at Alto Elementary School cheering for High School Football America during a pep rally.



Some scores from Saturday are starting to roll-in, check-back later tonight for updates throughout the evening.

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Kansas Scores
Louisiana Scores
New Jersey Scores
New Mexico Scores
Oregon Scores
Pennsylvania Scores
South Dakota Scores
Washington Scores

High School Football America in Lowell, Michigan for Pink Arrow Pride Game

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

It's hard to believe that it's been a year since I first traveled to the small town of Lowell, Michigan for the 3rd annual Pink Arrow Pride Game.

This evening I arrived back in this incredible town of 4,000, southeast of Grand Rapids, that turns pink once-a-football-season to help its community members that are battling cancer.  A smile immediately came across my face when I saw Main Street's lamp posts (see photo) decorated with last year's ubiquitous pink t-shirsts.

I arrived early this year so I can check-out the education process that takes place throughout school district. Starting tomorrow, every child in the district will be taught the importance of coming together to help those less fortunate with age-appropriate classroom discussions about cancer.

In three year's Lowell has raised $750,000 to help those dealing with cancer.

Here's the story High School Football America did last year that brought the Pink Arrow Pride game into the national spotlight.



Stay with High School Football America all week for updates on everything surrounding Pink Arrow Pride, including Friday night's game between Lowell and Muskegon Reeths Puffer.

One interesting fact, Lowell is a perfect 3-0 while wearing pink, and the Red/Pink Arrows haven't allowed a point in those three victories.

Former NFL QB Gus Frerotte and 2010 High School Rudy Award Winner on NHSCA Sports Hour

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

Just me at 6 P.M. EST for the latest edition of the National High School Coaches Association Sports Hour.

My co-host Trish Hoffman and I will be talking high school football, boys basketball and wrestling.

Joining us at the top of the show will be 2010 High School Rudy Award winner Chance Anthony of Breckinridge County High School in Kentucky. Anthony was a two-way starter on this year's football team in spite of the fact that he was born without the lower part of his right arm.

Also on the show will be former NFL quarterback Gus Frerotte, who was just hired as the head football coach at John Burroughs School in St. Louis. Frerotte, who played with seven NFL teams, has been the school's quarterbacks' coach during the past two seasons.

Last year, John Burroughs finished runner-up in Missouri's Class 3.

To listen to the show LIVE on the Artist First radio network, click here.

Final Week of 2010 High School Football Season

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

I seems like it was just yesterday when I was writing with great anticipation about the start of the 2010 high school football.  Now, here I am sitting in the freezing cold of Chicago getting ready for my first-ever trip to watch football in Texas.

This weekend's Texas football championship games at Cowboys Stadium, along with title games in California, Florida and Pennsylvania will close-out a great season that has seen plenty of excitement.  If you don't believe me, just look back at all of the stories posted on the various high school huddle blogs.

Personally, I taken High School Football America thousands of miles this year to find great stories.  I'm in the process of writing and editing the video vignettes that we captured.  I even had time to start the first-year of a two-year documentary project on the Pius X High School (Roseto, PA), which is one of the smallest schools to play 11-man football in America.

While this weekend should be an eye-opener for me and my reporter Trish Hoffman, it's going to be hard to beat the story of Lowell High School (Michigan) and its Pink Arrow Pride game that has now raised nearly three-quarters-of-a-million dollars for Gilda's Club in the Grand Rapids area.

To learn more about the videos that we will be releasing in January, go to www.highschoolfootballamerica.com.

High School Football America Goes Behind-the-Scenes of Game Day at Pius X

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

Getting ready to head to some high school football in the Bay Area, and also to console Phillies fan, who may be contemplating jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge if the Giants current play continues in Game 5.

During the flight, I'll be editing the second part of a three-part video that gives my readers an inside look at the first game of Pius X head coach Phil Stambaugh's coaching career.

If you've been following throughout the season, you know that I've been given full access to the Pennsylvania Catholic school that is one of the smallest in the nation playing 11-man football. The Royals have 63 boys in the school...50 play football for the proud program.

