GridIron Super Bowl Games at Skeeters Constellation Field

Date: Sunday, October 28th starting at 1:00 (Freshman game), 3:15 (JV game) and 5:30 (Varsity game).

Location: SKEETERS CONSTELLATION FIELD

See the Skeeters baseball field transformed into a football field for the very first time in Skeeters history!   Skeeters has created a special logo for us for our games which they will have painted on the center of the field!

GridIron Dogtagz will be presented to ALL PLAYERS in each division during the half-time of their division’s Super Bowl game (those who are not playing in the game itself).  Super Bowl Trophies will be presented to the players participating in the games at the conclusion of each game, 1st and 2nd place.

Super Bowl Raffle will take place during half-time of each game.  6 ipads will be given away throughout the day and more!

There will be cameras on the sidelines and in the stands, and players and fans will be featured on the Jumbotron!  Instant replay!  Video messages from a few Houston Texans to congratulate and encourage our boys!

The playground will be OPEN.  There will be a live band performing throughout the day and an appearance by the local high school drum lines and cheerleaders.

Pass the information on to friends and neighbors.  Facebook it and Tweet it if you’ve got it!  The stadium will be open to the public, and Skeeters is advertising our Super Bowl games in each of Skeeters’ home games leading up to the event with an awesome commercial that they’ve put together.  They are really wanting to fill the stadium with as many football fans as possible and give our boys a great audience during their big game.

More information to come…..

GridIron League 2012 – President’s Letter

To Gridiron League 2012 Parents:

Hello, my name is Bucky Richardson; President of the Gridiron League.  I have two children participating in this league and started this league two years ago to promote a competitive youth football league that stresses a positive, safe and fun environment for players, parents and coaches.

We founded this league on the principles of “Building Character and Community through Youth Football”.  I believe that the lessons learned through youth football will last a lifetime, far after the wins and losses fade away.  Lessons like hard work, discipline, mental toughness and team work.  These are the character traits we are trying to instill in the players that come through Gridiron.  The Gridiron League is partnered with USA Football, www.usafootball.com , which is the youth football development arm of the National Football League and NFLPA.  Through this partnership all coaches are certified and background checks are performed.  Additional information on our league can be found at www.fortbendgridironfootball.com

The Fall of 2012 will be our third year of participation and our numbers have grown substantially from 100 participants in year one to 500 kids in year two.  In year one, we had two zones-Ridge Point and Austin.  Year two saw the addition of Clements and George Ranch.  This year we expect to add two additional zones-Lamar and Foster.  Cheer Squads were added and well received in year two.  There is a lot of excitement within Fort Bend County for this league and what we are offering.  We look forward to adding additional zones within Fort Bend County in the future.

I feel like another reason we have grown so dramatically is the culture we are striving to build in our communities by supporting the local high school football teams and booster clubs.  We are trying to build that small town feel where kids grow up all their lives wanting to become a future Panther, Bulldog, Longhorn, Ranger, Mustang or Falcon and play under the lights on Friday night.  We encourage our parents to support the local booster clubs and high school sports by attending athletic events while wearing the colors.  We also want to build a culture within Gridiron where we are competitors during the game but friends and gentlemen after the final whistle blows.

It takes good people from all across the county to make this all work and come together.  Be part of the team and volunteer when you can.  Lend a hand and get involved.  It truly takes a community.  Coaches will have extensive training both live and on line, so no previous football experience is required or necessary.  We just ask that you have a heart for kids and are open minded to take some helpful instruction, and have a good perspective on what we are trying to accomplish.

Here are a few dates to mark on your calendars:

• August 13, Monday:  First day of practice.  Practice will be 4 days per week the first TWO weeks.
• August 27, Monday:  2 days of practice per week for the remainder of the season.
• Sept 1, Saturday:  First game of the season.
• Oct 28, Sunday:  Gridiron Super Bowl Sunday and Conclusion of the season.

This season we are excited to introduce out partnership with the Sugar Land Skeeters Professional Baseball Club and announce that the 2012 Gridiron Super Bowl will be held at the home of the Skeeters Baseball team, Constellation Field, in Sugar Land on Sunday, Oct 28th, 2012. We think this will be exciting for all involved, the parents, coaches and most importantly the players and cheerleaders.

You will also be contacted by your specific zone manager or team mom who will be sending out additional information from time to time. Don’t hesitate to ask any questions you might have about Gridiron, send us an email anytime.

Again, we are excited to have you as part of Gridiron League 2012 and we know and trust this will be a great experience for the players, coaches, parents, and all those involved.  We are “ Building Character and Community through Youth Football!”

