A Second Chance for High School Football Prospects; Terry Donahue Hosts One-Day Free Combine Feb. 20 in Irvine

“Opportunity is one of the most precious gifts of life. How
we respond when it is given to us, and how often we can provide it to
others, can define our lives.” –Terry Donahue, UCLA coach
(1976-1995)

IRVINE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–On national signing day, Feb. 3, many high school football senior
standouts were awarded scholarships to continue their playing careers at
the college of their choice. But many more were overlooked for various
reasons.

The National Football Foundation California Showcase, hosted by former
UCLA coach Terry Donahue, was created to provide players bypassed by
Division I institutions an introduction to a school that might want them
– and possibly provide substantial financial aid.

The fourth edition of this annual free one-day combine will be held
Saturday, Feb. 20, at the Orange County Great Park in Irvine (5 Freeway
at Sand Canyon Exit). Players in California are invited to display their
talents in front of coaches and administrators from Division II,
Division III and NAIA schools throughout the country, along with
statewide junior colleges. More than 70 schools will be represented this
year.

The California Showcase is a coordinated effort between the National
Football Foundation, founded in 1947 and currently headed by
President/CEO Steve Hatchell and Terry Donahue. It couldn’t exist
without the effort of the many volunteers or the sponsors, which include
Bank of America, Farmers Insurance, Toyota and more.

The combine features nearly 100 volunteer “coaches” working with the
more than 500 expected participants. These coaches are mostly former
college and NFL players.

The morning activities include a series of drills that enable the
prospects to display their abilities. Each prospect is assigned a bib
number and those who have a grade-point average of 3.5 or better get red
jerseys, enabling the college representatives to immediately identify
those who excel in the classroom. In the afternoon, players and college
representatives meet in a large airplane hangar to discuss, among other
things, scholarship opportunities.

Admission to the showcase is FREE and restricted to the athletes,
participating coaches, visiting high school and college coaches, college
administrators, and the media.

More than 1,500 student athletes participated in the first three
California Showcases. Since 2013, 345 high school senior athletes were
awarded over $8 million in financial aid packages.

For more information and to register, go to www.CAShowcase.org.

Contacts

for California Showcase
Larry Stewart
818-512-1608
elstewarte@aol.com
or
Audrey
Yokota Rhoads
714-966-6468
ayokota@dsrg.com