With a very young team this year and the loss of one of its co-captains Zack Cinelli to a knee injury in the second scrimmage of camp, the Royals stumbled out of the gate to an 0-3 record. However, they've now put together four straight wins an have a shot at an All-American Conference championship, plus a berth in the District 11 Class A playoffs.

In Part 1 of my behind-the-scenes look at the Royals, I feature the Royals' September 4th game against Pottstown, which plays two classification higher than than Pius. This episode takes you from the beginning of the day at 7:30 a.m. at Amelio Scott Alumni Stadium in Roseto, Pennsylvania to the team getting ready to go out on to the field for its pre-game warm-ups.

For more video from High School Football America, go to www.highschoolfootballamerica.com.

High School Football America Checks Out 11th Winningest High School Football Program

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

As one famous girl with red shoes once said, "there's no place like home, there's no place like home".

That's definitely been the case over the last six weeks as I've reconnected with my hometown while shooting my season-long documentary on Roseto, Pennsylvania and its beloved Pius X High School football team.

Tomorrow I will be on-hand when the tiny town in the Slate Belt honors four individuals and the 1966 football team with induction into the Pius X High School Athletic Hall of Fame.  You can check that out Sunday at High School Football America.

In the meantime, I will be in historic Cottingham Stadium in Easton, Pennsylvania tonight to introduce my readers to one of my favorite stadiums.  Cottingham was built in the early 1920's out of sturdy concrete and has been home to the Red Rovers ever since.

Tonight, Easton, which is the 11th all-time winningest football program in America, will face Whitehall in a battle of unbeatens.  Whitehall is the program that produced former Penn State and NFL great Matt Millen.

Easton is former heavyweight boxing champ Larry Holmes' hometown, plus it's the third place where the Declaration of Independence was read to the public back in 1776.

See you later tonight when I will be posting scores from around the country.

Go out an enjoy at high school football game in your area...you WON'T be disappointed!

Friday Night High School Football Scoreboard

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

What an incredible night in Lowell, Michigan!

There are no words to describe seeing some 8,000 people dressed in pink t-shirts to raise awareness and money for cancer research and prevention.  The Lowell Red Arrows beat Kenowa Hills 47-0 in the 3rd annual Pink Arrow Pride game.

We'll have video posted on Sunday at High School Football America.

In the meantime, it's time to turn my attention to the Friday Night Scoreboard.  Click on the links below to find your score.

Friday Night High School Football Scores
Friday, September 10, 2010

Alabama Scores
Alaska Scores
Arizona Scores
Arkansas Scores
Georgia Scores
Illinois Scores
Indiana Scores
Iowa Scores
Kansas Scores
Kentucky Scores
Maine Scores
Massachusetts Scores
Michigan Scores
Minnesota Scores
Missouri Scores
Nebraska Scores
New Hampshire Scores
New Jersey Scores
North Carolina Scores
North Dakota Scores
Ohio Scores
Oregon Scores
Pennsylvania Scores
Tennessee Scores
Texas Scores
Vermont Scores
Washington Scores
Wisconsin Scores

High School Football America - On the Road Again

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

Willie Nelson couldn't have said it any better..."Just can't wait to get on the road again"!! 

While we're not making music, the sound of pads popping is like music to my ears. Yes, high school football is in the air, and I can't stop taking deep breaths of it!

Since August 12th, High School Football America has visited South Bend, Indiana; New Buffalo, Michigan; Roseto, Pennsylvania (3 days) and Rockville, Indiana.

Judging by the jump in hits to the website, everyone is enjoying High School Football America's inside look at the Pius X High School Football program.  Your all-access pass will continue through the entire season.

This past Saturday, Trish and I ventured 180 miles south of Chicago to Rockville, Indiana to begin preparing for our first visit of the 2010 season.  We'll head back to the town of 2,900 Friday night for the Rockville Rox home opener against Covington.