Bucky Richardson

GridIron League 2011 – President’s Letter

To Gridiron League 2011 Parents:

Hello, my name is Bucky Richardson; President of the Gridiron League.  I have two children participating in this league and started this league a year ago to promote a competitive youth football league that stresses a positive, safe and fun environment for players, parents and coaches.

We founded this league on the principles of “Building Character and Community through Youth Football”.  I believe that the lessons learned through youth football will last a lifetime, far after the wins and losses fade away.  Lessons like hard work, discipline, mental toughness and team work.  These are the character traits we are trying to instill in the players that come through GridIron.  The Gridiron League is partnered with USA Football, www.usafootball.com , which is the youth football development arm of the National Football League and NFLPA.  Through this partnership all coaches are certified and background checks are performed.  Additional information on our league can be found at www.fortbendgridironfootball.com

The fall of 2011 will be our second year of participation and our numbers have grown substantially from 100 participants in year one to over 475 kids this year.  We have gone from two zones, Ridge Point and Austin to four zones, adding George Ranch and Clements.  We have also added cheerleading this year as well.  There is a lot of excitement within Fort Bend County for this league and what we are offering.  We look forward to adding additional zones within Fort Bend County in the coming years.

I feel like another reason we have grown so dramatically is the culture we are striving to build in our communities by supporting the local high school football teams and booster clubs.  We are trying to build that small town feel where kids grow up all their lives wanting to become a future Panther, Bulldog, Longhorn or Ranger and play under the lights on Friday night.  We encourage our parents to support the local booster clubs and high school sports by attending athletic events while wearing the colors.  We also want to build a culture within Gridiron where we are competitors during the game but friends and gentleman after the final whistle blows.

It takes good people from all across the county to make this all work and come together.  Be part of the team and volunteer when you can.  Lend a hand and get involved.  It truly takes a community.  Coaches will have extensive training both live and on line, so no previous football experience is required or necessary.  We just ask that you have a heart for kids and are open minded to take some helpful instruction, and have a good perspective on what we are trying to accomplish.

Here are few dates to mark on your calendars with more detailed info coming from your team mom.

• August 15, Monday:  First day of practice.  Practice will be 4 days per week the first TWO weeks.
• August 29, Monday:  2 days of practice per week for the remainder of the season.
• Sept 3, Saturday:  First game of the season.
• Oct 29, Saturday:  Championship Saturday and Conclusion of the season.

You will also be contacted by your specific zone manager or team mom who will be sending out additional information from time to time. Don’t hesitate to ask any questions you might have about GridIron, send us an email anytime.

Again, we are excited to have you as part of Gridiron League 2011 and we know and trust this will be a great experience for the players, coaches, parents, and all those involved.  We are “ Building Character and Community through Youth Football!”

Bucky Richardson
Gridiron League President

My Trophy Case Is Full

I have been around athletics my entire life, and have been blessed enough to play football in the NFL for nine years.  Football has afforded me opportunities that I never dreamt were possible when I was a young.  The materialistic rewards (fame & fortune) of football come and go.  However, the intangible assets that come from the game are everlasting.  I have not played a down of competitive football in over eleven years, but I find myself on a daily basis embracing the intangibles as a husband, father, employee and a youth coach.

I am wise enough to know that I did not attain my goals and dreams alone.  There was a lot of help along the way in the form of parents, coaches, teachers, neighbors, community and teammates.  I do what I do for youth football because someone did it for me.   This is my opportunity to give back and say “Thank You” to the game and the people that have afforded me my beliefs and value system that I still live by today.

My philosophy for youth athletics is and always will be simple.  Provide players with fundamentals, discipline, team unity and everything else will take care of itself.

The job of coaches at the youth level is not to win Championships and Trophies but to provide the building blocks of success and valuable life lessons through competition.  To teach young athletes humility in victory, character in adversity (defeat), unwavering integrity, self-discipline, and accountability to a team (peers, family, etc…).

The goal as a youth coach is to develop and nurture a player’s strengths and identify and improve their weaknesses.

It is the job of a youth coach to provide players opportunities and find him a position that best fits the team and his individual skill sets.  It is also the responsibility of the coach to provide athletes the tools and techniques to achieve team and individual goals.

From my perspective, youth athletics has become more about the adults and less about molding young athletes for the future.  Youth athletics has become consumed with success that is measured by Championships and Trophies.  Youth athletics have become more about grooming the next All-State, All-American or All-Pro player many times at the expense of the remaining players on the team.  I can’t help but wonder, is this for the children or for an adult’s ego?

The intangibles that football provides that I speak of will have long-lasting effects on our players, much longer than they will be playing the game of football.  Like the NCAA commercial states, many of our student athletes will be turning pro in something other than athletics.

