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The Effective Performance Plan:

A Strategic Sports-based Childhood Obesity and

Juvenile Delinquency Prevention Pipeline Program

January 23rd, 2013

Final Edition

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AUTHOR STATEMENT

Notice to the recipient of this proposal, the information contained herein is considered non-proprietary information, and its

release is designed to offer substantial benefit to the New York State Education Department (“NYSED”) and New York State

Federation of Secondary School Athletic Association (“NYSFSSAA”), and by extension their state member associations. This

material includes descriptions of strategic ideas and tactics derived through substantial research and development efforts

undertaken by the Author. Therefore, the use or release of the information contained in this proposal plan for purposes other

than an evaluation of its contents as a basis for the development of the proposed programs by the Catholic High School

Athletic Association (“CHSAA”), the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (“NYSPHSAA”), the New York

State Association of Independent Schools Athletic Association (“NYSISAA”), and the Public School Athletic League (“PSAL”),

to be replaced by an instituted NYSFSSAA state single classification championship tournament is otherwise prohibited.

Opinions, conclusions, and recommendations expressed or implied within this brief are solely those of the author and do not

necessarily represent the views of any media concern or, third-party entity.

Neither submission by the Author nor the NYSFSSAA’s acceptance of this proposal, in whole or in part, constitutes a binding

agreement between said parties. Such an agreement shall only exist among the NYSFSSAA’s associate organizations upon

the execution of this planning brief. Cleared for public release; distribution unlimited.

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In order to diminishing the proliferation of childhood obesity and socially destructive behavior, the Effective Performance Plan was

created to act as a catalyst to increase the proportion of disadvantaged male youths practicing healthier lifestyles and personal

growth.

Purpose - To decrease the prevalence of childhood obesity and juvenile delinquency (misdemeanor offenders) and to reduce the

cost burden of obesity related diseases by improving healthy eating and increasing physical activity and, to manage male youth

offenders in a more cost effective and efficient manner that delivers better results for the student-athletes and member schools alike.

Background – In a 2008 State Controller published report , it reported that New York State was in the midst of a childhood obesity

crisis. The economic consequence of this crisis in the same year was $242 million in annual costs that are typically categorized as

direct, such as medical costs, and indirect, such as job absenteeism. Poor nutrition and physical inactivity among obese youth are

largely responsible for these costs.

In a report delivered by a high-ranking NYPD official to Bronx community leaders and parents in late June of 2012, which he stated

that police have identified 315 youth gangs across the five boroughs. The groups are increasingly recruiting kids in middle school or

younger. And the gangs are not isolated to NYC, areas such as; Schenectady, Wyandanch, Poughkeepsie, Mt. Vernon, and

Yonkers have seen their communities ravaged by gang activity.

Plan– Interscholastic football was chosen to inaugurate this initiative for the following reasons: employs the largest contingent of

participants among all high school sports, it requires the necessary physical expenditure to be effective and, is popular among at-risk

male student-athletes, it is the ideal platform because it encompasses all of the components needed to trigger the identified response

to an amended post-season playoff format.

Recommendation - The Effective Performance Plan is a multi-faceted proposal program centered around a single recommendation.

The primary proposal of the EP Plan is to recommend the reform of the interscholastic football’s post-season format. In detail, the

plan calls for reforming the “sport specific” format that governs the post-season playoffs for the four governing athletic associations to

compete independent of each other. This format is practiced by NYS only. The additional recommendations include instituting the

Victory Cup that rewards teams and cheerleading squads for academic achievement, of each classification. Lastly, contingent upon

the acceptance of the EP Plan, the four member associations and its member school will be faced with the opportunity to leverage

numerous lucrative marketing and media offers to generate significant revenue. More importantly, the EP Plan requires no funding.

Methodology – The amended format would act as a mechanism, creating an atmosphere of urgency, to propel male youths’ to

increase the physical activity through instruction and diminish time after-school idle, as a result of an enhanced competitive level of

interscholastic football. The anticipated response by the plan’s targeted subject is reliant the acceleration of the individuals’ instinct

for self-preservation. The steady repetition of physical instruction and personal attention will mold and cast time-management skills

and intrinsic motivation.

