AFA Newsletter April 28, 2012

AFA Newsletter April 28, 2012 In This Issue: •   AFA Hall of Fame Inductions June 28th - 29th at Pro Football Hall of Fame •   AFA Broadcast Channel Goes Live May 1st •   AFA News & Media Clips •   AFA Benefits, Inc. Insurance Offerings •   AFA 2012 Membership Programs •   Join Us On The Social Networks (Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin) AFA Hall of Fame Inductions June 28th - 29th at Pro Football Hall of Fame Hall of Fame Nominations Underway AFA Hall of Fame "Prospect Nomination Forms" have gone out to all active alumni to allow submittal of individuals on the 2012 Hall of Fame nominating ballot. The response has been overwhelming! Upon receipt of these forms, the AFA national office will contact suggested prospects by mailing them a profile form to help us gather additional background information on their semi-pro football career. Those who meet all criteria will be considered as deserving prospects and will be listed on the nominating ballot. The ballots will then be submitted to the selection committee for induction consideration and final selection by the second week of May. NOTE: Mark your calendar - The AFA will be hosting their 32nd Annual Semi-Pro Football Hall of Fame Induction Dinner June 28 - June 29, 2012 at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, 2121 George Halas Drive NW, Canton, Ohio 44708. Guests will be responsible for making their own guest room reservations. We do have a block of guestrooms reserved until June 7th (rate is $109 per night) at the Holiday Inn, 4520 Everhard Road, Canton, OH 44718; phone 330-494-2270. Be sure to mention that you are connected with the American Football Association (by name) to take advantage of the AFA's discount room rate. Dinner tickets are $75 each for the 2012 AFA Semi Pro Hall of Fame Induction Dinner. If interested in ordering dinner tickets, please email amerfoot@aol.com for an order form. Order forms are being mailed to all AFA Alumni. There will be no ticket sales at the door. The deadline for ticket orders is June 7th This year as part of our event fundraiser, we are soliciting sponsors and raffle items in advance. Sponsors and donors will be acknowledged during our live hall of fame internet broadcast, will be listed in our souvenir program and posted on our event banner. Just click the form below to make a donation/become a sponsor.... http://www.americanfootballassn.com/forms/sponsorship-form.pdf or use our social media link http://fundly.com/s/e30t5f21 Hall of Fame Sponsor Form AFA News & Media Clips Keith Ballard inducted in MVSU Hall of Fame (AFA Hall of Fame Class of 2010) Keith Ballard was recently inducted into Mississippi Valley State's Athletics 2011 Hall of Fame. With this honor, Keith is now a member of a hall that features Jerry Rice and his QB Willie "Satellite" Totten. This Hall of Fame was established in 1955 to recognize graduates of MVSU who have demonstrated outstanding achievements on the athletic field and in the classroom as students at MVSU and have distinguished themselves in their community and beyond. The induction ceremony and dinner was held April 14, 2012 on the campus of Mississippi Valley State University per program excerpts: "Keith Ballard, '92 – Football/Track Keith Ballard made a name for himself in both track and field and football during his time at Valley from 1988-92. The Baton Rouge, La. resident earned first place in the SWAC 400 meters and 1500 meters. He was twice named an Academic All-American. Nicknamed "Quick6" for his electrifying performances as a returner, Ballard went on to a successful career in minor league football. He was a member of the team that won the first ever World Indoor Football League championship. In seven seasons, he racked up 220 pass breakups, 22 forced fumbles, 462 tackles and 34 interceptions. He also set the IFL single game return record. Ballard was previously inducted into the American Football Association (AFA) Hall of Fame. He is currently the CEO of World Youth Explosions." By the way, I had the honor of meeting Keith's former coach, Willie Totten and his mentor, Dr. Walter Nichols (AFA Hall of Fame Class of 1997) also a MVSU Hall of fame member. Ventura Black Widows Join American Football Association The American Football Association is proud to announce the addition of the Ventura Black Widows to its membership. As a result, they now join fellow WSFL teams, the Binghamton Tiger Cats, Baltimore Burn and Kansas Phoenix who have also decided to take advantage of the American Football Association's services offered for adult amateur football organizations. http://www.blackwidowsfootball.com/ Public safety football team raises money for charity Charlotte Observer The Cobras play in the National Public Safety Football League and are regularly in position to compete for its national championship. http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/04/20/3181910/public-safety-football-team-raises.html Stability gives Mavericks a leg up Yakima Herald-Republic Stability is not a word commonly uttered in the world of semi-pro sports. Players come and go, coaches as well, with great frequency, wiping rosters clean nearly every season. That's what makes this year's version of the Yakima Mavericks somewhat ... http://sportsyakima.com/2012/04/stability-gives-mavericks-a-leg-up/ Gladiators Ranked Nationally After AFC Championship Patch.com The Bradenton Gladiators won the AFC Conference Championship Saturday night and are now ranked at 2 nationally in the Semi-Pro Football League nationwide. The team beat the Magic City Bulls 10-7 to clinch the title. The game was a defensive battle. http://bradenton.patch.com/articles/gladiators-ranked-nationally Police, firefighters take to the football field as 'Dallas ... The Dallas Defenders, along with 24 other teams, make up the National Public Safety Football League. "When I came out, I was surprised to see the level of play ...http://www.wfaa.com/sports/headlines/Police-firefighters-take-to-the-football-field-as-Dallas-Defenders-148505055.html NEPA Miners Return to the RAFL North East PA Rivals to Clash Twice in New RAFL Schedule http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=ntkvxteab&v=001zO3-DzIs5zZs5dKkFkcsutgEA_JXfurlHRnc3KR3lhJo-NU495q51gKiu_Sy0OAAamiWkNP4MwWGg7wE1sf8dZL7KzFNUymTkeoY16oRt548wqXmG7j7_SC9IfyAolpr Good Luck to Coach Poole and the Wroclaw Devils They play the Warsaw Eagles this weekend so let's all give them a "good luck shout out" at...http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Wroclaw-Devils-Coach-Poole/258484200882108 Will Concussions Cause The End of Football? Here is a doomsday vision by the authors of an article on this topic: "Insurance Companies might cease to insure colleges and high schools against football-related lawsuits. Coaches, team physicians, and referees would become increasingly nervous about their financial exposure in our litigious society. If you are coaching a high school football team, or refereeing a game as a volunteer, it is sobering to think that you could be hit with a $2 million lawsuit at any point in time. http://www.sadlersports.com/blog/will-concussions-cause-the-end-of-football/ Official NFL Rulebook - OFFICIAL PLAYING RULES AND CASEBOOK OF THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 2011....http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/image/rulebook/pdfs/2011_Rule_Book.pdf ....This book is titled the Official Playing Rules And Casebook Of The National Football League because at many places in the text there are approved rulings which serve to supplement and illustrate the basic language of the rules. Each is headed by an abbreviation, followed by a number (e.g. "A.R. 32.0"). The letter "A" in an approved ruling indicates the team that puts the ball in play, and its opponents are designated by the letter "B." Whenever a team is in possession of the ball, it is the offense, and at such time its opponent is the defense. Yard lines and players are indicated by numerals. Thus, for example: "A.R. 50.1 Third-and-10 on A30. During a run prior to an intended pass by quarterback A1, defensive player B1 holds flanker A2 on the A45…" Gary Shaver Recuperating - Best wishes for a speedy recovery go out to Gary Shaver of the Empire Football League who is recovering from recent knee surgery. Gary can be contacted via email at gashaver@yahoo.com American Football Association Hall of Fame Jackets - Now Available !!!....we are pleased to announce that AFA Hall of Fame jackets are now available for purchase directly from Chicago Knitting Mills.....and yes, they do have the plus sizes 2X -- 5X! Just send an email to amerfoot@aol.com to obtain an order form. AFA Alumni Jackets are now available …………the only difference between this jacket and the Hall of Fame Jacket above is the AFA Alumni logo on the back vice HoF logo. If interested in placing an order, request an order form via email to amerfoot@aol.com. AFA Hall of Fame Blazers....because of the positive feedback from last year's Hall of Fame banquet, we are now making Hall of Fame Blazers available to all current hall of fame members. Please email amerfoot@aol.com if you are interested. Blazer logo patches are also available upon request. To see actual blazers, just click any of the media links below: http://www.adcomphoto.phanfare.com/5177442 Wilson NFL Footballs...We have just been informed by Wilson that they will no longer sell "blem" footballs.............The good news is that we now stock new Wilson Footballs for $15 more per ball. So instead of $50/ball or $300 per case for blems, the price is now $65/ball or $390 per case for new balls. Shipping and handling remains the same at $20....http://www.americanfootballassn.com/forms/2011-Wilson-Flyer.pdf ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + Semi-pro Football HQ Scoreboard + http://www.semiprofootball.org/ + http://www.adultamateurfootball.org/ + http://www.facebook.com/#!/semiprofootballhq ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ New features at http://www.semiprofootball.org/ . In the upper right hand corner of our home page is a "Search this Site" button with which you can search 12.5 years of information accumulated for player names, coaches, teams, leagues, etc. Additionally, you can now view 2010 league champions from the 79 semi-pro football leagues across the USA. Copyright (c) 1998-2011, Joe Hulsebus +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ FREE TO FORWARD THIS NEWSLETTER TO A FRIEND (click link at bottom of newsletter) Subscribe To Our Newsletter (click here) AFA 2012 Membership Programs 2012 AFA Alumni Club Membership - Are You A Card Carrying Member? AFA Membership is open to anyone and everyone that, at one time or another, had been (or still is) involved with a semi-pro team and/or league. Semi-Pro Football Alumni Club is co-sponsored by the AFA National Association and the Members of the AFA Hall of Fame Alumni. If you are interested in a 2012 membership application, just click: http://www.americanfootballassn.com/resources/afa-alumni-application.html . Membership packages are on their way to all active members loaded with fulfillment items! 