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May 20, 2012The Hampton Roads Youth Foundation & Knight Solutions Construction present the Fourth Annual Gridiron Legends TailgateHampton, Virginia – On July 12, join Newport News, VA native and Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin for the HRYF Fourth Annual Gridiron Legends Tailgate Party presented by Knight Solutions Construction. The event will take place from 6:30pm to 9:30pm at the Hampton Roads Convention Center and will welcome some of the biggest names in the NFL from the Hampton Roads area including Indianapolis Colts Antoine Bethea, Baltimore Ravens Tyrod Taylor, New England Patriot Jerod Mayo, Oakland Raider Darryl Blackstock, Minnesota Viking Percy Harvin and many, many, more...July 14, 2011Mike Tomlin's Tailgate PartyHampton, VA -- Mike Tomlin, head coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers, at Mike Tomlin's tailgate party at NASCAR Sports Grille in Hampton on Friday.July 14, 2011Hampton Roads All-Star Football CampHampton, VA -- Hampton Roads All-Star Football Camp is being held on the campus of CNU in Newport News today and Saturday.July 14, 2011NFL advice: Find a compassHampton Roads youth can never get too much good advice, particularly from people whom they admire, respect and want to emulate — and when these people are associated with the National Football League, the audience is even more attentive.That was the case last weekend when more than 100 Hampton youth were advised and lectured by members of the NFL fraternity. A key session occurred Saturday afternoon when several current, former and future NFL players spoke frankly in a Ferguson Center for the Arts auditorium filled with youngsters, as some of the youth's parents sat upstairs in the balcony. July 14, 2011Virginia Preps.com ArticleAs we enter the summer months, the aroma of football starts to fill the air as we enter the beginning of football practice before the new football year. One of the events that signal the start of the football year is the Hampton Roads Youth Foundation football camp. Now in it's 15th year, the camp has drawn dozens of professional football players all with ties to the Hampton Roads area.What separates the HRYF camp from other camps is that it's totally free. Players are even treated to a free bar-b-que. The camp is co-hosted by Carl Francis and Vernon Lee who spend a lot of time organizing the event. Lee says that camp has come along ways in the 15 years. July 08, 2011Tomlin puts Super Bowl loss behind him, uses it as teaching toolAs Mike Tomlin entered the Ferguson Center auditorium Friday afternoon, a couple hundred kids and several dozen parents watched the end of an NFL Films video that concluded with the Green Bay Packers celebrating last February's Super Bowl win over Tomlin's Pittsburgh Steelers."Booooooooooooooo!" Tomlin bellowed from the side of the stage as the film ended and the house lights came up. As folks turned to see where the booing came from, he broke into a huge grin. July 08, 2011Mike Tomlin back in townHAMPTON— Hundreds of Steelers fans packed NASCAR Sports Grille, just waiting to see their fearless leader and hometown success story in the flesh."We won more Superbowls than anybody else, you know. I'm not disillusioned man. Part of the reason they are so enthusiastic and excited is we try to give them things to be excited about," said Mike Tomlin, head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. As the youngest coach to win a Superbowl in NFL history, it's been quite a ride for Mike Tomlin. But he still manages to make time to come back to where it all started, and volunteer with the Hampton Roads Youth Foundation. July 08, 2010Mike Tomlin, on coming homeI talked with Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin the other day in advance of his annual return to the Peninsula, where he was raised, to work some free football camps run by the Hampton Roads Youth Foundation. Tomlin had no interest in talking about specific Steelers issues such as the suspended Ben Roethlisberger or his team’s second-half collapse last season that kept it from making the playoffs. But Tomlin did expand a bit on why it’s so important to him to return to Newport News and spend some of his rare downtime with local youth.August 17, 2009HRYF and CLYFL donate football equipment to Boys & Girls Club of the Virginia PeninsulaHampton, VA -- The Hampton Roads Youth Foundation (HRYF) in partnership with the Central Loudoun Youth Football League, Inc (CLYFL) donated approximately $50,000 worth of youth football equipment (e.g., helmets, shoulder pads, etc.) to the Boys & Girls Club of the Virginia Peninsula. Kevin Knight, CLYFL Board member, who grew up in Hampton and now resides in Loudoun County, VA kindly agreed to donate helmets and shoulder pads less than 2 years old from his youth football league. Kevin has been a volunteer at the Hampton Roads All-Star Football Camp since its inception in 1996 and is a former HRYF Board Member.
