WFA Partners with NFL Alumni Academy and Hall of Fame Resort and Entertainment Company
WFA Coaches and Players to participate in the NFL Alumni Academy’s Diversity Development Program to be held at the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls
Six WFA players or coaches will train under former NFL coaches Mike Tice, Jay Hayes, and Ted Cottrell and world-renowned Sports Performance trainer Chip Smith
CANTON, Ohio – September 3, 2021 – The Women’s Football Alliance proudly announces it has partnered with the NFL Alumni Academy, as part of its Diversity Development program, and Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company (NASDAQ: HOFV, HOFVW), to provide WFA coaches and players interested in a coaching career, the highest level of in-person coaches training at their prestigious NFL Alumni Academy during the 2021 NFL football season.
A key component of programming for the Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company, the NFL Alumni Academy is an unprecedented in-season training program developing “NFL Ready” players. The Academy trains and prepares on the campus of Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls in Canton, Ohio. The Academy will train the top free agent football players in preparation to sign an in-season contract with NFL teams looking to replace 500+ active roster players lost during each season due to injury. A core tenet of the Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company is to support diversity and inclusion across all fronts, and the Academy and the extension of this initiative and partnership with the WFA is a direct reflection of that initiative in action.
The Academy combines world class sports science, advances in athlete performance, data analytics and digital analysis together with old school technique and improving Football IQ. This player development program is led by former NFL coaches and players teaching, coaching and mentoring future NFL players with an iconic brand at the NFL Alumni Academy.
The WFA will elect six players and/or coaches to train under NFL Alumni Academy coaches for a two-week internship with room and board provided. Interns will work side by side with the best coaches and player performance trainers in the world as they prepare the top free agent football players for an NFL team. The NFL Alumni Academy coincides with the NFL Season, which begins on Thursday, September 9th, and will run through Super Bowl.
“Getting this level of football coaching experience for our athletes and coaches is a once in a lifetime opportunity that will not only increase their football knowledge that they will utilize and pass along to WFA teams, but it will also prepare them for successful coaching careers,” stated Lisa King, WFA Commissioner. “We are honored that the NFL Alumni Academy has recognized the abundance of talent WFA players and coaches have and is willing to support us as we strive to place more female coaches within top level football programs.”
Dean Dalton, Executive Director of the NFL Alumni Academy, stated, “We are thrilled to welcome members of the WFA into the NFL Alumni Academy, and look forward to providing them with a wide range of resources to help improve every facet of their games. We are especially thankful for our partner Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company, which has allowed us to host the Academy on the Hall of Fame Village campus and continues to act as a foundation for all Academy activities.”
“The NFL Alumni Academy is a proud supporter of the WFA and we are excited to expand our Diversity Development Program to include representation from the Women’s Football Alliance during the 2021 National Football League season,” shared Mike Tice, NFL Alumni Academy Director of Development. “The WFA players and coaches will work alongside our elite NFL veteran coaches to polish their coaching skills while preparing the Academy free agent players to return to NFL team rosters.”
About the WFA
The Women’s Football Alliance is the largest women’s football league in the world. With 62 teams and 2,100 players, the WFA has created opportunities for women to compete and learn the game at the highest level. The professionalism and success of the WFA has been recognized by major corporate sponsors including Secret, KT Tape, Xenith, Wilson, AdeNation and Glazier. Its recent television network agreement with Eleven Sports will expand its audience reach across the country. Over 25 WFA alumni have accepted NFL coaching and scouting positions, including WFA Advisory Board members and current NFL full time coaches, Jennifer King, (Washington Football Team), Callie Brownson (Cleveland Browns) and Lori Locust (Tampa Bay Buccaneers). For more information, visit www.wfaprofootball.com.
About the NFL Alumni Association
The NFL Alumni Association is oldest and most recognizable national organization of retired former athletes. The NFL Alumni Association serves former National Football League players, coaches and other employees whose “Caring for our Own” mission is to serve, assist and inform former players and their families. NFL Alumni Health is an entity focused on health and wellness initiatives to improve the quality of life for NFL Alumni members and their families. The association offers a variety of medical, financial and social programs to help members lead healthy, productive and connected lives, as well as philanthropic and community initiatives under the NFL Alumni’s “Caring for Kids” programs. The NFL Alumni Association hosts the NFL Alumni Academy player development program each football season at the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls in Canton, Ohio. www.NFLalumni.org.
About the NFL Alumni Academy
The NFL Alumni Academy provides a pathway for the top-graded free agent players that were released from NFL training camps to return to the NFL by giving them the opportunity to further develop their skills and realize their potential by training under the tutelage of elite former NFL coaches, players and performance coaches. The Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium at the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls will initially serve as the NFL Alumni Academy’s headquarters and training facility. The Academy will then move to the Center for Performance, which will be located on the Village’s campus and is anticipated to be completed in 2022. The Center for Performance will feature an 80,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art indoor field house and training facility, among other amenities. www.NFLalumniacademy.com.
About the Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company
The Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company (NASDAQ: HOFV, HOFVW) is a resort and entertainment company leveraging the power and popularity of professional football and its legendary players in partnership with the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Headquartered in Canton, Ohio, the Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company is the owner of the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls, a multi-use sports, entertainment and media destination centered around the Pro Football Hall of Fame's campus. Additional information on the Company can be found at www.HOFREco.com.
Media Contacts:
For Women’s Football Alliance and The NFL Alumni Academy
Brian Klaasmeyer
brian@wavsports.com
For Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company
Anne Graffice
anne.graffice@hofvillage.com