Jon Gruden is football through and through. It doesn’t matter what level Authentic Hayden Hurst Jersey , what age, or where.
The former and now current coach of the Raiders displayed that again Tuesday by overseeing the distribution of funds and equipment to four Oakland youth football programs through the DICK’S Sporting Goods Sports Matter Program. Gruden has been a major spokesman for that initiative for more than four years.
In the afternoon at Raiders headquarters, Gruden presented grants of $15,000 to the head coaches of McClymonds High School and Oakland Tech. He invited the coaches of both teams to the Raiders main office for a ”special behind- the-scenes tour” and discussion of football in Oakland. When the tour ended, Gruden handed over the checks to the surprised coaches.
At night, coaches and players from the East Bay Panthers and San Leandro Crusaders headed to a ”friendly scrimmage” at Burrell Field. When the teams ran onto the field, they were stunned to see new football helmets, pads, balls and water bottles laid out on the field for them.
Each league received a $50,000 grant.
”Being back in Oakland and getting back into coaching has only fired me up more to work with DICK’S Sports Matter program to help more kids have the opportunity to play,” said Gruden Tyquan Lewis Color Rush Jersey , who also gave the Panthers and Crusaders a pep talk. ”Like so many other cities in the U.S., we have an issue with youth sports funding here in Oakland. Costs are rising – kids can’t afford to play and coaches can’t afford to coach.
”Seeing these kids’ faces light up and knowing that sports will teach them so many valuable lessons they will carry with them off the field is really special.”
Gruden encourages other youth sports program struggling to get by ”to visit SportsMatter.org to apply for help.”
”If you give your absolute best effort on the field, the lessons that sports teach will stay with you forever, and help you to be your best in every part of your life,” he said.
Oakland has an 18.9 percent poverty rate, and the highest crime rate of any city in California.
Many areas in cities across the country need funding for their youth sports and school athletic programs. According to Up2Us Sports, a nonprofit whose research, training, and on-the-ground initiatives empower sports programs to become an agent of positive social change, billions of dollars have been cut from school sports budgets in recent years. These cuts disproportionately impact students in low income areas, and students from low-income families are four times more likely to decrease participation in sports due to costs.
Student athletes have an 11 percent higher graduation rate than non-athletes Eddie Rosario Minnesota Twins Jersey , Up2Us Sports reports. The U.S. Department of Education adds that students who participate in sports are four times more likely to attend college.
DICK’S and its foundation created Sports Matter in 2014, pledging more than $50 million to support youth sports programs in need and raise awareness of the funding crisis. To date, Sports Matter has helped fund tens of thousands of youth sports programs and impacted hundreds of thousands of young athletes nationwide.
”It’s days like today that make it all worth it, and we can’t thank coach Gruden and DICK’S enough,” said Jacob Davis, president of the East Bay Panthers. ”We love these kids and know how important sports are to keep them off the streets and doing positive things in their lives. This money will go a long way in helping our leagues survive and thrive.”
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ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves are glad that their four-game series with the San Diego Padres beginning Thursday night is at home rather than in San Diego.
The Braves swept four games from the Padres in the opening series for new SunTrust Park in April 2017 and have almost nothing but success against the team in Atlanta.
It has been exactly the opposite in San Diego, though.
The Padres took two of three from Atlanta in San Diego last week, and the Braves have dropped 16 of their last 19 games in the Padres’ home stadium while being outscored 98-59 over the stretch of futility.
The Braves have lost eight straight series at San Diego dating to 2011, but own an all-time record of 186-122 against the Padres in Atlanta.
The Braves (39-28) went 2-4 on their road trip against the Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers, but returned home to sweep a two-game series from the New York Mets and regain sole possession of first place in the National League East.
The Padres (33-37) have won five straight series after taking two of three at St. Louis and own 11 wins in their past 15 games.
Anibal Sanchez (2-0, 2.37 ERA) will start the series opener for the Braves www.bengalsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-mark-walton-jersey , with fellow right-hander Tyson Ross (5-3, 3.43) going for San Diego.
Sanchez has made three starts since spending six weeks on the disabled list because of a hamstring strain and is 1-0 with a 1.46 ERA in the past two, allowing just five hits in 12 1/3 innings.
Atlanta has won Sanchez’s last four starts, with the 34-year-old getting a no-decision in his best outing since signing a minor league contract in spring training after being released by Minnesota.
In that game, Sanchez worked seven innings against Washington on June 3 and allowed just two hits and two unearned runs while walking one and striking out five.
“He’s got a great feel for pitching and knows what he’s doing,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “I think his stuff is better than what I was led to believe when we signed him. He’s sneaky. He knows what he’s doing. He can change speeds and he locates the fastball well.”
Sanchez has made five career starts against San Diego, losing his only two decisions but posting a 2.76 ERA.
The Padres have won the last six games started by Ross and are 10-3 in his outings this season.
“When it’s your turn to take the ball, you have to believe that you’re the ace,” Ross said. “It’s a rotation of five, but when it’s your turn to go, you have to give the team a chance to win.”
Ross won a combined 23 games for San Diego in 2014 and 2015 Cheap Trent Murphy Jersey , and was the Padres’ Opening Day starter in 2016. That was his only outing of the season, though, as thoracic outlet surgery forced him to miss the rest of the year as well as the first part of 2017 after he signed as a free agent with Texas.
The 31-year-old California native made 10 starts and two relief appearances for the Rangers last year, going 3-3 with a 7.71 ERA.
Ross has faced the Braves four times, with one appearance in relief, and is 0-1 with a 3.38 ERA.
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