FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JUNE 17, 2009

LIONS’ GENERAL MANAGER MARTIN MAYHEW TO HOST COACHING ACADEMY FOR THINK DETROIT PAL

More than 90 coaches will participate at Ford Field, June 20; The NFL Network’s Jamie Dukes will be special guest speaker

ALLEN PARK, MICH.  – Detroit Lions’ general manager Martin Mayhew will host a camp for more than 90 youth football coaches from Think Detroit PAL, Saturday (June 20), at Ford Field.  Martin Mayhew’s Youth Football Coaching Academy will focus on offense and special teams with the assistance of Lions’ director of youth football programs Chris Fritzsching and college and high school coaches from across Michigan.  Also participating will be Lions’ assistant special teams coach Bradford Banta and former Lions’ players  Ron Bellamy, Dexter Bussey, Lomas Brown and Eric Hipple.

Area coaches serving as camp instructors will be: Mike Sullivan, head coach at Northwood University; Dustin Beurer, running backs coach and recruiting coordinator for Albion College; and Noel Dean, head coach at Lowell High School and the 2004 Lions’ High School Coach of the Year.

“I know the positive impact all of my coaches have had on my life and career, so I view this academy as a way to say ‘Thank You’ to all the youth coaches not only in Detroit but everywhere,” said Mayhew.  “These coaches have a profound and lasting impact on our children, so the opportunity to provide them with some additional teaching and training tools is the least we can do.”

Think Detroit PAL football is among the largest after-school tackle football leagues in the nation.  More than 3,200 Detroit young people, ages 8-14, participate in the league each fall.  The Lions sponsor the league and again will host the Think Detroit PAL championships at Ford Field in November

“Think Detroit PAL is excited to expand our long-standing partnership with the Detroit Lions through this academy,” said Lawrence C. Hemingway, chief operating officer for Think Detroit PAL.  “This academy will provide our coaches the highest quality of expertise while working with the young people in our region.  With Martin’s vision, we look forward to making this an annual event for our volunteer coaches.”

The academy will begin with registration at 9:00 a.m., Saturday, followed at 10:00 a.m. by classroom instructions on practice planning and coaching quarterbacks, running backs, receivers and offensive linemen. 

Following lunch at 12:00 noon, former NFL offensive lineman and current NFL Network analyst Jamie Dukes will be the special guest speaker.  Dukes played 10 NFL seasons with the Atlanta Falcons (1986-1993), Green Bay Packers (1994) and Arizona Cardinals (1995).  Dukes is an analyst on the NFL Network’s Point After, NFL Total Access and the Path to the Draft programs.

Afternoon sessions begin at 1:00 p.m. and will shift to the field for hands-on coaching of techniques with the assistance of the former Lions including Banta who will lead a session on special teams.  The camp will conclude at 3:00 p.m.

Lomas Brown played offensive tackle for 18 seasons in the NFL including his first 11 (1985-95) with the Lions.  Bussey was a star running back for the Lions from 1974-84 and ranks third in all-time Lions’ rushing with 5,105 yards.  Hipple quarterbacked for Detroit from 1980-89 and passed for 10,711 yards, fifth best in Lions’ career passing.  Bellamy, who was a wide receiver for the Lions (2007-08) and the Miami Dolphins, was a four-year letterman at the University of Michigan.  Banta is entering his second season as the Lions’ assistant special teams coach after playing three of his 11 NFL seasons as long snapper for the Lions (2001-03). 

For more information, please contact Tim Pendell (313-261-4172) or Chad Walker (313-216-4170) of Lions’ community affairs.  On event day, call 810-602-3774.