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Welcome
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On behalf of the Valley of the Sun Chapter of the National Football Foundation/College
Hall of Fame I wish to welcome you to our organization.
The National Football Foundation was established in 1947 and our chapter was chartered
in 1971. We are one of 120 chapters nationwide with more than 13,000 members. It
is our mission through amateur football to promote, educate and build leaders through
the greatest game ever played.
Through membership we are able to build our scholarship funds, assist in the development
of football programs at the youth, high school and college levels to ensure that
all student athletes achieve their dream.
The Valley of the Sun Chapter has recognized more than 500 young people and presented
more than $278,000 in scholarships to the best and brightest scholar-athletes in
our region. Recently we have recognized those in extracurricular activities, specifically,
the marching band and spirit teams with scholarships.
Throughout the year we have three premier events, from which we derive our scholarship
funds, that bring together scholar-athletes, former college and NFL players, members
of the College Hall of Fame, community members, educators, family and friends. The
annual Scholar-Athlete Banquet brings together the best and brightest scholar-athletes
that excel not only in the classroom, but on the field and in their community; the
Spring Scholarship Golf Open is a great way to spend a day with friends, community
members and fellow athletes and coaches and at the same time fundraise for a worthy
cause. The end of the year brings our Annual Champions Luncheon whereby we honor
the winning high school division teams and coaches. At this time we also present
the Frank Kush Award for the State’s Best Offense Down Lineman; the Curly Culp Award
for the State’s Best Defense Down Lineman and the Danny White Quarterback Award.
We are a high-energy group of volunteers and our members share one common bond…love
for the game of amateur football.
Your membership will help us continued to lead the efforts and promote amateur football
and help our scholar-athletes lead lives of active learning, positive relationships,
personal growth as well as service to their community.
Make a difference and join our chapter…..Together we can make it happen!
- Janie Riddle
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NFF Advisory Board Member Passes Away
The 18-time Arizona Sportscaster-of-the-Year, died at home on December
1, 2009.
Born in Sedalia, Missouri, Dillon also spent a portion of his childhood in El Paso,
Texas. He was best known for his 20-year tenure as the radio and television play-by-play
voice of Arizona State University athletics and 12 years describing Arizona Cardinals
action on the radio. Earlier in his career, he served in a play-by-play capacity
at Texas-El Paso and New Mexico State universities. Most recently, Dillon has been
sharing his exciting football play-by- play on a national game-of-the-week for Sports
USA Radio. The U.S. Navy veteran began his Phoenix broadcasting career as a television
sportscaster at channel 10 (then KSTP-TV) before spending 16 years at KTAR Radio.
He also worked at KFYI, XTRA, and KFNX radio stations. An accomplished public speaker
and the voice of numerous radio and television advertisements, Dillon also was a
private pilot who donated air time to Flight For Life transporting blood throughout
Arizona and as fund-raisers for Valley charities. Known for his love of music, he
recently sang with the Kingston Trio in a Scottsdale performance. Tom also gave
hundreds of children many happy memories as Santa Claus.
Dillon is survived by his wife, Bonnie; daughters, Lisa Dillon-Orthmann, husband
Chris, grandsons Michael and Matthew; Jennifer Dillon-Beem, husband Jeff, grandson
Cole; Carmen Meyers-Gougeon, husband Ben, granddaughter Chantel; son, Edward Meyers;
siblings, Maryanne, Mark, Paul, Regina and Margaret.
TOM YOU WILL BE MISSED!
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Valley of the Sun Chapter (Central and Northern Arizona)
The Valley of the Sun Chapter was chartered in 1971 and is today one of the National Football Foundation’s largest and most active chapters. Our stated mission is “to honor the traditions of the game of football at the amateur level; to recognize academic and athletic excellence as well as community-school achievements at the college, high school and youth levels; and to conduct programs that further the character-building qualities of the game and fulfill a demonstrated need, especially to the underserved population.”
As a 501©(3) non-profit organization, we place great emphasis on education as it relates to effective, sports-based programming. We have been able to develop collaborative partnerships with other groups committed to promoting amateur football in Arizona where our combined efforts result in greater impact and a higher level of success. In a single sentence, our purpose is “Making athletics better for kids, and making kids better through athletics.
For the past 23 years, the Scholar-Athlete Awards Program has been our signature event when we honor Arizona college and high school football players for their academic, athletic and leadership accomplishments. We have recognized 265 student-athletes from 91 high schools and six colleges, and since 1988, have awarded more than $183,000 in college scholarships.
