Underclassmen Football Combine Scheduled
Mississippi Gulf Coast Sports Commission announces Nationally Ranked Underclassmen Football Combine scheduled for Mississippi Gulf Coast
The Mississippi Gulf Coast Sports Commission (www.msgcsc.org) has scheduled a National Football Combine for 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th graders for the Gulf Coast that will help them qualify for college football scholarships.
Area coaches and athletic directors have been working toward pre-registering student athletes for the National Underclassmen Combine which is scheduled for March 14, 2009 at Ocean Springs Greyhound Stadium. The Schuman’s National Underclassmen Combine will have students competing for awards and rankings against their respective age groups.
Scott Ratcliff, Executive Director of the Sports Commission stated, “The Schuman’s Underclassmen Combine has shown their commitment to football with 75% of participants in the Underclassmen Combine going on to play college football.”
He said the program is designed to bring a new level of competition for athletes on the Gulf Coast but also provide them with the opportunity to compete at a national level if they make the “Ultimate 100 Camp.”
Ratcliff said forty percent (40%) of all ultimate camp participants have received D-1 scholarship offers, the highest of any program in the USA. The competition will give student athletes the chance to experience a football combine while learning techniques and skills to further their opportunities for college scholarships at D-1 and D-2 schools.
Ratcliff said the cost is normally $120 per athlete at the combine, but the advance registration is only $85, with a 20% discount offered with a Discount CODE for online registration. As host site, Ocean Springs athletes will have a 50% discount to compete in the Combine. Coaches and athletic directors can get more information and the Combine Discount Code to reserve a spot by calling 228-276-1713.
“The goal is to have this as a yearly event that will move to the different high school facilities as to highlight these facilities to a regional audience. Given Ocean Springs and Biloxi who have just implemented artificial turf from EnviroTurf Services and Gulfport, which has one of the best natural fields in the State of Mississippi, we feel this is another opportunity to recognize the level of commitment from the Coast for premier facilities,” Ratcliff also stated.
Events Include:
· 40 Yard Dash
· Pro Agility Shuttle
· Bench Press:
· Broad Jump
· Vertical Jump
· One on Ones
· Position Skills
A key component of the National Underclassmen Combine is that athletes will be competing against a regional contingency of athletes all of whom will have their information posted on Shuman’s website and will be competing for scholarship money to go toward their college education. The Sports Commission along with EnviroTurf Services, e-Fitness & Wellness, Parisi Speed School will be the major sponsors of the event and realize this event’s importance in growing the product of sports on the Gulf Coast.
The Underclassmen Combine gives athletes exposure of the young athlete’s abilities through Shuman’s partnerships with Maxpreps, Scout.com, Tom Lemming, ESPN, and Jim Stefani along with all college coaches who use these results to rank players in the scholarship selection process.
Each player will receive a free athletic profile on the Underclassmen website for them to forward information to colleges, get free consultation, post combine results and have their results viewed by every major recruiting bureau. This coupled with sponsors such as Eastbay, Rivals.com, NCSA, the Army All-American Game and results of the combine being viewed by every college in the USA from level 1-A, 1-AA, 2 and 3 will give athletes competing in the Underclassmen Combine every chance to enhance their opportunities to play at the collegiate level.
The Mississippi Gulf Coast Will Be Smokin’
March and April
The Mississippi Gulf Coast will be
SMOKIN’
During the months of March and April 2009 the Mississippi Gulf Coast residents and visitors will have the opportunity to experience the sheer power of two major racing events as a part of a two-weekend combination of Smokin’ the Sound and Smokin’ the Lake.
Smokin’ the Sound and Smokin’ the Lake will run consecutively with Smokin’ the Sound taking off first March 27-29 and Smokin’ the Lake the following weekend April 3-5. Both events will carry high powered and high-speed boats. Smokin’ the Sound will have the Offshore Super Series (OSS) powerboats clocking speeds in excess of 150 miles per hour in the Mississippi Sound and Smokin’ the Sound will carry drag-boats running with speeds topping 100 miles per hour in Gulfport Lake.
Promoters of the events are Woody Bailey, Rusty David and Asher Travis who have successfully brought powerboat racing to the Gulf Coast and look to have another successful event this year. “We started working with the Offshore Super Series in 2004 and have seen the event grow each year,” said Woody Bailey, Executive Director of the event. ”We did not hold an event in 2006 after Katrina but we brought it back in 2007 and look at this as another great year for this event.”
