November 14, 2003
No. 379

NFL HELPS HARLEM HELLFIGHTERS TAKE THE FIELD
They wanted to play, but couldn't -- no equipment, organized program or opponents.  Then former NFL wide receiver DUKE FERGERSON and the NFL came along, and this year the Harlem Hellfighters -- believed to be the first-ever high school football team from that section of New York City -- was born and is now on the field.  Fergerson, who played in the NFL for Seattle and Buffalo from 1977-80, was working in Harlem on an economic redevelopment program last year for Pro Football Hall of Famer ROGER STAUBACH's real estate company when he got involved in the project.  He coached several youngsters who had no place to play once they became too old for Pop Warner Football.  There was no high school football in Harlem.  Fergerson started calling schools, asking if they had youngsters who wanted to play.  The NFL Youth Football Fund got involved, and gave Fergerson -- as a former NFL player -- a $10,000 grant for equipment and start-up costs.  Taking players from different schools, Fergerson's team became a collective representative of Harlem, and adopted the name "Harlem Hellfighters" in honor the 369th Infantry Regiment, an all-black unit that fought in World War I.  The team visited NFL offices in Manhattan and received motivational talks from former NFL players-now-executives MERTON HANKS, MIKE HAYNES, CEDRIC JONES, ED REYNOLDS and ART SHELL.  Playing a small schedule against teams that had open dates, the Hellfighters kicked off their first-ever game on November 1 against Garden City High School on Long Island, NY.  They lost 34-6, but scored perhaps the touchdown of the game on a double-tipped ball.  The Hellfighters have two more games this year, and then will prepare for a full season in 2004.  "These are good kids," says Fergerson.  "I can hear it in their voices.  I can see it in their eyes.  I can challenge them.  I can get them to use their minds."               

NFL SURPASSES $10 MILLION TO BUILD YOUTH FIELDS 
NFL Grassroots continues to sprout!  The league has announced that it will donate $1.5 million this year to build or renovate 12 more youth football fields across the country as part of its NFL Grassroots initiative.  The fields will be newly built or significantly renovated with such improvements as the installation of irrigation systems, lights, bleachers, scoreboards and goal posts.  Funding for NFL Grassroots is provided by the NFL Youth Football Fund, a $150 million program established by the league and the NFL Players Association.  Since 1998, NFL Grassroots has provided $10 million in funding and helped community organizations rebuild 100 football fields in more than 40 urban neighborhoods.  Two such fields were dedicated in the past two weeks.  In Massachusetts, NFL Commissioner PAUL TAGLIABUE joined New England Patriots owner ROBERT KRAFT in dedicating a new synthetic football field at Chelsea High School.  And in Georgia, Atlanta Falcons owner ARTHUR BLANK, Falcons defensive end PATRICK KERNEY and Atlanta Mayor SHIRLEY FRANKLIN joined in groundbreaking ceremonies for new football fields at Atlanta's Central Park.  "We are committed to the renovation and development of our fields to create a sense of community pride among the children and adults who use them," said Blank.