Articles
A three-point plan to beat pancreatic cancer
Rocky River (OH) senior placekicker Michael Konrad is participating in the Kick-It Champions program, an initiative to raise funds to benefit childhood cancer research. Last season, he raised over $4,000 in pledges and donations, and plans to continue the momentum this year, where one field goal equals one point and a donation to the fund.
Lexington (SC) looking to crown Player of the Game
With a 21-0 win over AC Flora last week, the Wildcats are hosting a poll to name a player of the game. The nominees include Jordan Hiller, who had 103 rushing yards, 1 TD, 2 catches for 19 yards, Alston Stewart (1 catch for 31 yards, punt return for TD, 2 tackles with 1 sack and 1 tackle for loss), and three others. It ended up being our top article of the week across the network.
Adidas comes through for Spain Park (AL)
This Summer, the Spain Park Jaguars named Adidas their apparel partner, and just one day before volleyball’s opener vs. Thompson HS, delivered new kits to the team. The game was ultimately postponed, but we’re loving the new look. The squad kicked off the 2017 campaign Friday vs. Sparkman.
Concussions & The Modern Athlete
This year, we’re partnering with our friends at State Champs Sports Network to present game previews, highlights, and original stories that impact schools across the country. With Fall sports underway, this week, we’re looking at player safety, with the program – “Concussions and the Modern Athlete.”
Originally filmed for Michigan and its MHSAA member Schools, the 30-minute special, hosted by Kiara Hay, details what concussions are and what they are not; and presents what steps are being taken in at the high school level to make all sports as safe as possible. While some statistics, speakers, and examples in the program may be specific to Michigan, the information is worthwhile for every athlete, parent, coach, and athletic director.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDeyeu5PafY
"I have a saying, it's that I always go heart over height."
John Curtis Christian (LA) senior running back, Marquese Albert, was interviewed this week by YUR-LA’s Yur-View on the eve of the Patriots’ season opener vs. Landry Walker. In it he talks about his approach to the game, the leadership qualities instilled as a part of the program, and why he feels the team is stronger than ever this season. Albert currently has 13 scholarship offers from colleges and Universities, making him one of our networks’ biggest prospects. The Patriots opened their season with a win against Landry-Walker on Thursday, 27-18.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQMnDVBfaxQ
The Rivalry Continues: Temple and Belton (TX) Clash Tonight
Class 6A Belton heads cross-town to the 4th-ranked team in Texas’ 5A, Temple, for a battle in front of an anticipated crowd of 11,000 plus tonight. The Wildcats, lead by 2nd-year head coach Scott Stewart, are seeking their fifth-consecutive win in the series against Belton’s Sam Skidmore in his first year at the helm of the Tiger program.
Monticello Memorial Stadium (MN) opens with a bang
A few weeks back, we showcased the construction of the Monticello Memorial Stadium, and last Thursday, August 17th, the stadium opened to the public for the first time, with a ceremony that brought the community together, including a ribbon cutting lead by the Commander of the American Legion, speeches by activities director Gary Revenig, head football coach Jason Telecky, color guard salutes at the Veteran’s Memorial, and thank you’s to 13 sponsors of one of Minnesota’s largest HS scoreboards.
The first games at the stadium took place Friday.
USA Football visits Knightstown (IN)
The “Power of Football” campaign will showcase up to 9 high schools in three states (Indiana, Nebraska and Oregon), and Knightstown was chosen as one of three schools in Indiana to be featured, during its Friday night game against Northeastern. The campaign website launches Oct. 1.
Rapid Replay and VNN connect for mobile game highlights
Created by five division 1 college athletes, the Rapid Replay app on iOS and Android was designed to easily capture game highlights. With a camera that automatically trims and saves the previous 10 seconds of action when a user hits record, it’s an ideal way for fans to participate in the game, document the best moments and share them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukbWtbbiP3s
In support of VNN’s vision to help our partners keep their community connected through great content and need-to-know information, starting this Fall, we’ll be partnering with Rapid Replay in selected markets across the US. The collaboration will share access to user-generated content from the app to our partner schools, making the process of finding game highlights and engaging with their local community through the SportsHub media platform easier than ever. Initial launch markets include Portland, San Diego, Phoenix, and Denver.
For more information on the collaboration, or to request access for your school, write Romy at romy@vnnsports.net.
Help JJ Watt raise money for Houston
Last month, we worked with JJ Watt and his team at Reebok to launch the JJ II in Houston and Austin. Little did we know that a few weeks later, the region would face a hurricane that as of this writing, is still lingering over the area for the 6th straight day. Heavy rains and flooding are expected to continue at least through Friday, rivers are still rising, and emergency workers continue to rescue soaked and frightened people in southeast Texas who have lost nearly all they own.
On Sunday, JJ announced via Twitter his intent to raise $200K for relief efforts. It was raised in 2 hours. The goal then became $500k, which was reached within the day and topped off by the Houston Rockets’ Chris Paul. The next, $1M, raised a few hours later. $2M yesterday night, $3M after a surprise donation of $1M by the owner of the Tennessee Titans, and now the goal is now at $6M, having raised $5.5M.
We’re working today to syndicate an article nationally on all our partner school sites to help him continue the amazing momentum on this much-needed effort.
$3.25 MILLION!
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) August 29, 2017
New Goal: $4 Millionhttps://t.co/SR6DmnNbyM pic.twitter.com/uc44NDZv6n