July 13, 2009Pro-Bowl safety works Peninsula campVirginiaPreps.comAntoine Bethea, a Pro Bowl safety from the Indianapolis Colts, was in the Tidewater area this past weekend to work the 2009 Peninsula All-Star Camp hosted by the Hampton Roads Youth Foundation. AUDIO INTERVIEW WITH ANTOINE BETHEA: http://vmedia.rivals.com/uploads/914/810093.wma
July 12 2009Hampton native Francis gives back to the community through footballDaily PressCarl Francis' first love planted the seed for an idea. VIDEO ON THE CAMP: http://www.dailypress.com/videobeta/watch/
July 12, 20092009 Peninsula camp addresses issuesVirginiaPreps.comThe 13th Annual Peninsula All-Star Camp came back to the Hampton Roads area this weekend with the intended goal of not only helping football players of any age advance their skill level, but also, and more importantly, to help young people understand that decisions made now can have a lifelong impact.
July 12, 2009Tomlin, others warn of gang involvementDaily PressWhen an HBO special profiled a series of shootings and murders in the Hampton Roads area — with some of the victims high school athletes — it brought shock and disappointment to some of the Peninsula's highest profile sports figures.
July 10, 2009Mike Tomlin helps his hometownDaily PressMike Tomlin couldn't hope to acknowledge every text. His Pittsburgh Steelers had just won the most dramatic Super Bowl ever, and his phone was buzzing non-stop.
July 12-14, 2009highlights of the 2007 Hampton Roads Youth Foundation Event weekendTo view the highlights of the 2007 Hampton Roads Youth Foundation Event weekend July 12-14, 2007 please click on the below link. The video includes highlights of the 2nd Annual Gridiron Legends Golf Classic, Hampton Roads Gridiron Legends Gala with keynote speaker Coach Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers, 2 Day Youth Football Camp, and the NFL Players Bowling Party."http://www.gearshiftvideo.com/hamptonroads/
July 15, 2007Francis’ camp like a familyCarl Francis began with a local sports camp, of which there are dozens. Longevity, vision and connections have set it apart. Francis' Hampton Roads All-Star Football Camp -- the 11th edition concluded last weekend -- includes the standard and joyous frenzy of kids turned loose on a perfect summer's day. There's football instruction, life lessons and free grub to boot.
July 15, 2007Hampton Roads Youth Foundation camp wraps upThere is not a pro football franchise within the state lines of Virginia and the two in-state Division I colleges are both over two and a half hours away by car meaning that football junkies in the Tidewater area latch on to the Friday night heroes as the players to talk about.
July 14, 2007Decidedly less roar from Williams, Former Virginia Tech defensive back Jimmy Williams is settling into life in the NFL -- quietly.NEWPORT NEWS -- If character issues still dog Jimmy Williams, no evidence of that struggle was visible Saturday.Williams, a Bethel High graduate and Virginia Tech product preparing for his second NFL season with Atlanta, was one of several current and former pros guiding area high school players through drills at the Hampton Roads All-Star Football Camp at Christopher Newport University.
July 13, 2007Mike Tomlin speaks at Hampton Roads DinnerWho is Mike Tomlin?If you google his name, you will find that he is the first year Head Coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. He is a kid who graduated from Denbigh High School then attended William & Mary where he played wide receiver for the school. July 13, 2007Tomlin is favorite son, fortunate oneMike Tomlin is proud to be from the Peninsula. And we're proud of him.He began by telling the crowd of family, friends and gawkerazzi that he is no different than they are -- an accurate, if incomplete, assessment. Mike Tomlin is indeed a Peninsula guy. He can navigate Mercury Boulevard and can get to Patrick Henry Mall and Darling Stadium and Paul's Deli. His deep roots here mean that he is never more than three minutes from someone he knows or someone who knows him and his family. More...
July 8, 2007Tomlin to speak at GalaDaily PressPeninsula native and first-year Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin is scheduled to be the keynote speaker Thursday at the second Legends of the Gridiron Gala at the Hampton Roads Convention Center. Tickets to the event, which benefits the Hampton Roads Youth Foundation, cost $40. Before the gala, there will be a benefit golf tournament. For information, call 886-3079.
June 20, 2007Hampton Roads Youth Foundation Football CampJust over a month ago, I wrote about the 11th Annual Hampton Roads Youth Foundation Football Camp scheduled for July 12-14, 2007 as the group will bring former Peninsula high school players, current college players and NFL stars back to the Hampton / Newport News area to give youngsters football and life lessons.PHOTO SPREAD ON THE CAMP: http://virginiapreps.rivals.com/photofeature.asp?SID=914&fid=17854 May 21, 200711th Annual Hampton Roads Youth Foundation WeekendAnyone around the high school football scene knows that, in the Hampton Roads area, football is a year-round activity. Most teams hit the weight rooms in January and February to prepare for the combine / camp circuit in March, April and May before participating in the June and July passing leagues / tournaments which takes them into August practice and the regular season. Many of the camp and combine events can blend into a blur as players run, lift and test their way through the offseason, but one event in the area stands out every year -- the Hampton Roads Youth Foundation Celebration Weekend. |