The GridIron League’s mission and values align with my own personal beliefs.  That is why I am proud to be affiliated with such an organization as a Board member and the Zone Coordinator for George Ranch High School.  GridIron is not just providing a league for athletes, but transforming boys and girls into responsible young adults to become our future leaders in the community.

Personally I believe we need to put the “youth” back in youth athletics.  Besides…..my trophy case is full.

John Flannery

Granville For Gridiron

What has football meant to me, and why I chose GridIron football for my boys.

The Game of football has had a tremendous impact on my life both personally and professionally. Teamwork, Perseverence, and Work Ethic were developed in my life through the great game of football.  I consider my experiences in football just as valuable as my experiences in the classroom. Though I was fortunate enough to play the game at every level, my most memorable experiences are in youth and High School football.

I want those same experiences for my boys. My wife, Gretchen and I have chosen to put our boys into the Fort Bend Gridiron Football League because we believe in the strong leadership of the organization. It all starts with leadership.

Bucky Richardson is a class act. He has a great passion for the game. And he has the skill-set to run a large organization. Furthermore, Bucky has surrounded himself with other strong leaders to help carry out the vision for Gridiron.

What’s most impressive is Bucky’s huge HEART for the boys, the players. Bucky has a very healthy perspective on youth sports. And as fiery a competitor as Bucky is, he realizes that “winning” is not the most important thing.  It’s about building character. It’s about teaching fundamentals.  And it’s about making football fun and enjoyable for these young men.

Billy Granville
Former Linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals

“Thank You” for a great first season of the Fort Bend GridIron League!

Hello, GridIron Parents.

I just wanted to send out a quick note as we get close to the end of the inaugural season of the Gridiron League.   We founded this league on the principles of “Building Character and Community through Youth Football.”  We hope that you have seen this mission statement demonstrated in the actions of the board members, leaders, coaches, and players of the Gridiron League.  I believe that the lessons learned through youth football will last a lifetime, far after the wins and losses fade away.  Lessons like hard work, discipline, mental toughness, and teamwork, these are the character traits we are trying to instill in the players that come through the league.

It was great seeing all the Panther and Bulldog jerseys at high school varsity competitions as we strive to build community in each zone.  We hope to duplicate this community involvement with all the Ft Bend and Lamar Consolidated high schools as we expand through the county.   We want the small-town feel where our children grow up from a young age dreaming about being a Bulldog, Panther, Cougar, Ranger, Viking. or Hurricane and performing on Friday night, under the lights.

One of the main reasons we started the Gridiron League was to foster a culture where coaches and players can be competitive during the game but friends and gentlemen after the final whistle blows.  We wanted an environment that was positive for the players so they would grow up loving the game and want to come back and play next year and the year after.  We’ve witnessed in the past, in other leagues, that coaches went overboard on the negative coaching like screaming and berating players, officials, and other coaches.  We wanted to get away from that.

I would especially like to thank all the coaches and parents that took the leap of faith and stepped up this year to kick the league off.  The league was just an idea as late as June 2010 and to have 2 zones and 6 six teams the first year is a testament to the able and willing parents we are blessed to have in our community.

Specifically, I would like to thank the Kempner, Dulles, Clements, George Ranch, and other HS parents and kids stepping up this year to be Austin Bulldogs and Ridge Point Panthers as we kicked off with two zones this year.  Next year we would encourage you to go back to your communities and rally support for teams in your specific zone to build that community at your local HS.

We know that the first season was not perfect, just like any first-year organization or business.  We welcome any suggestions you have to make the league better next year.  We would welcome and encourage that you get involved and make things better if you see things that can be done better or improved.  As the league grows, there are more than enough positions available for willing and caring parents.  Word of mouth is the best form of advertising; please tell your friends about your positive experience this year as the league expands next year.

Again, thanks for all you do.

Sincerely,

Bucky Richardson

Methodist signs sponsorship agreement with new youth football league

SUGAR LAND (Sept. 8, 2010) — Methodist Orthopedic Specialists of Texas (MOST) along with Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, are now the official health care sponsor for Fort Bend GridIron Football, a new competitive tackle league for youngsters ages 7-12.

Fort Bend GridIron League and its parent organization, Fort Bend Youth Sports Association (FBYSA), were founded by former Texas A&M and Houston Oiler quarterback Bucky Richardson.  The league is designed to teach proper football fundamentals in a positive, community-based environment and is affiliated with USA Football, the official youth football organization for the NFL and the NFL Players Association.

