The Achievement Centers for Children Cleveland Browns Adapted Football League recently held their Skills Session. The program is the first of its kind in the state of Ohio and is supported by the Cleveland Browns Foundation.
Browns second-year defensive lineman Danny Shelton, wide receiver David Richards and alum Frank Stams helped bring smiles to the faces of 116 Adapted Football League athletes Saturday at Strongsville's Camp Cheerful.
For 90 minutes, the athletes rotated through a number of different stations that gave them experience with training camp-type drills. As part of the Cleveland Browns Foundation's dedication to education and youth development, the children interacted with Shelton, Richards, Stams and a number of Browns front office members and employees from Achievement Centers for Children, who volunteered their time to make Saturday a success. All told, 135 volunteers participated in the event.
The Cleveland Browns Adapted Football League, established in 2011, provides children with disabilities the opportunity to participate in an organized, competitive and developmental sport. It is the first competitive adapted football program in Ohio that enables school-aged children and young adults with physical and/or cognitive disabilities the opportunity to develop the skills necessary to play football competitively. The 2015 season had the highest number of participants to date with more than 105 athletes and 100 volunteers. The program offers a foundation for success by focusing on skill development, socialization and physical activity. Those building blocks help prepare participants for achievement and growth now and in the future.
The league's sixth regular season kicks off next week and will culminate with a Friday night game and All-Star game at the Lou Groza Football Field in Berea.
The Cleveland Browns Foundation is dedicated to a solution-based, holistic approach to ensure Northeast Ohio youth receive the development and education they need as a foundation for independence and success. For more information, visit www.clevelandbrowns.com/community.
Achievement Centers for Children enables and empowers children with disabilities and their families to grow, learn, play and prepare for lifelong achievement in society. Children at the Achievement Centers may have a wide range of disabilities including physical, neurological, sensory, cognitive or a combination of those conditions.
The Browns are dedicated to #give10 through the team's First and Ten initiative. Launched in June 2014, the Cleveland Browns First and Ten campaign is the team's community program, established to inspire fans to volunteer in and help their communities throughout the world 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. 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.