Executive Statement

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Executive Statement

Purpose Statement

Background

Plan Evaluating Indicators

Plan Recommendations

• Plan Recommendation Overview

• Post-Season Playoffs Format Reform Plan

• Victory Cup Award Program Plan

Plan Supporting Recommendations

• Sponsorship Platform Strategy

• Active Corporate Sponsors

• Strategic Sponsorship Objectives

• Media Strategies

• Plan Benefits and Cost Savings

Plan Projected Concerns

• Plan Limitations and Delimitations

Plan Rationales and Methodology

• Post-Season Format Reform Plan Rationale

• Post-Season Format Reform Methodology

• Victory Cup Award Plan Rationale

Conclusion

• Plan Base Points

• Conclusion Statement

Table of Contents

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Purpose Statement

The goals and strategies outlined in this plan set forth an ambitious agenda that must be undertaken in order to

achieve the vision of having male youths of low socioeconomic means leverage their interscholastic football

participation into healthy physical activity and a lifestyle of means. No single individual, organization, agency,

community, political jurisdiction, or elected official can bring about such far-reaching changes alone.

As a result, "The Effective Performance Plan: A Strategic Sports-based Childhood Obesity and Juvenile

Delinquency Prevention Pipeline Program" (EP) is aimed to demonstrate the urgent and clear need for an

outcome-driven solution, to counter the disadvantages at-risk male youths’ and their families continuously face. In

summary, the EP plan is a formal recommendation, that deliberate action must be in order for the practice of

maintaining a healthy mind and body can be woven deeply into the culture and educational philosophy of NYS

member schools.

While there hasn’t been any direct correlation that connects childhood obesity and juvenile delinquency, idleness is

usually credited for aiding the proliferation of both maladies afflicting New York’s youth. It then stands to reason

that the number of after-school recreational activity and engaging programs options at their disposable are

extremely low—which can likely result to engaging in anti-social behavior and/or, no physical constructive outlet,

which allows for havoc to be wrecked on the civil development, physical wellbeing, and fiscal future of New York

state.

In its report chronicling activity for 2011, The Juvenile Justice Advisory Group (JJAG) reported that juvenile arrests

have been trending downward within the City of New York and the surrounding counties, since 2007. And as of

recently stated in divergent report, a high-ranking NYPD official addressed community leaders and parents in the

Bronx at the end of June 2012, where he stated that police have identified 315 violent youth crews across the five

boroughs. He also made mention that; they are continuing to grow unabated and more sophisticated.

In the case of childhood obesity, a 2008 report published by State Controller Thomas P. DiNapoli, in it he declared

that New York State has a childhood obesity crisis. The economic consequence of this crisis of that same year was

$242 million in annual costs that are typically categorized as direct, such as medical costs, and indirect, such as

parent job absenteeism.

Thus, acting as a mechanism to deliver an efficient method, the EP Plan can provide the prevention, intervention

and diversion to counteract physical inactivity and destructive behavior. Concluding with an outcome, that includes

with male youths placing a greater importance on maintaining physical fitness and, a greater proportion

matriculating onto universities, as a result of the catalyst provided by the EP Plan.

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Background

During a recent 2010 study conducted by the NFL to identify the leagues’ biggest-producers of players by State, an

obvious correlation was found between high total populations and high NFL player totals. Surprisingly, New York is

the biggest exception. The third-most populous state isn't represented well in the NFL, failing even to appear in the

top 15 of talent production. Interestingly, New Jersey is ranked eighth overall with 55 active players. More

disconcerting, in 2014 Super Bowl XLVIII will be played in the nearby Meadowlands stadium and, their is a likely

chance that not one player, from either team, will have come from a New York high school.

The article’s sources attributed the discrepancy due to the fact that 40 percent of the residents who live in New York

City, are from an area not known to produce football players. Under the present sport-specific format, the

segregation of the teams is not only exclusive during post-season play but, is practiced during through the regular

season. Surprisingly, NY is the only state to operate such a system thus, the standard of competition is uneven

between the member schools of each association, worse so, the regular seasons become an exercise of

redundancy.

