 | | AFA Newsletter October 20, 2008 |  | | | In This Issue: | | • | American Football Association Selects Semi-Pro Football Hall of Fame . . . "CLASS OF 2008" | | | • | Football: Dominion's Team Turns Pro! | | | • | Sports Insurance Risk Management Advice and Commentary on Current Topics of Interest | | | • | AFA Alumni Club - Are You A Card Carrying Member? | | | • | Semi-pro Football HQ Scoreboard 10/18/2008 thru 10/19/2008 | | | • | NFL "BLEMS" NOW AVAILABLE for as low as $45 Per Ball (Plus S&H) | | | • | Passing of a Legend: Ron Real (Chicago Tribune) | | | • | Guest Book | |
Featured Links: | | | | American Football Association Selects Semi-Pro Football Hall of Fame . . . "CLASS OF 2008"
Media - contact Dave Burch at AFA National Office
(877) 624-4485
(e-mail) amerfoot@aol.com
(website) http://www.americanfootballassn.com/
Recently the AFA/Hall of Fame selection committee completed its annual task of reviewing personal profiles of qualified individuals nominated for induction into the Semi-Pro Football Hall of Fame as the. . . "Class of 2008". Information submitted by HOF alumni and subsequent review by the selection committee resulted in the selection of 17 people for enshrinement this year. The American Football Association is a national 501(c) (3) non-profit, tax exempt corporation in its 28th year of operation and is dedicated to the advancement of adult (semi-pro) football from coast-to-coast.
This year's group of Hall of Famers will be enshrined as the "Class of 2008" during the AFA's 28th Annual Semi-Pro Football Hall of Fame Induction Dinner at the Helmsley Sandcastle Resort Hotel on Lido Beach in Sarasota, Florida. The Induction Dinner will be part of a busy Semi-Pro Football weekend for the AFA National Association, which will run from Thursday, December 11th thru Sunday, December 13th.
The enshrinement of this year's class of 17 new hall of famers will see the 28-year total number of inductees expand from 552 members to 569 members. Since the inaugural enshrinement in 1981 (including the Class of 2008) the AFA has recognized 313 players; 93 coaches; 73 executives; 23 officials; 20 pioneers; 20 media/historians; 11 trainer/equipment men; 6 associated with youth football; 5 involved with international semi-pro; 4 from the women's level; and even 1 'super fan'.
The 'special' semi-pro football weekend in Sarasota, Florida will include:
- Thursday Evening - AFA/HOF meet the new inductees "alumni-huddle" cocktail party
- Friday Morning - Annual AFA Board of Directors meeting
- Friday Evening - AFA Hall of Fame Induction Dinner
- Saturday Morning - Semi-Pro Football Alumni Clubs Business Breakfast; Special Memorial Service for AFA Founder Ron Real
- Saturday Afternoon - "Old-Timers-Game IV (on the beach)
Room reservations can be made by calling the Helmsley Sandcastle's toll free number 800-225-2181 or their local Florida number 941-388-2181. Be sure to mention you are connected with the American Football Association (by name) to take advantage of the AFA's discount room rate. Room rates $118.00 - Run of House and 138.00 - Gulf Front View. Annual Hall of Fame Dinner tickets are $55 each and can be ordered by emailing amerfoot@aol.com.
The American Football Association is proud to present the names of those who will be enshrined into the AFA Semi-Pro Football Hall of Fame as the "Class of 2008". The names in parentheses indicate sponsors of the new inductees HOF alumni.
PLAYERS CATEGORY:
Richard Landis - Upper Strasburg, Pennsylvania. - (Stephen Oldt, Dave Bonsell )
Jerry Schropp - Elk Grove Village, Illinois - (Fritz Fiorelli, Alvin Klaeren, Roman Strzala)
Pat Albanese - Glenview, Illinois - (Neal Anderson, Mike "Chico" Cain, William Meyer, Gary Thomas)
Larry Schmidt- Northbrook, Illinois - (Patrick O'Brien, Joseph Wolfe)
Donald Busch, Sr - Westchester, Illinois - (Elmhurst Travelers Alumni Club)
Elwyn Rider – Jackson, Michigan - (Bill Christie)
Steven Fisher - Watertown, New York - (George Ashcraft)
Dick Rosati - Port Charlotte, Florida - (Dick Leland)
Tom Kirlis - Bridgewater, Massachusetts - (Peter O'Kane)
David Brown - Quincy, Massachusetts - (Larry DeVoe)
Erle Garrett - Boston, Massachusetts - (Bob DeVoe)
Thomas Manny - Troy, New York - (Gary Shaver)
EXECUTIVE CATEGORY:
Pete Narri - Milwaukee, Wisconsin - (Chris Chudada)
Arney Silvestri - Geneva, Illinois - (Cheryl Kardas)
OFFICIALS CATEGORY:
Jerry McGonigle - Lake Winola, Pennsylvania - (William Higgins)
TRAINERS CATEGORY:
Glen Cooper - Prince George, Virginia - (Hal & Mary Lockhart)
PIONEER CATEGORY:
Joseph Loughran - Staten Island, New York - (Brett Friedman)
About the American Football Association:
The AFA is dedicated to the advancement of semi-pro/minor league football throughout the United States and serves as the National Organization for non-professional leagues and teams from coast-to-coast. For more information about the AFA, please visit their Web site: www.americanfootballassn.com.
