The New York City area's top high school football players will kick off the Outback Steakhouse Empire Challenge presented by Canon with USA Football's Commemorative Ball. The game will be played June 24 at the James M. Shuart Stadium at Hofstra University. The red, white and blue, stars-and-stripes-designed football is a tangible symbol of how America and football are melded together.
USA Football, the sport's national governing body on youth and amateur levels, began its "Play Football...it's more than a game" campaign by launching the Commemorative Ball Tour at the NFL Draft in April. In addition to promoting the values of America's favorite sport, USA Football conducts more than 100 football development events nationwide, teaching the game's fundamentals and timeless values of teamwork, sportsmanship and responsibility.
In addition to the game, the eye-catching ball travels to football events across the country, including NFL and college training camps, Pro Football Hall of Fame Weekend in Canton, Ohio, USA Football Coaching Schools, Officiating Schools and Player Academies, and other distinctively American and football-related locales.
Four-time NFL All-Star quarterback Boomer Esiason is a USA Football contributor and spokesperson.
"I'm excited to be part of the USA Football family and to have USA Football play a significant role in the Commemorative Ball kickoff," says Esiason. "As a long-time player, a football father and a fan, it's a privilege to contribute to the world's greatest sport and do all I can for the kids, volunteer coaches, parents, and game officials who make this game ‘America's Passion.'
"Football's legacy of teaching is generational. People like me who care deeply about this sport recall how great it was to be part of it as a youngster - we need to make sure that it's even greater for the kids who love to play it today and USA Football is doing that."
"We're honored to have New York's best prep players kick off the 13th Empire Challenge with the Commemorative Ball," says USA Football Executive Director Scott Hallenbeck. "Football is a demanding sport, but it gives us so much in return. Tonight's game is no different - it benefits the brave people fighting cystic fibrosis as well as the future of New York's youth football programs. We're extremely proud to be here."