FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 8/2/17
Contact: Pete Fierle, Pro Football Hall of Fame, (330) 588-3622 Melinda Whitemarsh, USA Football, (317) 489-4431
CHUCK NOLL HALL OF FAME “GAME FOR LIFE” AWARD TO HONOR YOUTH FOOTBALL PROGRAMS Award Created by Merril Hoge Celebrates Pro Football Hall of Fame Coach Chuck Noll
CANTON, OHIO – The Pro Football Hall of Fame, in partnership with USA Football, is teaming with DICK’S Sporting Goods, Riddell and adidas to introduce the Chuck Noll Hall of Fame “Game for Life” Award. The honor will be presented to youth football programs in every state that exemplify the values of football: commitment, integrity, courage, respect, and excellence. As he taught America’s favorite sport, legendary Hall of Fame coach CHUCK NOLL personified these timeless values, which are foundational to the game and championed by Pro Football Hall of Fame and USA Football.
Leagues that earn the Chuck Noll Hall of Fame “Game for Life” Award will be recognized for their commitment to coaching education; best practices in player safety; teaching lessons about how to win rather than emphasizing winning; and nurturing a culture that celebrates preparation, discipline, accountability and respect through the fun and fitness of football and how it applies to success beyond the field. These winning attributes parallel the philosophies for which Coach Noll stood and are supported for the good of young athletes by the Pro Football Hall of Fame, USA Football, DICK’S Sporting Goods and The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation’s Sports Matter program, Riddell and adidas.
Each of the 50 recognized youth leagues will receive: • $500 equipment grant from Riddell and USA Football; • $500 gift card from DICK’S Sporting Goods • $500 gift card from adidas.
In addition, one youth league selected from the 50 winners also will be honored with the “Gold Prize,” consisting of: • $10,000 Sports Matter grant from The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation; and • $5,000 Riddell/USA Football Equipment Grant.
“Chuck Noll taught me to be a smarter, better and safer player,” stated Merril Hoge, the NFL Legend (Running Back, 1987-1993 Steelers; 1994 Chicago Bears) who was a driving force behind creating the award in his former coach’s name. “I see the fundamentals that he taught me years ago continuing today through USA Football’s ‘Heads Up Football’ program. We need to honor and reward youth leagues dedicated to their kids, teaching the sport’s values and fundamentals the right way. Earning an award with Chuck Noll’s name on it is one of the highest honors that a community can receive.”
Noll, who passed away in 2014, transformed the Pittsburgh Steelers from a downtrodden franchise to one of the most dominant teams in NFL history. He built his teams through the draft and focused on developing his players. Noll compiled a 209-156-1 record during his 23 seasons as the Steelers head coach (1969-1991) and led them to four Super Bowl titles (IX, X, XIII and XIV) over a six-year period. Noll played linebacker for seven seasons with the Cleveland Browns before embarking on a coaching career that earned him a bronzed bust in Canton.
Noll concluded his Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement speech in 1993 with these words, “I can’t tell you how much you can gain, how much progress you can make by working as a team, by helping one another. You get much more done that way and if there is anything the Steelers in the ’70s epitomized, I think it was teamwork.”
The Chuck Noll Hall of Fame “Game for Life” Award selection panel is comprised of Hoge; USA Football Executive Director Scott Hallenbeck; and two members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s staff, Vice President of Character Development Michael Muñoz; and Director of Youth/Education Jerry Csaki.
**MEDIA OPPORTUNITY**
Date: Friday, Aug. 4 at 1:50 p.m. Location: Media Center (McKinley High School) Details: Credentialed media in Canton covering the Enshrinement Week Powered by Johnson Controls are invited to a press conference with Merril Hoge and Scott Hallenbeck
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ABOUT THE PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME Located in Canton, Ohio, the birthplace of the National Football League, the Pro Football Hall of Fame is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit institution with the Mission to Honor the Heroes of the Game, Preserve its History, Promote its Values, & Celebrate Excellence EVERYWHERE.
Hundreds of thousands of fans from across the globe travel to Canton annually to experience “The Most Inspiring Place on Earth!” that chronicles America’s most popular sport.
Construction on Johnson Controls Hall of Fame Village, a $700 million development project that includes 10 main components, is under way in Canton to transform the Hall of Fame’s campus.
For more information about the Pro Football Hall of Fame, please visit ProFootballHOF.com; @ProFootballHOF on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube.
ABOUT USA FOOTBALL USA Football designs and delivers premier educational, developmental and competitive programs to advance and grow the sport. As the sport’s national governing body, member of the U.S. Olympic Committee and organizer of the U.S. National Team for international competition, USA Football partners with leaders in medicine, child advocacy and athletics to support positive football experiences for youth, high school and other amateur players.
ABOUT DICK'S SPORTING GOODS, INC. Founded in 1948, DICK'S Sporting Goods, Inc. is a leading omni-channel sporting goods retailer offering an extensive assortment of authentic, high-quality sports equipment, apparel, footwear and accessories. As of July 29, 2017, the Company operated more than 700 DICK'S Sporting Goods locations, serving and inspiring athletes and outdoor enthusiasts to achieve their personal best through a blend of dedicated associates, in-store services and unique specialty shop-in-shops. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, DICK’S also owns and operates Golf Galaxy and Field & Stream specialty stores, as well as DICK’S Team Sports HQ, an all-in-one youth sports digital platform offering free league management services, mobile apps for communications and live scorekeeping, custom uniforms and FanWear and access to donations and sponsorships. For more information, visit Press Room or Investor Relations at dicks.com.
About The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation is a tax exempt 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation with a mission to inspire and enable sports participation. It was created by DICK’S Sporting Goods, Inc. as a private corporate foundation to support DICK’S charitable and philanthropic activities.
About adidas adidas is a global designer and developer of athletic and lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories with the mission to be the leading sports brand in the world. As innovation and design leaders, adidas engineers the best in high- performance products to make athletes better, faster and stronger and creates a range of classic and fresh lifestyle and high-fashion lines. adidas has marketing agreements with the National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL), Major League Baseball (MLB), National Hockey League (NHL), Major League Soccer (MLS) and Major League Lacrosse (MLL).
About Riddell Riddell is a premier designer and developer of football helmets, protective sports equipment, head impact monitoring technologies, apparel and related accessories. A recognized leader in helmet technology and innovation, Riddell is the leading manufacturer of football helmets and shoulder pads, and a top provider of reconditioning services (cleaning, repairing, repainting and recertifying existing equipment). For more information, visit our website at http://www.riddell.com, like the Riddell Facebook page, or follow Riddell on Instagram and Twitter @RiddellSports.