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PRESS RELEASE  --  10 June 2007

Prince William County School and Park Authority officials joined football players, cheerleaders and volunteers from the Northern Virginia Youth Athletic Association (NVYAA) to “kick off” a major field refurbishment project at Lake Ridge Middle School on June 9, 2007.  The NVYAA received a $5,000 grant from Kaboom! and The Home Depot Field Refurbishment Challenge Grant program and raised the remainder of the money through team efforts and substantial sponsorships from MG Divine Foundation, Gerald M. Mayhan Ministries, and The Barbershop & Company.  Dedicated to excellence in youth athletics, scholastics, and community service, the NVYAA is an all-volunteer non-profit subordinate organization of American Youth Football, Inc. (AYF), a National Football League youth partner. The NVYAA has partnered with the Hylton Boys and Girls Club in Dale City to manage the Dale City Cowboys and Dale City Bengals football and cheerleading program for youth between ages 5 to 15.

The idea to apply for the grant originated this winter with the NVYAA’s Director of Football Operations , Shannon Shy.  According to the NVYAA, the Lake Ridge Middle School football field was almost completely denuded after years of intensive use by school teams, youth organizations, and un-permitted users.   Recognizing that the county does not have the resources to engage in a refurbishment project, Shy quickly moved into action to apply for the grant.  Don Hailes, NVYAA Special Projects Director and past NVYAA President, planned the “Kick Off” day which included a dedication ceremony and the construction of a temporary fence by players and coaches to try to keep unauthorized users off the field.  Highlighting the dedication ceremony, Isaac and Bethena Smith and Thomas May of MG Divine Foundation presented a $5000 check to NVYAA President Bernie Hall and Hylton B&GC Director of Football Tony Keiling, to help the Lake Ridge project and program operations, including a future field refurbishment project at the Hylton Boys and Girls Club. 

The NVYAA/Hylton Boys and Girls Club program has had tremendous success both on an off the field.  Over the past two seasons NVYAA teams have won three AYF National Championships, one national runner-up, and one third place finish which garnered recognition from the Prince William Board of County Supervisors, the Governor of Virginia, and U.S. Congressman Tom Davis.  On the scholastic front, players must meet academic eligibility requirements in order to play.  Additionally, the NVYAA partnered with Lake Ridge Middle School to implement a guest speaker program for players and their parents as a way of further communicating important life lessons, drug awareness and prevention information, and college prep information.  Consistent with AYF’s “Giving Back” program, the NVYAA has held a number of significant community service projects over the years including a coat drive for the less fortunate in Prince William County, contributions to an area food shelter, a toy drive to aid orphans in Sri Lanka who survived the 2004 tsunami disaster, a clothing drive to aid Hurricane Katrina victims displaced to Prince William County, VA, and a self-help field refurbishment project in 2006 at  Lake Ridge Middle School.  Also, in 2006, on behalf of Nike and AYF, the NVYAA provided Nike NFL football gloves to area high school football programs.   For more information about joining or supporting the NVYAA/Hylton Boys and Girls Club Football & Cheerleading program, go to www.nvyaa.com.

POC:  Shannon Shy, 703.309.9910 shannon@americanyouthfootball.com