Football: Dominion's Team Turns Pro!
Titans Get High School Version of NFL Rookie Symposium
(Sept. 30, 2008) - Members of the Dominion High School football program and their parents got a taste of what it's like to be an NFL rookie last month ... and they didn't even have to break a sweat.
Willis Whalen, manager of membership services for the NFL Players Association (NFLPA), presented the same program his organization presents at the NFL's Rookie Symposium. Topics covered include finances, media relations and life after football. For the high school version, which was presented for the first time in Loudoun County at Dominion, sections on standardized testing and college eligibility were added.
"We looked at the Rookie Symposium and we thought 'We have to get these life skills messages to kids at an earlier age,' " Whalen said.
Whalen started his Aug. 14 program with some sobering facts on how hard it is to make an NFL roster. Consider the following:
• 1,023,756 students play high school football each year;
• 65,000 will go on to play college football;
• 6,000 will be scouted by the NFL;
• 750 will sign an NFL contract;
• 300 will make an NFL roster;
• 140 will remain on an NFL roster four years or more.
"We don't want to be dream-killers, but we do want to be about reality," said Whalen. "Tonight's program is about life. This program tonight can apply to any sport. It's not about football, it's about life."
Whalen knows just how long the odds are of making it to the NFL. He played football at Division II Southern Connecticut then went on to a semi-pro career that earned him induction into the American Football Association Semi-Pro Hall of Fame in 1997. After his playing career he spent eight years working in youth programs for the Miami Dolphins before joining the NFLPA in 2005.
Sports Insurance Risk Management Advice and Commentary on Current Topics of Interest
Sports & Recreation In the News 3rd Quarter 2008
The Sadler Sports & Recreation Insurance family is happy to share our first quarterly newsletter with you. We hope to keep you updated with the latest changes that may be occurring as well as interesting stories from the sports and recreation industry
We appreciate the opportunity to serve you not only as your insurance agent, but your risk manager, as well.
Sincerely,
Sadler Sports & Recreation Insurance
AFA Alumni Club - Are You A Card Carrying Member?
Here's your chance to become card carrying 2008 Alumni Club members. AFA Membership is open to anyone and everyone that, at one time or another, had been (or still is) involved with a semi-pro team and/or league. The AFA Semi-Pro Football Alumni Club is co-sponsored by the AFA National Association and the Members of the AFA Hall of Fame Alumni.
If you are interested in a membership appplication, just click the link to the top left of this paragraph.
AFA Alumni Club rings, caps, polo shirts, T-shirts, pins, patches and other club merchandise is now available to members - who want to show they're "Semi-Pro and Proud" about our level of the game.
Semi-pro Football HQ Scoreboard 10/18/2008 thru 10/19/2008
Please submit corrections and omissions to scores@semiprofootball.org
*** Alliance Football League ***
Knoxville Knights 28, Stallions of Country Club Hills 18
*** Central Carolinas Football League ***
Richmond County Golden Bears 14, Triangle Rattlers 13
*** Colonial Football Alliance ***
Conshohocken Steelers 28, Pottstown Panthers 12
Lehigh Valley Steelers 21, Flemington Generals 12
Maryland Sting 31, York Silver Bullets 27
*** Eastern Football League ***
Charlestown Townies 34, Clinton Irish Blizzard 13
*** Empire Football League ***
Vermont Ice Storm 48, Amsterdam Zephyrs 0
*** LaBelle Community Football League ***
San Diego Thunder 34, Inglewood Blackhawks 14
*** Mason-Dixon Football League ***
Getna Storm 21, Wilmington Tigers 13
*** North American Football League ***
Central Penn Piranha 35, DC Explosion 0
Indianapolis Tornados 37, London Silverbacks 25
Philadelphia Panthers 16, Western New York Cougars 6
Virginia Crimson Cardinals 6, Chambersburg Cardinals 5
*** Southern American Football League ***
Baton Rouge Riverboat Bandits 31, Greater New Orleans Gladiators 8
St. Helena Parish Blazin' Bulldogs 30, Lake Charles Riverkats 12
NFL "BLEMS" NOW AVAILABLE for as low as $45 Per Ball (Plus S&H)
FOR AFA MEMBER TEAMS DURING THE SEASON
Wilson Sporting Goods, the worlds largest manufacturers of professional footballs, has agreed to assist the American Football Association in our national fund raising efforts by offering semi-pro football teams the hard to come by - NFL 'blemished' Game balls often at these special discount prices.
Passing of a Legend: Ron Real (Chicago Tribune)
June 13, 2008 -- Ronald J. Real, 70, of Sarasota, Florida - formerly of Elmhurst, IL died June 10, 2008 in his home surrounded by his family.
Guest Book
Guest Book for Ronald J. Real
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