Somehow or rather, the discussion has yet to arisen by the member associations nor, the higher administration, as

to the merits for operating the nations largest modified interscholastic football league. Beyond incapacitating the

development and growth of thousands of its participants, the harsh implications of segregating teams from

competing from each other, affects the progress for socio-cultural differences to be bridged, which could alleviate

friction among diverse ethnic groups.

As a point of reference to better understand the concept of this proposal to create a single classification playoff, the

reader should refer to the history of Indiana’s legendary single class basketball state championship format. Once

the most notable basketball tournament in the country, with the exception of the NCAA tournament, the Indiana

single class tournament enthralled the entire state, and became the fixation for numerous lauded publications and

an academy award-winning movie.

Then before the 1998 season, the Indiana High School Athletic Association decided to put an end to it all. With an

impetuosity and disregard for tradition, the IHSAA assigned the state's 382 schools into four classes based on

enrollment and inaugurated a tournament for each class.

Since the introduction of the class system, Indiana tournament attendance and revenue have plunged. Likewise for

Minnesota, where that state's storied hockey tournament hasn't been the same since it abandoned its all -comers

format in 1992.

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Plan Evaluating Indicators

Five key indicators have been cited to assess the overall quality of the Effective Performance Plan to reform the post-season

playoff format for interscholastic football and, provide NYSPHSAA decision-makers with points of reference to give ongoing

feedback and a means to document their assessment of the EP Plan.

1. Complete?

Does the proposed plan contain all the required elements? Refer to the annotated outline to see the required parts of the

Effective Performance document.

2. Relevancy?

Does the problem framed by the EP Plan enable administrators to either build on proposed recommendations? The EP Plan

provides relevant evidence and documentable rationales that point to the significance and urgency to reform the football post-

season playoff format.

3. Impact?

Does the EP Plan have potential to affect positive social change? As detailed on the slide titled Post-Season Format Reform

Methodology(see annotated outline), the anticipated results will not only benefit the child, but can translate into the community's

socio-economic development as proof of positive social change. Any attitudinal change and personal growth by the plans

targeted audience is contingent upon the plans, as diagramed.

4. Feasible?

Can the proposed method of the EP Plan be used to address the targeted problem? The main thrust of the EP Plan is create a

sense of urgency, to ensue upon an implementation of the reformed post-season playoff format. As a departure to beginning

and ending of the football season, their can be an expected higher level activity of instruction and fitness workouts among the

players, while the spring and summer seasons will be occupied participating in 7 on 7 (e.g. Nike, Under Amour) clinics. Thus,

reducing the space idle time and inactivity. Ultimately, increased participation and activity reported by member school athletic

departments, as well as those sponsored by apparel companies will serve as early key predictive indicators (KPI) for measuring

the initiatives’ feasibility.

5. Validity?

Does the EP Plan frame a problem requiring further inquiry? A great number of male youths living in NYS are overweight and

obese, while teen on teen violence has claimed more than its share of innocent victims to become more than a cause for alarm.

The situation requires radical redress to halt the further rise.

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Plan Recommendations

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Plan Recommendation Overview

What is the overall approach to

amending post-season playoff structure

for interscholastic football?

To create an avenue of opportunity that can

be immediately leverage by at-risk male

student-athletes statewide.

What impact can a reformed post-season

football playoff format have on at-risk

male youths, taxpayers, and local small

businesses?

A larger contingent of male youths from low-

income homes could advance to college,

without assuming a financial burden;

taxpayers see the cost-savings in lower

health costs; local businesses will from

game day traffic and proximity.

What will the expansion of sponsorship

and media opportunities bring to

member schools?

Unprecedented sources of revenue is all but

assured for NYSFSAA member schools,

contingent upon implementation of the

recommended reform.

What results can be expected from at-

risk male students, due to a reformed

post-season football playoff format?

The critical time spent after-school can be

filled with organized instruction beyond the

designated season with the emergence of 7

on 7 leagues and clinics; gradual intrinsic

motivation will usually take hold upon

reinforcement.

