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| HEADLINES  | | | |  | | | | | | | Registration open for 2012 EPFA Fall Football Season! | | | | | | | by
posted 05/03/2012
Registration open for 2012 EPFA Fall Football Season, Coaching/Volunteer and Donation Opportunities, and Mike Grant Summer Camps!
On the heels of an awesome high school state championship, we are looking forward to another great year for Eden Prairie Football! Go to our home page at http://www.edenprairiefootball.com and select the "Register Online" option, or go directly to http://www.edenprairiefootball.com/Registration/Default.asp?org=edenprairiefootball.com.
Our registration opportunities include:
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The 2012 Fall football seasons for incoming 3rd through 8th grade players
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The various Mike Grant Summer camps for incoming 3rd through 12th grade players
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Coaches/Volunteer opportunities
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Scholarship donation opportunities for you to assist others not as able to pay for these programs
Regular registration for the EPFA Fall season ends on May 25. After that date, late registration with a $30 late fee, which increases to $60 after June 15. Registration for the Mike Grant Summer Camps remains open until the Friday before the begin of each of the various camps.
Current schedule for registering for the Fall Football Season for current 2nd thru 7th grade players is as follows:
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Monday, April 16 - Online registration begins (click on Registration from the home page). Includes registration for Fall season as well as Mike Grant Summer camps.
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Friday, May 25 - Regular Registration ends.
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Saturday, May 26 - Late registration begins. An additional $30 per child will be added to the registration fee for online registrations and mail-in registrations submitted or postmarked on or after this date. Note: Late fees will not be applied to Mike Grant Summer camps.
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Saturday, June 16 - An additional $30 (total of $60) per child will be added to the registration fee for online registrations and mail-in registrations submitted or postmarked on or after this date.
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Friday, July 6 - Late registration closes. Registrations submitted or postmarked after this date will be placed on a waitlist, which will be cleared sometime in mid-July. Note: Registration for Mike Grant Summer camps is open up until the Friday prior to each camp date.
The per-player registration fee this year is $190 (with a 10% discount for multiple players within the same family), plus the appropriate late fee.
Registration for the Mike Grant Summer Camps remains open until the Friday before the begin of each of the various camps. Please note that current 8th graders interested in Fall Football will need to stay in contact with the EP high school in order to be a part of that wonderful program, as we "graduate" you from our EPFA program to that one run by Mike Grant's program at the school.
To ensure fairness and consistency and safety, your player must be registered in the correct incoming grade for the Fall season and for the Summer camps. Registering for the incorrect grade may disqualify that player from participating in this upcoming Fall season. Proof of grade level may be required if further discernment is needed.
If you have any questions or concerns about registration, please contact us at
.
We hope you are having a great off-season, and are looking forward to getting back on to the Eagles gridiron! See you on the gridiron! GO EAGLES!
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| | | | Summer Conditioning Clinics Offered | | | | | | | by
posted 05/02/2012
Summer Conditioning Clinics
The Eagle Power Program is excited to announce its 2012 Summer offerings for grades 6, 7, and 8. This Summer we will be offering Eden Prairie athletes an opportunity to improve their speed, agility, strength and power through an athletic development regimen.
The registrant must be entering grade 6, 7 or 8 this coming Fall of 2012 (Note that those entering 6th grade are not eligible for the Strength Clinic).
See the program brochures on the EPFA website at:
Registration forms for these programs are also available on the EPFA website at:
You will need to print off and complete these registration forms in hardcopy.
Completed registration forms (checks can be made out to Jason Reader) are due by May 18, and can be dropped off in the high school activities office (place in the weight room mailbox) or mailed to the follow address:
Jason Reader, Eagle Power Program
18887 Broadmoore Drive
Eden Prairie, MN 55346
NOTE: During the week of July 9-13, the times of these programs will be adjusted to better accommodate overlap/conflict with the Mike Grant Summer Camps. Those times will be published/presented later.
If you have any questions or you would like further registration information please contact Coach Jason Reader at (952) 836-4810 or at
.
GO EAGLES!
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| | | | Eden Prairie Football Association Grade Commissioner Needed | | | | | | | by
posted 03/16/2012 Dear EPFA Parent,
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Do you have a current 2nd grader that will be playing football with us this coming Fall as a 3rd grader?
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Do you know a parent of a current 2nd grader that may be playing football with us this coming Fall as a 3rd grader?
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Do you have older children/players, but would like to work with a younger grade program and to help ensure its viability and integrity?
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Do you have an interest in helping to keep the wonderful tradition of Eden Prairie Football flourishing through our youth?
If "Yes" to any of these questions, please consider contacting our league President, Jay Hansen, (or encourage a friend to) at
(or phone: 612-802-3433) to find out more about becoming our 2012 Season 3rd Grade Commissioner.
What is involved in being a Grade Commissioner in one of the strongest and most successful football programs around?
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The pride in sharing in and helping to lead a successul program in which are our youth are taught teamwork, focus, self-discipline, and good sportsmanship
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Identifying coaches for the coming season
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Monthly 60-90 minute board meetings during the off-season
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Lead the creation of the grade teams via the draft process
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Participating in issue/conflict resolution with appropriate support of the EPFA Board, rules and traditions
Again, if you are not sure, have any questions or are interested in this very important role, please contact us as soon as possible at
(or phone: 612-802-3433).
Sincerely,
Your EPFA Board
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| | | | Eden Prairie High School One of Top 50 Football Teams in the U.S | | | | | | | by
posted 02/09/2012
Eden Prairie High School One of Top 50 Football Teams in the U.S.!
