We are thrilled to welcome Mike Shanahan, head coach of the Washington Redskins and of course, former coach of the Denver Broncos, to the world of DARE to PLAY Football. His first outing as a DARE to PLAY football camp head coach will be this upcoming weekend, June 1-2 in Annapolis, Maryland at the Navy/Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, 550 Taylor Ave, Annapolis, MD 21401.
DARE to PLAY is presented by Global Down Syndrome through Sports Eddy youth sports camps. Also on hand as coach will be our own Ed McCaffrey, Sports Eddy founder, All Pro Wide Receiver and of course, three time Superbowl Winner – working again with the coach who led him and the Broncos to back-to-back Super Bowl victories in '97 and '98! This will be Ed’s third year with DARE to PLAY, which has become an annual labor of love for him. Wonder what it will be like working again with Mike Shanahan!
Mike has a pretty illustrious career as a coach and even some years as a player before a disastrous injury took him out of the game. In his years with the NFL, Shanahan has helped various football teams wind up at 10 Conference Championship Games. He’s also made three Super Bowl outings, including the two aforementioned victories with the Broncos.
However, even with all that experience we expect this will be a very different experience for him. For starters, all the players are Down Syndrome individuals, and their ages vary dramatically. It’s likely that many of the football camp attendees have never had the opportunity to play an organized game before, unlike the guys Mike’s used to. Also, the two day football camp is open to players 10 – 35, quite a wide variation for players in one game.
Mike, give us a shout after your DARE to PLAY weekend is finished! We’d love to hear all about your experience of working with Down syndrome players.
By the way, for all our readers in the Annapolis area, the football camp culminates on June 2 with a game that’s open to the public. We encourage you to come on out and cheer for these dedicated amateur athletes and join us for the celebration party afterwards with food and drinks ( of course) as well as music and even some games. Just because they were born with an extra chromosome doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t have a chance at living their football dreams, like anyone else. DARE to PLAY is all about giving them that opportunity.
The game will be from 8:30 to 2:30, come for the whole time or just part. Both the game and the after party are free to the community. Can’t promise there will be any opportunity for autographs or photos though – our celebrity coaches are working!
If you would like more information about this particular event or the work of Global Down Syndrome in general, the person to contact is Trish Morris at 303-807-7898.
Sports Eddy football camps Colorado is proud to present former NFL Linebacker Chad Brown, back again with us this summer teaching his powerful three day defense clinic.
Learn from the Pros with Chad Brown!
Have you heard the expression that the best offense is a good defense? If so (and even if not!) you'll want to join us for the Chad Brown Defense Clinic. If you play defense on a high school or junior high football team, you do not want to miss this intensive. After all, have you got anything better to do with your summer?
Chad Brown spent 15 years in the NFL. Initially drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers, he was an important part of their feared and respected "Blitzburgh" defense. His years in the NFL included two seasons with the New England Patriots, five seasons with the Steelers, and eight seasons with the Seattle Seahawks.
Chad believes that great football is based on solid skills. To master them takes plenty of drills, along with a good knowledge of the type of plays every player on the opposing team might make. At the three day defensive clinic, players will get the chance to practice those drills, up those skills and take their game to the next level, much to the dismay of the players who will be facing them in the coming season. And of course, players can be expected to have a blast at the same time.
Chad Brown trivia: Did you know Chad is an amateur "herpetologist?" That's someone who knows everything there is to know about snakes, amphibians, crocodilians (is that a word?) and turtles. So, not only can Chad Brown play football, he can teach you what he knows, he knows snakes, and is a regular all around great guy!
The Chad Brown Defense Clinic consists of everything you need to know about defense, including:
~~ coordination and footwork
~~ hand placement
~~ closing speed
~~ ball skills
~~ what to look at and what to think about, taught via classroom work, film study and last but hardly least, hands-on instruction.
The Chad Brown defense clinic is open to any Jr high and high school football players.
For more info about this youth football camp, Colorado, click here!
Check out some "linebacker footwork" with Chad in this video:
We've also got a special guest at this camp: Loren Landow, who'll be teaching speed and explosion skills. Loren has personally trained over four hundred professional athletes (including Chad) in various different sports. Coach Landow's main claim to fame is his unprecedented ability to analyze and correct a player's biomechanics. Landow has a certification as a Muscle Activation Techniques Specialist. This means he can correct physical imbalances via the use of soft tissue massage techniques. These techniques are also highly effective in enhancing muscle regeneration.
Are you considering sending one or more of your kids to youth football camp in Colorado this summer? If you've been looking around at our site, you'll see that we offer several different camps, including an "open" football camp, and "elite" camp and a defense camp. (And by the way, stay tuned as we will be adding to that lineup as we get closer to "gametime".)
