UPCOMING YOUTH FOOTBALL EVENTS / PROGRAMS

See scores from local youth football games during the 2007 season on the Bills Youth Football Scoreboard

See the winners of the 2007 Buffalo Bills High School Football Coach of the Week

Photo Gallery>>

BUFFALO BILLS / JIM KELLY FOOTBALL CAMP
Register for the Buffalo Bills / Jim Kelly Football Camp today and be a part of one of the greatest football camps in the country! JKFC started operations in 1988 with 325 campers and now has a steady enrollment of over 500 campers. Athletes come from all over the country to learn from one of football's greatest QB's, his carefully-assembled staff of instructors and current roster Buffalo Bills players. This non-contact camp not only stresses the fundamentals of football, but allows campers to be educated on a variety of valuable topics:

• Health and Nutrition
• Drug Awareness
• Sportsmanship
• Education
• Teamwork

This camp is a MUST for any young athlete who wants to improve his/her skills. Give your child memories that will last a lifetime. Enroll them in one of the finest instructional football camps in the country.

NFL YOUTH FOOTBALL FUND
We care about young people both on and off the field, which is why youth football is a top priority for the NFL and its players. In 1998, the NFL and NFL Players Association formed the NFL Youth Football Fund (YFF) - a 501(c)3 non-profit foundation which supports the game at the youth level and promotes positive youth development. Since then, hundreds of thousands of youngsters have been given the opportunity to learn the game of football, get physically fit, and stay involved in productive after-school activities with adult mentors. The YFF also has provided youth football participants with safe and accessible places to play as well as programs and initiatives that address the importance of proper coaching, academics, health and safety and life skills development. How can the NFL Youth Football Fund help you?

Watch 2006 Video>>

HIGH SCHOOL PLAYER DEVELOPMENT
Buffalo Bills / NFL High School Player Development (H.S.P.D.) program takes place each spring / summer. HSPD is a program designed to address the issues that face high school football programs within Western New York communities. HSPD provides incoming, fall season, sophomores through seniors, a program that focuses academic counseling and specific football skill training by position. Read more about the Bills / NFL HSPD Program>>

PUNT, PASS & KICK
Every year, the NFL and Pepsi host the PUNT, PASS & KICK program for boys and girls ages 8-15 which allows them to compete separately against their peers in punting, passing, and place kicking skills. There are over 3.5 million kids that participate in over 7,000 local competitions. Read more about the Pepsi PUNT, PASS & KICK Program>>

NFL FLAG
Coaches and Parents!! NFL FLAG is the National Football League's premier youth football program for kids 6-14 years old. Available nationwide, including in all 32 NFL markets, NFL FLAG is a community-based turnkey program that provides all youth the opportunity to play in an organized NFL non-contact football league. Get involved and start an NFL FLAG League today! For more information, click here>>

Calling all kids! Get involved with the NFL’s premier youth football program, NFL FLAG Football! Kids 6-14 are encouraged to sign up and play! Every team will receive official NFL team-identified footballs and every participant will receive their favorite NFL team-identified reversible jersey and official NFL FLAG belts. Registered teams are eligible to compete in the NFL FLAG Regional Tournaments in October. Winning teams from each age bracket from the Regional Tournaments are invited to participate in the National Tournament of Champions at DISNEY’S WIDE WORLD OF SPORTS ® Complex in Orlando, FL in November.

Click here>> for more information on how to sign up!

GRASSROOTS FIELD GRANT
The Grassroots Community Football Fields initiative is a joint venture between the NFL and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC). The initiative provides non-profit, neighborhood-based organizations with financing and technical assistance to improve the quality and safety of local football fields in schools and parks. Since 1998, 71 fields have been built in 45 cities, bringing the total contribution to more than $6.3 million. This program is part of the NFL Youth Football Fund. For more information about the program and eligibility requirements, contact Michael Clarke, Program Director for LISC Buffalo, at (716) 853-1136, or log on to liscnet.org.

