FOOTBALL’S FIRST ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT MODEL SHOWCASED BY BUFFALO-AREA YOUTH LEAGUE

Greater Buffalo was the site of a youth football first yesterday evening, hosting the first Football Development Model (FDM) Skills Night.

The FDM, created by USA Football, is the sport’s first long-term athlete development model, reimagining the game in a fun, 21st century way to advance athletes’ skills, health and athleticism.

Nearly 100 Niagara Erie Youth Sports Association (NEYSA) players age 8-12 took the event’s center stage at Starpoint High School in Lockport (N.Y.) with support from the Buffalo Bills. USA Football instructors led the event. NEYSA is one of six youth football programs nationwide piloting the model this season.

Buffalo Bills full-season coaching intern CALLIE BROWNSON is one of 22 members of USA Football’s FDM Council, which helps guide the model’s creation. The Council consists of specialists across child and long-term athlete development and football experts on youth, high school, college and professional levels.

The Buffalo-area youth players took the field for a series of fun and developmentally appropriate stations, covering character development, athlete-building, football skills and athlete wellness. The USA Football model employs multiple football game types (flag, padded flag, modified tackle, 11-player tackle, etc.), applying them as conduits to learn and reinforce developmentally appropriate skills.

“Tuesday night was an exciting moment for our players, parents and NEYSA member organizations,” said NEYSA President Ray Turpin of Lockport. “Youth sports should come to where the kids are. Youth organizations should emphasize the timeless qualities that make athletics so significant and special in a child’s life. Twenty years from now, kids will remember the friendships and fun they had on the field far more than whether they won or lost a game. This is whole-person development that rests in the heart of the FDM and we’re excited to represent the Buffalo Bills, the Western New York Amateur Football Alliance as well as all of the other leagues in Western New York and to be part of this national pilot.”

The FDM is a skill-focused progression based on a player’s developmental readiness physically, cognitively, emotionally and socially. It is aligned with the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee’s American Development Model.

“As an FDM Council member, seeing the model come to life from flip charts to football fields is tremendously exciting – and it’s especially inspiring to see it happen here in Buffalo,” Brownson said. “This is football – taught and played – in its richest, smartest form. USA Football’s model embraces the fun of the sport, the value of the team experience and fundamental skill instruction in a forward-thinking, dynamic way.”

“When asked: ‘What does football’s future look like?’ said USA Football CEO SCOTT HALLENBECK. “I believe we saw it tonight at Starpoint High School. It’s a pathway, based on a skill progression-framework from recreational to competitive. It’s developmentally appropriate by every measure, inclusive and fun. I appreciate Ray Turpin and NEYSA for their leadership as well as the Bills’ continued support as the football community came together tonight to showcase the future.”

In addition to NEYSA, youth football programs spanning Florida, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Texas and Utah are piloting the FDM this season. Among the selected leagues’ characteristics are high rates of USA Football coach certification, geographic and population diversity, and successful league administration.

USA Football is the sport’s national governing body and certifies the greatest number of high school and youth coaches combined among U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee members.