Offshore Super Series events have entertained audiences from Sunny Isles, FL to the Ozarks in Missouri with Smokin’ the Sound kicking off the 2009 schedule. Other events will have their work cut out for them following the Mississippi Gulf Coast event. Rusty David says, “We have been working to perfect our approach to how we can make this event the best on the schedule. We look to continually raise the bar with this event to keep our stature as one of the leading events on the circuit.”
With premium spectator viewing areas at the Isle Casino, Hard Rock Casino and the Beau Rivage Casino the public can watch the racing while enjoying the hospitality at each of these sponsor hotels and casinos. Duncan McKenzie, General Manager of the Hard Rock Casino said, “We look forward to another great event for the Gulf Coast. As this event has evolved we have seen more excitement from the local viewers and from our hotel guest. That is why we are involved with it as a major sponsor.”
This is the first year for Smokin’ the Lake with the competition on Gulfport Lake. The Dock Bar & Grill will be the host site with a racing village for the competitors and vendors. Fans will be able to view the boats and talk with boat owners to ask questions and get autographs. “John Dane III, owner of the Dock is looking forward to bringing this first year event to the Coast. “In building the Dock we have made a considerable investment for the Coast and this event gives us the opportunity highlight what we have been able to bring to the Coast post Katrina. Our facilities here is one of the best in the country and having Smokin’ the Lake is another way for us to get involved with the community to bring business to the Coast.
With Smokin the Lake being added to the event schedule Woody Bailey hopes to see an added bonus in the amount of economic impact for the Coast. “If Smokin’ the Sound is any indication of what we can do for the area, with Smokin’ the Lake, the Gulf Coast should see a considerable economic impact in room nights, food and entertainment and with the fuel consumed by these competitors. Smokin’ the Sound is important to the area due to the fact that it highlights natural resources such as the Gulf of Mexico and Gulfport Lake where each of these events will be staged. Given the past record of Woody Bailey Jr. with Crusin’ the Coast everyone should see a well run event that will present the Gulf Coast as a top racing area.
More information about Smokin’ the Sound and Smokin’ the Lake go to www.smokinthesound.com
Schedule for Smokin’ the Sound
Schedule for Smokin’ the Sound
Tuesday, March 24 & Wednesday, March 25
· Race teams arrive
Thursday, March 26 Race Village Open.
· 7 p.m. – 9 p.m., Sponsor-VIP Race Team Party. Meet the Race Teams at the Coast Nightclub inside Beau Rivage Casino & Resort.
Friday, March 27
· 10 a.m. – 9 p.m., Race Village Open.
· 7 p.m. – 9 p.m., Meet the Race Teams at the Hard Rock Casino Center Bar.
Saturday, March 28 – Pro-Am Racing and Qualifying
· 10 a.m. – 9 p.m., Race Village Open.
Sunday, March 29 – Race Day
· 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Race Village Open.
Schedule for Smokin’ The Lake
Friday, April 3
· Race teams arrive.
· 6 p.m. – 9 p.m., Race Village at The Dock Open. (Race Boats on display)
· 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. Meet the Racers at The Dock Bar & Grill.
Saturday, April 4
· 9 a.m. – 9 p.m., Race Village at The Dock Open.
· 11 a.m. – 6 p.m., Smokin’ The Lake races. All 7 classes of boats.
★Performance Bass & Ski - Entry-level racing for Lake Boats and Bass Boats.
★Pro Stock -Race Hulls utilizing stock production Mercury 2.5 Laser/XRI EFI 200 motors.
★Super Stock - Race Hulls utilizing carbureted motors only.
★Lake Racer -Lake Boats and Bass Boats with modified & hi-performance motors.
★1400 Modified Production - Race hulls with modified motors utilizing OEM parts.
★Pro Gas -Race hulls using modified motors with aftermarket parts.
★Outlaws - Any hull 16-foot minimum boat length. 1/8 mile course (660 feet).
· 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. Meet the Racers at The Dock Bar & Grill.
Sunday, April 5
· 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., Race Village at The Dock Open.
· 11 a.m. – 6 p.m., Smokin’ The Lake races. All 7 classes of boats.
All events and times are subject to change.
You can find updates at www.smokinthesound.com.
