AUSTIN EKELER FOUNDATION TEAMS WITH USA FOOTBALL & NFL WAY TO PLAY TO SUPPORT KIDS IN LOCAL YOUTH LEAGUE
Los Angeles Chargers running back AUSTIN EKELER’s foundation has matched a $2,500 equipment grant from the NFL Way To Play program, fulfilled by USA Football, to support Crossroads Tigers Youth Athletics (CTYA) in San Fernando. With Ekeler’s personal support, the youth program will receive $5,000 in new football equipment for the 2022 season.
CTYA is a non-profit, athletic-based organization that focuses on the fun of sport participation and the inherent discipline and other fitness, social and emotional benefits that come from playing youth football and other sports for whole-child development.
The Crossroads Tigers football program will receive its equipment through Riddell, a partner of USA Football that helps fulfill its grants. Ekeler and the Chargers will present the new equipment to the program’s children on a to-be-determined date.
The Austin Ekeler Foundation’s mission is to help create opportunities for people to fulfill their passions and ultimately their lives. Ekeler launched his foundation’s first major project in June 2021, funding a new weight room for Santa Barbara High School in Santa Barbara, Calif. Since then, the foundation has provided essential items to women experiencing homelessness through the Downtown Women’s Center in Los Angeles, donated five washer and dryer sets to schools across the city of Watts, and fulfilled the Amazon Wish Lists of multiple SoCal elementary school teachers.
NFL Way To Play and USA Football reward dozens of deserving youth football programs throughout the year. USA Football, the sport’s national governing body and a member of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, will award up to $2 million in equipment and resources to youth leagues this year with support from the NFL Foundation.
“When I heard that the Crossroad Tigers are ran and coached by LAPD officers as a way to build relationships between kids and police in the community, I knew I wanted to get involved,” Ekeler said. “I’m fortunate to be able to team up with great partners to provide new equipment to help keep these kids motivated on the field and in turn on their off the field endeavors.”
“USA Football is proud to join hands with the NFL Way to Play Program and the Austin Ekeler Foundation to provide Crossroads Tigers Youth Athletics with new equipment for the upcoming season,” said USA Football CEO & Executive Director SCOTT HALLENBECK. “Putting children first is central to everyone involved here – it’s exciting for us to be help make this happen.”
# # #
About The NFL Foundation: The National Football League Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of those touched by the game of football – from players at all levels to communities across the country. The NFL Foundation and its members, the 32 NFL clubs, support the health, safety and wellness of athletes, youth football, and the communities that support our game. For more information on the NFL Foundation, visit: www.NFLFoundation.org.
About NFL Way to Play: The NFL Way to Play initiative is a resource that the NFL provides to promote proper playing technique to protect players from unnecessary risk, foster culture change across all levels of football, and educate players, coaches and parents on how to best play the game. Educational videos, past award winners, and additional resources are available on PlayFootball.com and the Play Football YouTube Channel. To learn more about Way to Play and how to submit plays for the 2022 season, visit ops.nfl.com/WTP-Award.
About Austin Ekeler Foundation: The Austin Ekeler Foundation’s mission is to help create opportunities for people to fulfill their passions and ultimately their lives. Ekeler launched his foundation’s first major project in June 2021, funding a new weight room for Santa Barbara High School in Santa Barbara, Calif. Since then, the foundation has provided essential items to women experiencing homelessness through the Downtown Women’s Center in Los Angeles, donated 5 washer and dryer sets to schools across the city of Watts, and fulfilled the Amazon Wishlists of multiple SoCal elementary school teachers.
About USA Football: USA Football designs and delivers premier educational, developmental and competitive programs to advance and grow the sport. As the sport’s national governing body, member of the U.S. Olympic Committee and organizer of the U.S. National Team for international competition, USA Football partners with leaders in medicine, child advocacy and athletics to support positive football experiences for youth, high school and other amateur players.