FRISCO, Texas - The Southland Conference, which will play host to the 2010 NCAA Division I Championship Game, has teamed up with NCAA Football's Youth Initiative and hosted a free youth clinic Saturday, July 31, from 9 a.m. to noon at Dr. Pink Field at Pizza Hut Park.

Held in conjunction with the Frisco Football League, the clinic's 300 available spots were reserved in less than 72 hours during the Independence Day holiday weekend. This summer marks the third year that NCAA Football Youth Clinics have partnered with bowls and the NCAA Division I Championship Game in various cities to bring young football players together with coaches and student-athletes from NCAA teams for a day-long session of agility drills, offensive and defensive training, and character development. NCAA Football partners with the bowls and NCAA title game to ensure that clinic attendees have the best experience possible as they receive instruction from college football coaches and participate in a series of drills that collegiate student-athletes perform to learn the fundamentals of the game.

Twenty-four football coaches from five Southland Conference universities, including the University of Central Arkansas, Northwestern State University, Sam Houston State University, Stephen F. Austin State University and Southeastern Louisiana University ran the clinic for youth ages 5-14.

Stephen F. Austin head coach J.C. Harper and Southeastern Louisiana head coach Mike Lucas were among the coaches who conducted the camp. Other SFA coaches included Shannon Dawson, Chris Truax, Todd Schonar, Cody Fredenberg, David Gibbs, Erik Slaughter, Kurt Corbin, Arlington Nunn and Brandon North. Patrick Garvin and Matthew Powledge join Lucas from Southeastern Louisiana.

Other coaches who will help conduct the clinic include Matt Williamson, Perry Eliano, Jeremy Hammock and Cody Moore from Central Arkansas; Justin Fields, DeVon Lockett, Matt Mandich, Philip Pigott and Jeremy Wilburn from Northwestern State; and, Johnny Jernigan and Ben Beasley from Sam Houston State.

"This was such a special event for the youth in Frisco to have taken part in a great athletic event in advance of bringing the NCAA Championship Game to Pizza Hut Park," Southland Conference commissioner Tom Burnett said. "We're thrilled to join other bowls nationwide in providing young players the unique opportunity to learn from outstanding college football coaches."

"This Youth Day Clinic was for youth football players to learn not only valuable athletic skills, but also the invaluable character-building and sportsmanship lessons from one of the area's top intercollegiate football coaches," said Bob Vecchione, chair of the NCAA Football Youth Initiatives Committee. "We are proud to be bringing this event to Frisco, Texas, and hope the young men and women who participate in the clinic incorporate the lessons into their daily lives."

NCAA Football's Youth Initiative is a $1.5 million, three-year investment that began in New Orleans in 2007. Through this program, NCAA Football strives to attract more youth participants to the game, provide them with additional motivation to pursue higher education opportunities, help them develop the necessary skills to be successful on and off the field, and help to establish a new base of lifelong NCAA Football fans.

About the NCAA Division I Football Championship
Frisco, Texas, is the new host city for the NCAA Division I Football Championship game, which will be played at Pizza Hut Park on January 7, 2011. The 23,500-seat multi-purpose stadium will be the host site for the championship game for the next three years. The championship game, hosted by the Frisco-based Southland Conference, will be the culmination of a newly expanded 20-team championship bracket. As a result of this expansion, the championship game will take place during the first week of January, a few weeks later than in years past. The Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), formerly known as Division I-AA, is comprised of the conferences and institutions that compete in the NCAA Division I Football Championship as well as the Ivy League and Southwestern Athletic Conference, both of which choose not to participate in the football championship. The FCS embodies a tradition of excellence through high level competition, student-athlete character and sportsmanship throughout the regular season and the championship experience.

About NCAA Football
NCAA Football USA, Inc. represents a coalition of the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), the Collegiate Commissioners Association (CCA), the Football Bowl Association (FBA), the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) and the National Football Foundation (NFF) and serves as the collective voice to promote college football. Visit www.NCAAFootball.com for more information, and find our Youth Initiative on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ncaafootballyouth.

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