As many of you know; the MaxPreps Tour of Champions came to the EP Boys basketball game on Jan 6 and presented a trophy to the Eden Prairie Boys Football team. This trophy was presented to the top 50 HS football teams in the US (out of 16,000 football teams).
Click on the link (below) to see a 4:13 minute video shot at the Tour of Champions award presentation on Jan 6:
http://www.maxpreps.com/events/tour_of_champions/football/default.aspx?team=Eden Prairie
Minnesota hosts 3rd stop on the 7th Annual Football Tour of Champions
Bud’s son, Mike Grant, has coached the Eden Prairie Eagles for the past 17 years, including this year’s Class 5A state champions.
What do the Minnesota Vikings and the Eden Prairie High School football teams have in common? In addition to being located in suburban Eden Prairie , located 17 miles southwest of Minneapolis , Minnesota , they both have been led by Coach Grant.
The Minnesota Vikings were led by Coach Bud Grant for 18 years from 1967 to 1985. Bud's son, Mike Grant, has coached the Eden Prairie Eagles for the past 17 years, including this year's Class 5A state champions. Mike's winning record is better than his legendary dad, having won over 95% of the games he has coached at Eden Prairie High School , including seven (7) state titles since 1996.
Ranked 55th in the nation in 2011 according to the MaxPreps Freeman poll, the Eagles had a record of 12-1, avenging its only loss of the season with a 13-3 victory over conference rival Wayzata to capture the Minnesota 5A championship.
Some might think that winning gets to be "old hat" for Grant and the Eagles, but the MaxPreps Tour of Champions presented by the Army National Guard ceremony proved winning is always special at Eden Prairie - and this year, a big deal.
In front of a full house at an Eden Prairie boys' basketball game on Friday, January 06, 2012, Coach Mike Grant (who also serves as the school's Athletic Director) introduced Max Preps representative, Dan Wilder at the half-time ceremony. Wilder noted the accomplishments of the 2011 Eagles and then introduced Sergeant First Class Kyle Kalphake of the Minnesota Army National Guard. Sergeant Kalphake presented Coach Grant with the prestigious Army National Guard national ranking trophy (a "Minuteman" symbolic for excellence and dedication) and the championship rafter banner.
"It is a great honor for our players this year to be recognized as one of the top teams in the nation," said Grant. "I am grateful to Max Preps and the Army National Guard for making this trophy presentation possible."
With over half of the team's 94 member roster in attendance, the celebration was on! Decked out in their new white Tour of Champions shirts, the photo ops, congratulations and appreciation continued out in the lobby well into the second half. Parents with cameras and kids with their cell phones all captured the moment - holding the "Minuteman" trophy with their buddies.
Mike Grant beamed throughout the evening, accepting congratulations and enjoying the moment with his players. While his dad, Bud, wasn't there, this honor can now be added to the Minnesota Grant football coaching legacy.
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| | | | Hometown Hero | | | | | | | by
posted 12/27/2011
Coach Anthony Burke -- Hometown Hero
The EPFA is proud to announce that one of our own, EPFA Coach and Grade Commissioner Anthony Burke, was nominated and selected as a "Minnesota Vikings Hometown Hero". The Hometown Hero program, sponsored by US Bank, honors men and women in part for their strong participation in and positive influence in youth sports.
Anthony certainly exemplifies the proud tradition and positive philosophy of Eden Prairie youth football, and we are proud to have this genuine and gentle-souled man as a part of our organization. Please read below for the article honoring Coach Burke, as written by columnist Ren Rutkus:
Anthony Burke (shown here with his son Jackson) was a starter for the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers football team “back in the day” and also played a year in the NFL (including registering a .5 sack on Hall of Famer Joe Montana). Burke still dedicates himself to the sport by coaching youth football as the fourth grade commissioner for the Eden Prairie Football Association (EPFA). Burke also works with USA Football, attends the annual USA Football Youth Coaching Summit and was recently elected to become the fifth grade commissioner for the 2012 season.
“I’m honored to be able to do what I love,” said Burke. “It’s critical to provide a good playing experience for our players from third grade to eighth grade in order to keep them coming back each fall to play football. As these players move into high school, not all of them will make varsity, but all of them will be guaranteed a spot on a team. Many kids at other schools get into high school, don’t make the team and never play football again. That’s the last thing we want to happen and why the role of the commissioner is so important. We make sure coaches are following the EPFA’s guiding principles, and players continue to develop to their fullest potential while enjoying a sport they all love. USA Football shares the same values and gives coaches the tools to make for a better, safer game. From the organizational tools available to run an organized practice to the age appropriate drills, USA Football helps maximize the time you spend with your players. While everything may not suit your specific needs, there’s enough information to pick and choose from to improve players' knowledge and skills while still having fun and providing an enjoyable experience.”
Burke is passionate about his role as commissioner and when asked about some of the challenges of coaching today’s youth, he responds, “The biggest challenge I and other commissioners face is putting together a well-run league with parent coaches who subscribe to the same philosophy that the Eden Prairie Football Association has. We focus on creating a league with equal teams and where success is not measured by wins and losses, but by how many children come back to play in the following season. We also realize that the same motivators and skill drills that work for a high school player don’t necessarily translate into effective coaching to a third, fourth or fifth grader. Children of all ages and in all sports respond positively to words of encouragement, showing you care about them as a player and a person. Most kids are fortunate to get this at home, but not all. You never know when you are coaching a child who doesn’t have a positive role model in their life, so it’s important to be consistent with your message and your actions with all the players.” Burke believes that while the delivery might be different than 30 years ago, the message to kids today is still the same: try, work hard and give your best effort in all things.
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