Both the open and the elite Colorado football camps are open to boys and girls. These are non-contact camps, where the focus on learning and mastering the skills of football. And we don't just stress the physical skills, we try to impart the mental skills as well via talks by professional athletes. We want our kids to leave inspired, not just about the sport but about life itself.
Is that overly ambitious for a four day football camp? Honestly, we don't think so. One of the strengths of Sports Eddy camps is that your kids are being coached by the sports heroes they most admire. Anything these pros tell them has such an impact on young impressionable minds. Four "short" days can have a profound impact on a kids life and their perception of things like the importance of fair play, and the value of education.
So along with learning football skills, your kids are absorbing values that will help them be successful in life.
But which camp is best for your kid?
The Ed McCaffrey Open Football Camp is for ages 8 - 15, and it teaches the general, fundamental skills of the game. This camp is suitable for players of all skill levels. It is even appropriate for kids who have never played football before. And did you know that Ed has been coaching kids football camps here in Colorado since the year 2000? Parents, relax, your kids are in great hands with Ed and his experienced team of professional NFL coaches. We make it fun first!
Along with football drills, this camp also consists of speed training and strength training, the 7 on 7 competition and an autograph session. Parents are always welcome to watch from the stands. Yes, we cram a lot into four days, and our kids have a blast. Many return several years in a row, with greater excitement each year.
The Eddy Mac "Elite" Colorado football camp is for kids 10 -- 15.
Click here to sign up for the Open Camp. June 25th -- 28th, 2012
This camp is what we call "position - specific" meaning the coaching kids receive is tailored to the position that they currently play, or would like to play. We recommend this camp for kids who have a few years of football experience under their belts, or should we say, under their cleats? As with all our camps, there are exciting guest athletes who come and speak to the kids.
Click here to sign up for the "Elite" Camp. June 25th -- 28th, 2012
Click here for a FAQ about our Colorado football camps, including the gear your kids need to bring.
Next up, we'll give you the low down on our popular Chad Brown defense clinic, so stay tuned. And please follow us on Twitter or Facebook to get the latest on new camps and new top NFL coaches as we sign them. We're looking forward to a great summer on the field, hope to see you there.
We are delighted to again be running the Dare to PlayFootball and Cheerleading Camps this summer, in association with Global Down Syndrome.
Our camps will take place right here in Highlands Ranch this June. There will also be a football camp in the D.C./Annapolis area, coached by players from the awesome Washington Redskins. We really can't thank these guys enough for participating in this amazing endeavor. In previous years, our pro athlete coaches have reported getting as much out of it as the participants themselves.
Indeed, this is a labor of love for us, a chance to help others and give back to the community. Both of those ideals are what SportsEddy is all about. And you thought we were just another youth football camp in Colorado!
About Down Syndrome
Down syndrome (AKA trisomy 21), is a chromosomal condition. Those with this condition are born with the presence of all or part of an extra 21st chromosome. Although the percentage of people born with Down syndrome is only 4.6 per 10,000 births, it occurs in all human populations across the planet, and very similar conditions have even been discovered in other species; chimpanzees in particular.
Although a large proportion of those born with Down syndrome have a severe degree of intellectual disability, there are also many who graduate from high school and even go on to participate in post-secondary education or hold down a job. This condition causes, among other things, a lowered IQ and a delay in both cognitive ability and physical growth. However, this doesn't mean that those with Down Syndrome don't love the sport of football just as much as the rest of us!
Here at SportsEddy, we are proud to be doing some of the same kind of work as organizations such as Special Olympics Hawaii, which provides training for Down syndrome individuals and others with intellectual disabilities, year round. We already know from our experience the past two years that these kids (actually, we shouldn't call them kids, as the camp is attended by ages ranging from 10 -- 38!) are passionate about football. They watch it on TV. They love it.
It's so rewarding to give them the chance to get out on the field and play, just like everyone else. They are so into it, it's just fun to coach and fun to watch.
And by the way, if you live in the area, you can watch from the stands. On the final day of the two-day Colorado football camp, our Down syndrome campers play a full game in front of an enthusiastic throng of well wishers and supporters. Frankly, the experience is pretty specail for all involved. Come on down!
If you'd like to be part of the party in the stands, contact us for more info.
If you'd like to learn more about Global Down Syndrome, the Denver organization that sponsors these camps, click here. They are doing some powerful and inspiring work for the Down community.
Leave us a comment or question and let us know what you think about this!
We've also got a special guest at this camp: Loren Landow, who'll be teaching speed and explosion skills. Loren has personally trained over four hundred professional athletes (including Chad) in various different sports. Coach Landow's main claim to fame is his unprecedented ability to analyze and correct a player's biomechanics. Landow has a certification as a Muscle Activation Techniques Specialist. This means he can correct physical imbalances via the use of soft tissue massage techniques. These techniques are also highly effective in enhancing muscle regeneration.