What ancillary benefits can be derived by

member schools?

Member schools receive critically needed

funding; focus on physical fitness lowers

healthcare costs; increased enrollment

applications (i.e. Flutie Effect).

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Post-Season Playoff Format Reform Plan

The central component of the EP Plan is a recommendation for format reform, requesting the four governing athletic associations

that constitute the body of the NYSFSSAA. The proposed plan recommends for the New York State Federation of Secondary

School Athletic Associations (“NYSFSSAA”) to employ a six-team (6) post-season single-classification state football championship

playoffs, over a total of five (5) games.

Non-requirement: Classification/League Re-alignment

All Sections, Leagues, and Associations, are recommended to retain member school alignments as they pre-existed prior

to state post-season format reform. As all previous sectional and league playoffs would continue as a prelude to

reaching the state championship playoffs, based upon a member school’s final poll ranking.

Plan details:

The playoff modification will ensure that two of the six top-rated teams in the state, meet in the championship game. The

qualifications for a member school to reach the playoffs will be determined by a final NY Newspaper/Coaches poll -ranking:

The top six (6) at-large teams as determined by a final NY Newspaper/Coaches regular season poll rankings and winning a

sectional/league championship will qualify for the state championship playoffs. The final No.1 and No.2 ranked teams

concluding section/league playoffs shall hereinafter be referred to as the “seeded position” teams, and will receive a bye and

will play the winners of the quarter final games.

Polls

The rankings formula would consist of three components, each weighted equally: a NY Newspaper/Coaches poll team rankings, an

accredited high school football ranking poll (USA Today Super 25, Rivals, ESPNU 50) and, a NY Newspaper/Sportswriters poll to

calculate a team’s overall rating:

A NY Newspaper/Sportswriters poll shall be considered the driving poll for determining the top-ranked teams for the playoff At-

Large bids, and their rankings are to be released every Sunday evening following the seventh week of regular season play.

A NY Newspaper/Sportswriters SCFC poll rankings should not be posted until mid-season, as to minimize bias and, to allow

voters to develop a clear assessment for each team that plays a challenging early season schedule. The NY

Newspaper/Sportswriters poll rankings, will evaluate strength-of-schedule, team-record and opponent-quality components.

A schedule strength of a team could represent games played to date and, the rating strength of those opponents. Determining

a teams beginning season strength of schedule ratings (“SoS”) will be determined by calculating a teams’ previous season-

ending results and final ranking, results against opponents with high SoS ratings, best/easiest/most favorable and hardest/least

favorable schedule.

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Single Classification Federation Championship Playoffs Format

South/West Region

North/East Region

Quarter Rd.

Quarter Rd.

Semi-Finals

Semi-Finals

Championship Game

4th Seed

5th Seed

3rd Seed

6th Seed

No.2 Seed

No.1 Seed

Quarter Rd. Winner

Quarter Rd. Winner

South/West Region Winner

North/East Region Winner

Amended Post-Season Playoff Framework

Empire State

Champion

Proposed Schedule of Playoff Games: Date — Quarter-final Game 6th vs 3rd

Date — Quarter-final Game 4th vs 5th

Date — Semi-final Game 2nd vs Qtr. Final winner (Van Cortlandt Park?)

Date — Semi-final Game 1st vs Qtr. Final winner (West Point?)

Date — Single Class State Championship Game (Syracuse)

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Victory Cup Award Plan

The Victory Cup would be given to the varsity teams and cheerleading squads who have accumulated the combined required team

grade point average at the culmination of the sports season (fall, winter, spring), representing each enrollment classification for each

of the four state associations. It is recommended that the Victory Cup award be underwritten by corporate sponsored, with each

winning member school team/squad receiving the Victory Cup and a financial gift ($20,000 Distinguished; $15,000 Excellence) to

fund student post-secondary academic scholarships and specialized studies. The Victory Cup program is to serve as a symbol for

promoting team academic achievement, sportsmanship among peers, student-athlete well-being, and to bestow honor and

recognition on member schools:

The Victory Cup is a two-tiered award program: (1) Distinguished Academic Achievement: This award would be given to the

teams/squads who have achieved a combined grade point average of 3.25-4.00. (2) Excellence in Academic Achievement: This

award would be given to the teams/squads who have achieved a combined grade point average of 3.00-3.24.