“Methodist Orthopedic Specialists of Texas has a long history of being deeply involved in supporting youth sports and keeping young athletes healthy, fit and in the game,” said Chris Siebenaler, CEO of Methodist Sugar Land Hospital.  “Our partnership with Fort Bend GridIron Football aligns our physicians and sports medicine specialists with a league that we know will thrive in our community, making it possible for even more athletes to enjoy a positive sports experience.”

As part of the premium sponsorship agreement, physicians, athletic trainers and physical therapists from Methodist Orthopaedic Specialists of Texas will comprise of a FBYSA medical advisory team, providing in-depth expertise and assistance to players and their families.  During the football season, MOST will also staff two weekly walk-in sports medicine clinics for FBYSA athletes, including its Saturday morning clinic at the MOST facility that is open from August through November.

In addition, FBYSA athletes, parents, administrators and coaches will receive VIP services at Methodist Sugar Land Hospital’s emergency, imaging and surgical departments via the MSLH Sports VIP Platinum Card.  And players can receive same-day appoints at Methodist Orthopaedic Specialists of Texas and Methodist Family Medicine Group by scheduling through an assigned outreach coordinator.

“As a former college and professional football player, I believe strongly in the valuable role that sports medicine plays in keeping athletes healthy on and off the field,” said Richardson.  “To me, the most important component of our partnership with Methodist Orthopaedic Specialists of Texas is the access that our players will have to the expertise, technology and health care services of the Methodist organization.”

For an appointment with a MOST physician, please call 281-494-MOST (6678) or for more information about Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, visit MethodistSugarLand.com. For more information about Fort Bend GridIron Football, visit FortBendGridIronFootball.com.

Contact:
Kaelyn Stolhand
281.274.8085
KStolhand@tmhs.org

Photo Caption:

Top Row L-R: Lowell Stanton, CFO at MSLH; Bucky Richardson, founder for the league; Gary Remy, board member and coach; Alex O’Saw, coach; Sean Croft, Director of Rehab Services at MSLH.

Middle Row L-R: Angela Byrd, athletic trainer at MOST, Vincent C. Phan, M.D.; Kenneth M. Renney, M.D.; Christopher K. Smith, M.D.; Carl A. Hicks, M.D. and Jerry Meins, athletic trainer at MOST.

Bottom Row L-R: John Paul Richardson, Bryson Stewart, Grant Remy and Talyn O’Saw.

The GridIron Football League…Building Character and Community Through Youth Football

There’s a new game in town – the GridIron Football League. The Fort Bend Youth Sports Association (FBYSA) is pleased to announce the formation of FBYSA’s GridIron Football League, which will begin a competitive tackle football program for boys ages 7 to 12 in the fall of 2010. Online registration begins Tuesday, June 15 at http://www.fortbendgridironfootball.com

The GridIron Football League provides a new tackle football opportunity to Fort Bend County residents based on three fundamental principles:

• Zoned League System – FBYSA believes that football at any level has a unique ability to bring communities together.  Therefore, teams in the GridIron Football League will be made up of players that all live within the same area as their high school zone.  Our goal is for GridIron teams to become a source of community pride within these zones, just like the local high school team. Therefore, team names and colors will correspond to the high school’s mascot and colors.
  • Players in the GridIron Football League will have the chance to play with the boys who could be their future teammates in middle school and high school — and to play against the players they might one day line up against on Friday night. This model is used by the Katy Youth Football League. That league has helped produce both great rivalries as well as football players that have excelled at every level of the sport. Each zone will have a “Zone Manager” who will coordinate the formation of teams and activities within that zone with the league. There will be 4 “participating zones” for the 2010 season (Austin, Clements, Dulles, and Ridge Point).
• Affiliation with USA Football – The GirdIron League has partnered with USA Football, the official youth football organization for the NFL and the NFL Players Association. This partnership will help ensure that our league, the coaches, players, and officials participate in the game of football in accordance with the national standards of USA Football. Our partnership with USA football means:
  • All coaches must be certified through USA Football’s coaching certification program.
  • Coaches receive the necessary training on proper fitting of equipment and learn best practices to coach players in a manner that reduces the risk of injury.
  • Games will be played based on USA Football’s model rules for youth football. These rules, the results of years of work, are the first national standards of its kind for youth football.

  By adopting USA Football’s national standards, the GridIron Football League will provide the premier youth football environment in Fort Bend County for players, coaches, and parents alike.

• Participation for All – The GridIron Football League will offer open registration on the website, and all applicants within the “participating zones” will be placed on a team assuming availability of coaches and practice fields.  Team sizes will be minimum 15 and maximum 24 players.

The Fort Bend Youth Sports Association was created in 2010 to address the growing demand for youth football in Fort Bend County. For more information, visit us online at or email us at info@FortBendGridIronFootball.com. We look forward to seeing you on the field during our inaugural season!