Recent Buffalo Grassroots Grant Receipents
Buffalo All-High Stadium>>
Riverside Emerson Playground
Lackawanna Veterans Memorial Stadium

YOUTH

GATORADE JR. TRAINING CAMP
The Buffalo Bills Gatorade Jr. Training Camp is designed to stress the importance of education, physical fitness, good sportsmanship and teamwork through non-contact interactive football drills for boys and girls between the ages of 8-12 years old. This traveling camp visits local elementary schools, YMCA's, Boys and Girls Clubs and youth football clinics. The camp makes visits through the spring to fall months. Click here for more information>>

WESTERN NEW YORK YOUTH TACKLE FOOTBALL FEDERATION
The Federation was started in 1999 to bring numerous youth football and cheerleading leagues together to increase the visibility of youth football and conduct programs for the mutual benefits of all organizations involved. The WNYYTFF represents 59 communities around the Western New York area and 185 football & cheerleading teams with 8,000 football players and 6,000 cheerleaders. Visit the website of the WNY Youth Tackle Football Federation for more information.

LOCAL YOUTH FOOTBALL WEBSITES

Buffalo Raiders

Holley Hawks

Hunter James Kelly Youth Football and Cheerleading

Jamestown Area Midget Football League

Lew Port Youth Football

OATKA

Southtowns Youth Football and Cheerleading Association

Western New York Pop Warner

Western New York Youth Tackle Football Federation

NATIONAL FOOTBALL FOUNDATION

The National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame - WNY Chapter135 is dedicated to preserving the spirit of amateur football, its character building attributes and its vital role in the education process in Western New York. The local chapter's primary function is to promote the sport of football on the amateur level from youth leagues through high school and college football. The chapter honors football scholar-athletes from the area high schools, prep schools and colleges and also sponsors awards for individuals that have contributed significantly to amateur football. Learn more about the National Football Foundation and how to be a member by visiting the Western New York Chapter website.

PLAY IT SMART
As part of its Youth Football Initiatives, the NFL Youth Football Fund granted $1 million to the National Football Foundation to bring the Play It Smart program to each of the 32 NFL cities. The key to the program is the introduction of an "academic coach," an athletically-oriented counselor, who typically spends half of their working week with the high school team. In brief, the academic coach brings the kind of extra attention to the players' off-the-field development that most head coaches would like to provide if they had the time and training and resources. The primary goals of the Play It Smart program are to: redirect a high school football program that are on the decline and increase participation, strengthen classroom skills of student athletes, and use the game to build leadership qualities in young athletes and positively affect their personal development. The Play It Smart program is currently located at Buffalo's East High School and Syracuse's Fowler High School.

USA FOOTBALL

USA Football is an independent non-profit organization whose purpose is to galvanize, support and promote the sport at all levels of amateur football. The first national advocacy group created for this purpose, USA Football was launched in December 2002 and received initial funding from the National Football League and the NFL Players Association, through the NFL Youth Football Fund. The activities of USA Football generally focus on the following: building coalitions, advocating positions and causes, identifying best practices and standards, aggregating resources, and promoting the sport. It is also the designated U.S. representative to the International Federation of American Football (IFAF). Visit USA Football>>

COACHING SCHOOL
The Buffalo Bills and USA Football have teamed up to host a coaching clinic for youth football coaches in the Western New York. The clinics will teach each youth coach effective ways to develop and organize their team, teach the proper fundamentals, implement drills and communicate with players, parents and other coaches. Successful high school and youth coaches from the area will act as clinicians following USA Football's youth coaching principles, which focus on coaching theory, along with developing a scheme for offense, defense and special teams. Learn more about the Coaching School>>

PLAY FOOTBALL MONTH
The purpose of Play Football Month is to generate excitement for the greatest sport and its ability to bring the community together in support of their youth, high school, college, and/or professional team. From Friday Night Lights to Monday Night Football, the Football Family is united. Differences are put aside and a common goal is shared as everyone cheers on their favorite team. From the casual fan to the Heisman Trophy Winner or Super Bowl MVP, everyone can be part of the Football Family.

Play Football Month will kicks off each August with NFL teams saluting youth and high school players, coaches, officials, and parents for being part of a sport that helps build tomorrow’s leaders. Celebrations continue throughout the month of September on youth, high school, and college fields and in communities across the nation. Learn more about Play Football Month>>