The Cleveland Browns are focused on leading the advancement of youth football, by implementing the Football Development Model (FDM), designed to help coaches teach athletes based on their age, skill-level, position and game type.
The natural FDM progression is flag football, rookie tackle and 11-player tackle football. This approach assists with the development of young players allowing them to learn the game and related skills in a progression that best suits the athlete.
The Browns have embraced this model by introducing young athletes to flag football at the earliest stage. Transitioning into Rookie Tackle - a full contact modified game that introduces player-to-player contact in a progressive way and serves as a bridge to 11-player tackle football.
Once fully developed in Rookie Tackle, the final stage is 11-player tackle, which is full field and full contact. This final stage is the game play of football that we all know and love, most often seen at the high school, college and professional level.
The Browns have fully committed to the development of the full student-athlete throughout their progression and emphasize the importance of high school football, focusing on the many skills and lessons it teaches.
High school football in Ohio is a way of life and a cornerstone for communities across the state. Athletes from Northeast Ohio have gone on to compete at the highest levels. The Cleveland Browns' very own Denzel Ward serves as a prime example of the doors that can open and opportunities the game provides.
As youth football enters a new era, Girls High School Flag Football is on the rise, becoming a pillar alongside tackle football. Girls High School Flag Football has quickly increased in popularity. The Browns, alongside Northeast Ohio Flag Football, created the first Girls HS flag division in Ohio and currently have 51 teams participating.
The Browns recognize the importance of high school football and have doubled down on the opportunities provided for high school athletes. The Browns created the Cleveland Browns High School Showcase, in association with Gatorade & Xenith, designed for high school sophomores and juniors who want to continue their playing career at the collegiate level. On March 3rd, the Browns held their 12th annual showcase at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus, featuring combine-style testing as well as position-specific drills, which includes passing, route running, lineman work, agility drills and much more.
Browns Defensive Quality Control Coach, Jeff Anderson, was among the many Browns staff observing this year's showcase and is no stranger to the many lessons that the game of football teaches. Anderson observed the showcase and kicked off the session sharing his background and inspiration to spark a fire in each athlete.
"I think the sport of football really starts at that age, so it starts at youth football and starts in high school football to really develop a love for it," Anderson said. "So, I think it's really good how the Browns do a good job of diving into youth sports and diving into high school sports to cultivate that love and give them the resources they might not have had or give them the opportunity to see a facility they might not see every day."
"It's major because with the proper resources and the proper environment, any kid can succeed at anything – whether it be football, basketball and ultimately just life," Anderson continued. "So, I think we do a really good job of giving back to the community so the community can see it in a different way and see it being done at the highest level to ultimately give them that experience so they can go back to their community or environment and build off that experience."
The sold-out showcase featured 250 athletes from over 100 high schools throughout Ohio, Pennsylvania and Michigan and over 20+ Division II, Division III, Junior Colleges and NAIA colleges were in attendance scouting the next generation of collegiate student-athletes.
"It's important for kids to have opportunities to show their athletic ability in front of coaches, and it's important for us as coaches to start to build relationships during this recruiting cycle," James Lee, recruiting coordinator and running backs coach at Ohio Dominican University, said. "Just trying to understand who is out there and what they have to offer. But I think it gives a lot of kids a chance – a lot of these kids are just searching for a chance to chase their dreams, and if a college coach is at a certain camp, it may inspire them to try and go to that camp. So, it's a great opportunity for us to evaluate, but also a great opportunity for the kids to evaluate themselves see what they do to work on."
Bryan Williams, head football coach at Akron Buchtel High School, brought 25 of his athletes to showcase their skills. It was the second year that Williams has been a part of the High School Showcase with his athletes. Williams said that by the Browns hosting the showcase, it provides an opportunity for his players to participate in a camp in front of college coaches and gain the experience of understanding the different types of drills in those types of workouts.
The Cleveland Browns have an unwavering dedication to growing youth and high school football through innovative high school programs, which showcases our commitment to the next generation of student-athletes. By fostering environments where young athletes can thrive, learn and chase their dreams, the Browns are not only cultivating the next generation of athletes but are also championing the values of perseverance, teamwork and excellence that transcends on and off the field.
If you are interested in learning more about the Cleveland Browns Youth and High School Football programming, visit us at clevelandbrowns.com/youthfootball.