In addition, each year we honor three adults who have made significant contributions to the game and have distinguished themselves in later life. At the national level, four individuals who have served as officers of the Chapter have received the Foundation’s prestigious Chapter Leadership Award.
Over the past decade, we have promoted the candidacies of deserving retired coaches and former All-American players for the College Football Hall of Fame. During this period, two coaches and five players with strong Arizona ties have been inducted.
The Chapter has been actively involved in the Play-It-Smart Program for the past four years at two inner city high schools and will be bringing the program to two more schools over the next two years. Play-It-Smart capitalizes on the power of the football experience to enhance the personal and academic development of young athletes. The program introduces the participants to the value of community service, boasts a 95 per cent graduation rate and sends 87 per cent of the seniors on to higher education.
Beginning in 2001, the Chapter has joined with the Arizona Cardinals, Arizona Football Coaches Association and the Arizona Youth Football Federation (Pop Warner) in sponsoring five NFL-NFF Coaching Academies for high school and youth coaches.
TOPS Physicals is a program in which the Chapter is involved in conjunction with the Arizona Osteopathic Medical Association and a group of local doctors who provide free annual physical examinations at no charge to more than 1,900 high school boys and girls in all sports. The physicals are performed in a single day and include EKGs that help identify potentially serious medical problems if not treated at an early stage.
The Chapter in partnership with the Arizona Football Coaches Association has undertaken a pilot program that involves compiling a packet of information on 250 of the better Arizona players who will be Seniors in the 2004-2005 academic year and who hope to continue playing football at some level when they enroll in college. This service especially benefits those players who may be overlooked by Division I-A recruiters, but who would be excellent prospects for Division I-AA, II, III and NAIA colleges. A two-page questionnaire was prepared and circulated to coaches throughout the State. The player provides personal data, while the coach is asked to give his assessment as to the level each player will most likely be successful in college.
Because our mission is to promote amateur football at all levels, the Chapter has assisted the Arizona Youth Football Federation, the largest Pop Warner organization in the country with 9-10,000 participants, in raising more than $20,000 to help cover operational expenses, purchase needed equipment and underwrite their mandatory coaches clinic.
The Chapter holds an annual luncheon to honor the coaches of the State high school football champions, maintains its own website, publishes a quarterly Chapter newsletter and has a 20-minute segment on a weekly radio sports talk show.
Contact Info:
Mrs. Janie Riddle
5260 W. Mohawk Lane
Glendale, AZ 85308
Phone: 602-548-2692
Email: VLuna1@aol.com
Website: www.azfootballhoff.org
Why these Hall of Famers believe in the National
Football Foundation
| Frank Kush |
Arizona
State's Winningest Coach
Member of 4 Halls of Fame
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| "The most gratification I got out
of coaching was in giving a young person a chance to succeed,
to teach them discipline and steer them in the right direction.
That's why I'm involved in the National Football Foundation
and Valley of the Sun Chapter." |
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| Danny
White |
ASU
and Dallas Cowboys standout
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| "One of the lessons I've learned from
playing and coaching football is that one person can't
do it all. That's why members of the Valley of the Sun
Chapter have joined together to promote football as an
integral part of our educational process and to encourage
those who play the game to succeed and assume leadership
roles in their schools and communities." |
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| "Biggie"
Munn |
Frank
Kush's Coach at Michigan State
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"The game of football is a rugged
one, and it takes a dedicated young man to play the
game. Our country was founded on the basic principles
of hard work and fair play, by men with tremendous desire
and initiative. Boys who become great in football must
possess these same qualities. It speaks well for our
game that so many young men who have participated in
football have gone on to become outstanding successes
in all walks of life. I am sure they benefited by the
many lessons they learned on the football field. Early
in his career the successful football player learns
that it takes much work and effort to become really
good in an endeavor.
"We have only one sign in our dressing
room at Michigan State: "The difference between good
and great is a little extra effort."
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| Eddie Robinson |
Legendary
Hall of Fame Coach at Grambling
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"You play the game of football just
the way you play the game of life."
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| Chuck Dicus |
1999
Hall of Fame Inductee from Arkansas
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"I really think the true value of
football is in the opportunities it presents by allowing
a young boy to have a dream, to get an education and
to improve his life."
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If you love football...
Honor its traditions...
Thrill to its spectacle...
Believe in its positive role in developing America's youth...
You should be a member of the National
Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame
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