SYAG Certifies its Football Coaches

SYAG has registered 20 football coaches to become USA Football coaching members. Each coach receives resources, including USA Football's Certified Coaching Education Program, an online coaching course which encompasses player health material and video addressing concussion awareness, hydration and proper equipment fitting.

The league is requiring its head coaches to complete the online course prior to the 2010 season. SYAG Football serves approximately 260 youth football players living in Holbrook, Farmingville, Holtsville, Lake Ronkonkoma, Lake Grove, Selden, Centereach, Patchogue and Sayville.

"The USA Football membership allows our coaches to give our kids the safest atmosphere out on the field," said Junior Leek, SYAG Football commissioner and Farmingville resident. "I love the vast information available to myself and my coaches to better prepare our kids for football.  The tools available to our coaches are incredible, from practice tools to playbooks, to important safety issues like concussions and heat exhaustion."

USA Football, the sport's national governing body on youth and amateur levels, will have trained more than 50,000 youth football coaches (players aged 6-14) in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., by the start of this football season, according to the organization.

"The best way to shape America's favorite sport at the youth level is to provide coaches with resources to become quality instructors and mentors," USA Football Executive Director Scott Hallenbeck said in statement. "SYAG Football is doing that in an exciting way under Junior's leadership through our coaching membership and online coaching course. Prepared and dedicated coaches result in youngsters having more fun playing a game they love - this is precisely what is happening for youth football on Long Island."