NFL Youth Football Fund Grants NASO

(RACINE, Wis.) — Expanding distribution of the Officiating Youth Sports — Football 2004 publication as well as consulting with USA Football to develop and expand officiating information on their website are two initiatives made possible by a grant awarded to NASO by the NFL Youth Football Fund.

Pop Warner Football, Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs of America, the National Youth Sports Officials Association, Jewish Community Centers, National Police Athletic League, Amateur Athletic Union and others have benefited from the program since its introduction in 2000.

The popular 16-page publication is created by NASO/Referee and up to 100,000 copies will be distributed to youth football officials across America. There’s no cost to the organizations participating in the program in 2004 as a result of the $75,000 grant.

Written by the editors of Referee, the 2004 publication will continue to focus on youth officiating and will provide tips and insight on how to properly officiate youth football.

"The NFL continues to be a prominent partner in supporting ideas and programs that encourage the recruitment and educational development of youth officials," said NASO Chair Randy Christal. "NASO’s partnership with the NFL to improve officiating at this level is extremely important."

NASO first introduced the concept of a youth officiating publication to the NFL in 1998. After two years of development, NFL Charities funded the initial 2000 publication. It was distributed to the Pop Warner and National Youth Sports Officials Association members.

In 2001, the program expanded to include other NFL youth partners. In 2002, distribution more than doubled from the previous year.

Last year, funding came from the NFL’s Youth Football Fund, a new division within the NFL dedicated solely to promoting the development of youth football.

After distribution to the youth organizations, a limited number of copies of Officiating Youth Sports Football 2004 will be available for local football associations.

If you are connected with an officials association that works youth football, go to www.naso.org/nfl_youth_promo or contact Referee Group Sales Manager Patrick Miles at 262/632-8855 and request your free copies immediately. A tentative date to begin shipping is early July.