The side story on Friday night will be the fact that Rockville is situated in the heart of Parke County, which is known as the "Covered Bridge Capital of the World".  There are 31 of these magnificent structures along five color-coded routes that total approximately 161 miles of driving.

We ventured along the 'yellow route" on Saturday, starting at the West Union Bridge, which at 315 feet long is slightly longer than a football field.  The bridge is closed to traffic, but the next one, the Marshall Bridge (pictured above), isn't.

The oldest bridges date back to between 1856 and 1860.

As we drove around the 34 mile yellow route, we let our minds dance back to a bygone era when people weren't as lucky to be driving the route in a car.

We were surprised at how much wooded area was in this part of the country...I always thought Indiana had nothing but flat farmland.

We ended the night at the Thirty-Six Saloon where we enjoyed a well-prepared walleye platter and a porterhouse steak, served by a very friendly staff. The Thirty-Six Saloon is also a taxidermist's dream with a wide array of stuffed animals ranging from a rattlesnake to a mountain lion.

However, when we return on Friday night, we'll be hunting for some good ole' fashion small town high school football.

High School Football America in Pennsylvania for Opening Day of High School Football

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

It's 4:52 A.M. Eastern Time and my adrenaline is flowing as I'm up early to catch the first day of high school football practice in Pennsylvania.

When I'm finished with this post, I'm out-the-door of the Hampton Inn in Bethlehem to travel to Pius X High School for the first of the Royals three practices today.  As I've been mentioning since last Wednesday, I will be profiling Pius throughout the season, and it all starts today when the sun rises on the new season.

Camp Royal officially opens at 6:45 A.M. EST when the players, who are spending the first week staying at the school all-day and sleeping in the wrestling room, get there wake-up call.  I'll be there with camera in-hand as the players awake with blurry eyes that will then begin focusing on the 2010 season.

You'll be able to check-out tons of video from the first three days of camp at High School Football America throughout the week.  I should be able to have a quick snippet posted by sometime after lunch...just click on the 2010 Pius X HS Story tab.

Everybody on three...one-two-three...let's go!

I needed to do that to wake-up my brain!

It's going to be a long day that will last until the players eat dinner on-campus around 8.

Jeff

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.

High School Football America Wants Your Help in Finding Unique High School Football Stories

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

By the end of next month, high school football practice will be underway for the 2010 season, and I for one couldn't be happier!

As the editor-in-chief of High School Football America, I'm busy trying to figure-out where I'll be going this season.  The one thing I know for sure about our second year is that it will be bigger-and-better than our inaugural season in 2009.

Last season we traveled 4,700 miles and visited eight different states.  Those video vignettes can currently be seen at www.highschoolfootballamerica.com/videos.

While, I'm pretty good about discovering great stories, I'm also turning to my readers this year to make sure I know about all of the great stories around this great country of ours.

If you know of a story that I should be aware of, please email me at jeff@highschoolfootballamerica.com.

Look forward to hearing from you!

Jeff

High School Football America Unveils New Logo

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

Things certainly are starting to shape-up for my newest project, High School Football America.

Earlier this week, I unveiled my new logo and new web design.  It's just the start of big things to come in the next few weeks as I prepare for the 2010 high school football season.

Currently I'm working a two-part video series for High School Football America that will introduce my readers to America's oldest high school football game.  The piece was shot last Thanksgiving in the communities of New London and Norwich, Connecticut.

Norwich Free Academy and New London High School began playing back in 1875, although New London was known as the Bulkeley School for Boys.

And, for those of you worried that The High School Football Huddle and it's 51 blogs will be ending...don't worry...we're not going anywhere!  We're just getting bigger and better!

And, finally for investors looking for a new innovative idea, write me for my business plan that will launch High School Football America as the most unique high school football website on the internet.  You can contact me at jeff@highschoolfootballamerica.com.

Jeff

High School Football America™ asks "Is This Heaven...No, it's Iowa"

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

To say it's been difficult balancing earning a living while trying to launch my passion - High School Football America - is an understatement!