The “team/squad” is made up of all team/squad members, who are teammates/cheerleaders of the high school varsity team/squad

from each of the enrollment classifications; their grades will be combined for the collective team/squad average. The team/squad

average is to be computed at the conclusion of a competition season. Student-managers should be included as team members.

Teams and Squads of the same member school would be accredited separately and neither group would benefit from the efforts of

their related Team or Squad but, by the merits of their own collective Team or Squad GPA.

The grade point average is to be figured on the 4.00 system: A = 4.00; B = 3.00; C = 2.00; D = 1.00. The following is the suggestion

of grading periods to be used in each sport in making only varsity teams/squads eligible for academic awards:

Fall/Winter/Spring Semester: Varsity Boys/Girls – interscholastic teams; cheerleading squads

If a member school does not employ the semester grading system or the school administrator desires to use the quarter grades, then

the New York State Board of Education would accordingly adjust the scoring period.

Awarded schools would receive an award cup and/or certificate for each team/squad recognized. Each team/squad member should

receive a certificate of recognition. Cheerleading squads should be awarded when actively participating in tandem with an organized

sports team.

Special Education Students: At the discretion of the NYSED, Special education students may be or, may not be included in grade

averages, but can be eligible award recipients. Special education students should be verified as progressing in their individual

program at the expected rate.

Teams/Squads: Varsity team/squad includes all team members in grades 10 through 12 and any 9th-grade student included as an

active member of the high school varsity team at the conclusion of the season in that interscholastic sport.

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Victory Cup Award Framework

A • Fall

• Winter

• Spring

A • Fall

• Winter

• Spring

C • Fall

• Winter

• Spring

C • Fall

• Winter

• Spring

D • Fall

• Winter

• Spring

D • Fall

• Winter

• Spring

B • Fall

• Winter

• Spring

B • Fall

• Winter

• Spring

AA • Fall

• Winter

• Spring

AA • Fall

• Winter

• Spring

The Victory Cup would be given to the varsity teams and cheerleading squads who have accumulated the

combined required team grade point average at the culmination of the sports season (fall, winter, spring)

representing each enrollment classification for each of the four state associations.

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Plan Supporting Recommendations

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Strategic Sponsorship Objective

Today, corporate sponsorship is becoming more and more common among high schools. When did corporate

sponsorship begin? It has been around since the beginning of amateur organized and professional sports.

Now with interscholastic football gaining more exposure through national tournaments, cable television, and the

Internet, it has become very attractive to corporate sponsors. Sponsors view interscholastic athletics as a form of

“grassroots sponsorship” because it allows for an opportunity to reach consumers (either as participants or

spectators) at the local, community level.

Thus, when defining grassroots sponsorship and/or marketing, it is described as efforts focused on reaching

consumers or potential consumers at the local level as opposed to targeting consumers on the national level. It is

that increased exposure to local community markets that high school football can offer, along with an opportunity for

marketers to infiltrate untapped markets, heightens the marketing value and lure.

Across today’s sports landscape, interscholastic football is prominent in most American communities, from small rural

towns to metropolitan areas, making it common place now to have public and parochial schools interscholastic

football teams from states such as California, Florida, Texas, and New Jersey, travel across country to compete

against one another. The match-ups include notable student-athletes and coaches who are now publicized through

media outlets such as newspapers, television, radio, and internet sites that are devoted entirely to covering

interscholastic football.

By wielding NY’s unparalleled marketing value as leverage, the NYSFSSAA and its state member associations can

insist that corporate partnerships and sponsorship programs messaging be designed to meet specific objectives of

the NYSED and local communities.

In addition, as interscholastic athletics and activities programs becoming more expensive to maintain, school officials

will have to find additional means besides their traditional sources of revenue, such as ticket sales from football and

basketball games, team fundraisers, booster clubs, and concession sales, which will not be sufficient to counter the

reduction in athletic budgets.

