Jr. Browns NEXT to unify team’s youth football programming, provide unique resources to programs, coaches and athletes (8.25.20)

For Immediate Release

Aug. 25, 2020

BEREA, Ohio – As part of the Cleveland Browns’ commitment to assisting the development, safety and growth of youth and high school football throughout Ohio, the team launched “Jr. Browns NEXT,” designed to further connect youth football programs with the team and important resources for coaches and athletes prior to advancing to the next level of play in high school.

Following the “Pee Wee to Pro” philosophy, all of the Cleveland Browns’ current youth football programs not specific to high school football – including PLAY! Football, Rookie Tackle, Jr. Browns NFL Flag, the Annual Cleveland Browns Youth Football Camp and more – will now be encompassed within Jr. Browns NEXT. To register and receive access to all active and future assets, youth football program directors or coaches can register here while parents and individual athletes can do so here. All content will be available at www.clevelandbrowns.com/NEXT

“Through Browns Give Back, we are fully dedicated to promoting engagement, participation and health and safety initiatives for youth and high school football throughout Ohio, and Jr. Browns NEXT provides us a great opportunity to unify our current efforts, create new programs and maximize the resources available to all youth football participants,” said Vice President of Community Relations Jenner Tekancic. “Jr. Browns NEXT will allow us to provide even more avenues for coaches, parents and athletes to succeed both on and off the field as they prepare to take the next step at the high school level.”

To commemorate the establishment of Jr. Browns NEXT, the Browns will provide $25,000 in grant funding this year to assist local youth football programs that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. After registering for Jr. Browns NEXT, programs may submit a grant application here to be considered for contributions ranging from $1,000-$2,500, which will be evaluated by a panel of Browns staff members.

New through Jr. Browns NEXT, registered youth football programs will have unique access to the following experiences and engagement opportunities:

Receive resources for on-field performance and drills, as well as important information related to promoting the overall health and safety of all participants
Be one of the teams to receive a Zoom call with Browns player(s)
Select teams will be chosen to take part in a Jr. Browns NEXT film review featuring Browns player(s)
Participate in “Cleveland Browns Careers,” created to allow individuals to hear from Browns staff members from both football and business operations to learn more about jobs within the sport at the professional level
Engage in the “Jr. Browns NEXT Tip of the Week Challenge” by uploading videos on social media with the chance of winning Browns autographs or memorabilia
Receive Jr. Browns NEXT custom neck gaiters and helmet decals
Apply for a leader to be named the “Jr. Browns NEXT Coach of the Year”
Be featured as the “Jr. Browns NEXT Kid of the Week”
Nominate a key contributor/volunteer to be recognized as the “Jr. Browns NEXT Mom of the Year”
Engagement with other local youth football programs through the Jr. Browns NEXT community

Jr. Browns NEXT members will also have the ability to receive discounted rates for an account with Hudl, a leading performance analysis company to help coaches and athletes prepare for and stay ahead of the competition through video tools and data. Hudl’s products and services include online tools, mobile and desktop apps, smart cameras, analytics, professional services and more.

“Hudl is excited to partner with the Cleveland Browns to deliver its first football video library exchange for youth and high school teams in the Cleveland area.” said Greg Nelson, Vice President of Competitive Sports at Hudl. “The content generated by the Browns and High School coaches will enhance both the coaching and playing experience for youth teams in their tradition-rich football community.”

For more information on Jr. Browns NEXT and all of the team’s youth and high school football initiatives, visit clevelandbrowns.com/youthfootball and follow the official Twitter account @BrownsYouthFB.

About the Cleveland Browns and Browns Give Back:

The Browns Give Back to Northeast Ohio with a commitment to education and youth football while engaging the community through the team’s signature First and Ten volunteer movement. For more information, visit www.clevelandbrowns.com/brownsgiveback.

Education – The Cleveland Browns are dedicated to improving the quality of education for students in Ohio by making investments that keep kids in school every day so they can succeed, highlighted by the “Get 2 School, Stay in the Game!” Network. The “Get 2 School” Network is a statewide initiative designed to promote the importance of school attendance and put an end to chronic absenteeism. The team engages local schools and promotes quality education by using attendance data and feedback from families to build a school-going culture, uncover and reduce common barriers to attendance and support engagement opportunities for students to thrive. To learn more, visit Get2School.org.

Youth Football – The Cleveland Browns are committed to assisting the development, safety and growth of youth and high school football throughout Northeast Ohio with year-round programming for players, coaches, officials and parents. Through camps, clinics and other initiatives, the Browns’ goal is to promote healthy, social, emotional, intellectual and physical development of youth by enhancing opportunities for youth football participation and education.

First and Ten – Launched in June 2014, the Cleveland Browns First and Ten campaign is the team’s community program, established to inspire fans to #give10 and help their communities by volunteering for 10 hours each year. Through First and Ten, the Browns are the only NFL club to promote a long-term volunteering program that unifies the team and its entire fan base, with the goal of impacting every individual’s city across the globe, as well as the franchise’s local community. To date, more than 2.75 million hours of volunteering have been pledged through First and Ten. All Browns fans are encouraged to join the volunteering effort by signing the First and Ten pledge on the team’s website and by sharing their stories with #give10.

About Hudl:
Hudl (http://www.hudl.com) is a leading performance analysis company revolutionizing the way coaches and athletes prepare for and stay ahead of the competition. Founded in 2006 in Lincoln, Nebraska (USA), Hudl offers a complete suite of products that empower more than 160,000 global sports teams at every level—from grassroots to professional organizations—to gather insights with video and data. Hudl’s products and services include online tools, mobile and desktop apps, smart cameras, analytics, professional services and more.

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