Last fall, I traveled over 4,800 miles by car and plane to capture high school football stories that weren't being found anywhere.  The good news is I found them...the bad news is...it's taken me a little bit longer to put together the video vignettes.

As June began, I made a promise to tackle my High School Football America project head-on without any excuses.

So without any further ado, here's my third video vignette from the 2009 season from Miles, Iowa.  A tiny town of 462 residents that play 8-man football in eastern Iowa.

In this story, my co-host Trish Hoffman and I go inside the locker room for an inspirational pep talk from East Central High School head football coach Dave Jenkins, who rallies his troops for battle against its arch-rival Preston, which entered the game with an unbeaten record.  We'll also take you up to the press box where Dick Keeney, the mayor of Miles, has doubled as the team's PA announcer for 16-years.



These types of stories are what High School Football America is ALL about - Small Towns...Big Games™.

For other video stories from the 2009 season, please go to www.highschoolfootballamerica.com/video.

BTW...in the coming weeks, you'll see videos from places around the country like Norwich/New London, Connecticut; Pen Argyl, Pennsylvania; Burlington, Wisconsin and Woodstock, Illinois.  All of these towns have interesting stories where high school football is woven directly into the fabric of the communities.

Enjoy,

Jeff

High School Football America™ Announces New Slogan

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

After months of work, I'm proud to announce High School Football America's new slogan...

Small Towns...Big Games™

I really believe the new slogan says it all! Small town football is what we’re all about. Our goal is to travel this great country telling high school football stories that are different from main stream media.

Last season, HSFBA traveled nearly 4,700 miles to eight states to produce video vignettes that appear on the website.

High School Football America has already released videos on Paw Paw, Michigan and Sheridan, Indiana. In the coming weeks, HSFBA will post video vignettes on Miles, Iowa; New London and Norwich, Connecticut; Woodstock, Illinois and Pen Argyl, Pennsylvania...plus many others.

The HIgh School Football Huddle Hits Milestone

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

For the last three years, I've been dutifully been trying to centralize all that is high school football in one convenient location for all of my readers.

It's been a tough task, seeing as I don't have a staff to do such a task. However, the feedback from readers has made it all worthwhile!

Today I'm happy to report that I just posted my 5,000th piece of material on The Huddle and my other 50 state huddles. In addition, I'm less than six-thousand page views away from 800,000 page impressions since I started this "little hobby".

I'd like to thank all of my faithful readers for their participation, and I look forward to an even better 2010 as Trish and I continue to work on launching High School Football America.

High School Football America is designed to be the quintessential high school football roadshow that will take our readers to small towns across America where high school football is woven tightly into the fabric of the community. We are currently in the middle of editing over a dozen vignettes that we shot last season from Connecticut to Iowa, and they will be posted at various times over the next four weeks.

Right now, we're working on our trip to Miles, Iowa, a town of 425 people in the eastern part of the state. We checked out the East Central High School football team that plays in Iowa's 8-Man classification because of the school's size.

Even though it drizzled most of the day, Trish and I met some of the nicest people in the world that care about their school and each other.

As a sneak peak to the upcoming video, below is a clip of Trish checking-out the Lions Club's concession tent that was grilling butterflied pork chops and brat burgers that were simply THE BEST things we ate on the road this year.



So once again, thanks for your dedication to our sites, and we look forward to a great 2010 high school football season!

Jeff & Trish

Paw Paw, Michigan Video Vignette Now Playing at High School Football America

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

After two months of travel and shooting video, High School Football America's first video vignette is up at www.highschoolfootballamerica.com.

This week's story is about the tiny southwest Michigan village of Paw Paw. With a population of just over 3,500 people, Paw Paw is just what we look for at High School Football America.

In the coming weeks, we'll have feature stories on Sheridan, Indiana; Burlington, Wisconsin; Miles, Iowa; Oak Park, Illinois; Pen Argyl, Pennsylvania and Norwich and New London, Connecticut.

Copyright High School Football America LLC 2009