2012 AFA Team & League Membership Membership applications are now being accepted for the 2012 season. We are proud to have the Elite Football Association, Empire, National Public Safety, Mason Dixon and, Ironman Football Leagues as members. To view current member teams click http://www.americanfootballassn.com/afa-teams.html The annual membership fee to join the AFA remains $100 "per team" which provides a benefit package that is easily 10x this fee. Team membership applications can be downloaded by clicking: http://www.americanfootballassn.com/resources/team-membership-application.html AFA Membership Programs AFA Broadcast Channel Goes Live May 1st AFA Broadcast Channel Goes Live The AFA's live broadcast channel capability for video webcasts is now available for PCs, iPads and, Smartphones. Starting May 1st we will feature weekly vintage and live video webcasts of events such as the Pottstown Firebirds Super Bowl Special, Kalamazoo Tornadoes AFA Championship, Past AFA Hall of Fame Inductions, AFA Member Game Broadcasts and special announcements. Note: we also recently converted several reels of vintage Seaboard Football League game film to video, courtesy of Dave Bonsell. I certainly plan to look for #84 in the Binghamton Jets vs. Chambersburg National Playoff Game. These weekly broadcast will accessible directly from our website and in additional to performances by some of our hall of famers, will also feature AFA sponsors. These broadcasts can also be accessed at http://steveweedproductions.com/sports.html AFA Broadcast Channel AFA Benefits, Inc. Insurance Offerings AFA Benefits Inc. Insurance The America Football Association recently established major partnerships with insurance companies to make comprehensive coverage products available for all AFA Alumni. AFA Alumni and where applicable their spouses and dependents, can now apply for insurance at competitive group rates. In additional to our General Liability Insurances, we now offer: Supplemental accident insurance provides specified benefits for: * Hospitalization * Emergency room care * Recovery income * Outpatient surgery and more http://www.americanfootballassn.com/forms/CombinedAccIns.pdf Final Expense Life Insurance * No medical, guaranteed issue * Issue ages 50 to 85 http://americanfootballassn.com/forms/ColumbiaIntroAnnouncement.pdf Low Cost Term Life Insurance * Click here for quote http://access.anico.com/gslife/anicodirectpos/initProc.dhtml?proc=fastQuote&ogn=afa Madison Dental Insurance * No waiting periods; No age limits * Benefits for preventative, diagnostic, basic, and major services * Orthocare benefits available http://www.hpainsurance.com/qt/MadisonDental/default.aspx?agent=18324 RxCut® Plus Prescription Plan * Save up to 75% on prescriptions and up to 50% on labs and imaging. * Deep discounts available for prescription drugs to AFA members and families http://www.rxcut.com/AFAA/en/Landing1.html Legal Services * Consult experienced lawyers whenever your organization encounters legal issues * Members receive services from a nationwide network of Provider Law http://www.prepaidlegal.com/MS/Multisite?site=hub&assoc=debinc It's now easy to join the AFA and apply for affordable insurance coverage with a special discount for being an AFA Alumni. For more info, please call 877-624-4485 or email AFABenefitsInc@americanfootballassn.com. AFA Benefits, Inc. Join Us On The Social Networks (Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin) AFA Fan Page http://www.facebook.com/pages/manage/?act=48045219#!/pages/American-Football-Association/114127768612305 AFA Hall of Fame Fan Page http://www.facebook.com/pages/manage/?act=48045219#!/pages/American-Football-Association-Semi-Pro-Hall-of-Fame-Alumni-Assn/262774589608 Join us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/amerfoot Join the AFA's Group on Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/groups?about=&gid=4087648 Connect with the AFA's Linkedin Group (click here) About the American Football Association: The American Football Association is a national 501(c) (3) non-profit, tax exempt corporation in its 32nd year of operation and is dedicated to the advancement of adult (semi-pro) football from coast-to-coast. Our slogan is Semi Pro & Proud®. We are not affiliated with any other national semi-pro/minor league organization (Minor League Football News, American Football News Today, American Football Hall of Fame, Minor Pro Hall of Fame, etc). The AFA, Hall of Fame, American Football News™ and AFA logo design are registered trademarks of the American Football Association. All other AFA-related trademarks are trademarks of the American Football Association.  American Football Association

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