The Canyon Country Athletic Association (CCAA) Inc.'s, Canyon Country Outlaws Football and Cheerleading Organization has been awarded the Purcell Trophy for Excellence. This award is given annually by the Pacific Youth Football League (PYFL) and is voted on by its board. It is awarded to the PYFL club that most exemplifies its core values of excellence, sportsmanship, scholarship, and citizenship. This award was given in recognition for the football season which ended December 2, 2006.
The Canyon Country Outlaws Football Program has exemplified on and off the field success. In 2006, four of their football teams made it to the quarterfinals of the PYFL playoffs, in two different divisions. One team made it to the Junior Super Bowl, while two others were eliminated from the playoffs by other Canyon Country Outlaws teams.
The Canyon Country Outlaws Cheerleading Program also had great success in competition, where 3 of the 4 teams placed first, and the fourth team took 2nd place, amongst all teams in the PYFL.
Additionally, the Canyon Country Outlaws football program began its "Academic Outreach" program this year with UCLA as its flagship partner. The goal of this program is to expose young student athletes to higher education as a function of both scholarship and athletics.
This past season, 75 Outlaw football players (ages 11-13), and their parents were invited to visit the UCLA campus in Westwood. There, they first toured many of the campus's libraries with
Marc Peart, a UCLA alumnus, and an executive board member of the CCAA, Inc., and engaged in a discussion on the importance of academics and the development of study skills, for future success in college.
Afterwards, they toured the UCLA Football team's brand new facilities, with
Bob Lopez, UCLA's Director of Football Operations, as their guide. Finally, they were invited onto the field to observe a UCLA football practice, and to meet the players and coaches. Some of these aspiring young athletes even got to play catch with UCLA quarterbacks,
Patrick Cowan and
Ben Olson. Additionally, each player received a UCLA football poster.
"This was the best day of my life!" stated
Marc Elijah Peart, a player on the Outlaws Junior Gold football team. "It gives me a better idea of what it takes to do well in college, and gives me something to shoot for." The Academic Outreach Program and the UCLA Athletics office also arranged to have all of the 300 players and coaches, receive tickets, and attend the September 2 nd, 2006, UCLA vs.Utah game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA. A great time was had by all, and they look forward to being able to continue this program in the future.
On hand to receive the prestigious and coveted "Purcell Award" were club president
Mike Chandler and football director
Brian Adams. "We've had seven teams with seven different coaches, in the semi-finals in the last two years." stated Brian Adams. "We feel that this shows the level of coaching that we've tried to bring to the program in that it's not (only) the same coach(es) being successful each year...It's across the board success. I'm really proud of that" he added.
"I feel like this award belongs to every member of the executive board of the CCAA." stated Mike Chandler. "The Purcell Award shows us that all of the hard work we put in, and all of the hard decisions that we make every year for these kids, are indeed the right thing to do...and our peers at the PYFL chose to recognize us for it."
About the Canyon Country Athletic Association, Inc.
The Canyon Country Athletic Association, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization (501 C-3 on file) whose goal is to foster the enrichment of local area youth through athletics.