Furthermore a major corporate sponsor’s affiliation will provide member schools with a wide range of opportunities to

fund new academic programs and upgrade older programs, and improve the prospects of hundreds of male student-

athletes to earn scholarships from competitive universities, while minimizing the cost for low-income families to send

children from their household to college.

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Active Corporate Sponsors

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Media Strategies

Local Marketing

Determining the economic impact the single class state championship tournament will have on the economies of the local

communities is not a simple proposition.

It is the game-day spending totals on items such as parking, food and beverages, team apparel and, in most cases, admission to the

games, which will be the key indicators to be measured.

Broadcast Media

Now with the rising television and digital media coverage of interscholastic sports, the demands to capture that younger audience and

families by brands take the coverage of high school sports to a new level. ESPN's launch of ESPNU RISE, Cablevision’s launch of

MSG Varsity and, and websites dedicated to high school football highlight a new level of coverage, awareness, and opportunity has

catapulted interscholastic football well beyond the borders of any local town. Being host to the largest media market in the world, no

other state can match the might of New York .

Online Marketing

Through there online presence (sports and school store page), member schools can develop a database of supporters and followers

to use as a viable marketing base and, to wield as a potent tool.

Social Media

For the knowledgeable and assertive interscholastic football audience, the social networks (Facebook, Twitter, iHigh, Rivals) are as

much about interaction as it is about passive information. Often opinionated and discerning, high school football fans love sites that

give them opportunities to air their opinions and share their views. An ideal venue for customized sponsorships.

Mobile marketing

Today's young people are exploring many avenues for information but, mobile marketing is the easiest way to reach them today.

Personalizing text messages are the best way to gain the attention of teens and adult Smartphone users.

Signage banners

Banners placed along the team sidelines, and around the field area, can attract the attention of the target audience. Member school

marketing signage offers can include sponsor banners, step and repeat, wind mesh, and fence banners.

Student rewards

Student incentives and rewards program sponsorships are a great way to recognize and promote student achievement.

Media guides

Because media guides are generally customized, that's a bonus for marketers as they look for opportunities that offer high-quality

content in a variety of formats—and to expand their brands in ways that have a huge impact on avid football fans.

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Plan Benefits and Cost-Savings

Ancillary Benefits:

• Local businesses will experience increased foot traffic, resulting in higher in-store

sales; parking lots reach full capacity on game day and, bus and train ridership

on average volume lines, will likely grow twice the size than usually.

• Third-party businesses (wholesalers, parcel delivery, sanitation services) benefit

indirectly from the higher level of business activity.

• Local advertisement placements will rise sharply in response to higher traffic and

neighborhood activity.

Cost-Savings:

• Disadvantaged male youths’ and their families will be unburdened by the

financial obligations of sending a child to college, that would be covered by an

athletic scholarship, as the result of NYS interscholastic football being

unharnessed competitively.

• Eliminating the multiple post-season classification playoffs and championship.

Which have become redundant in competition, would provide long-term fiscal

relief.

• Increased physical activity will stave-off unhealthy habits and reduce obesity

related conditions; attention preoccupation will deter the desire of male youths to

act out in anti-social manner.

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Plan Projected Concerns

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The chance of schedule creep occurring if football stretches proceeds into the beginning of winter sports and/or past the Thanksgiving weekend.

• Option – To avoid the season overlapping deep into the winter sports season would be to allow teams to play two games within a 10-12 day period. The surplus of games can be divided into Thursday and Friday night matchups. In addition, the scheduling allows for more pivotal gameday matchups, which

would draw large audiences and, result in larger gate receipts and advertising revenue.

The danger of increased competition could produce a “have and have-not” effect, that could lead to an uneven playing field among athletically perennial successful and struggling member schools.

• Option – The benchmark for success and failure among member schools across the state has not enhanced the prospects of success for teams of member schools, who have fielded less-than successful squads historically. Under a format that enhances competition, the EP Plan can be the catalyst to spur greater achievement but, ultimately the fortunes of most teams is determined by the institutions internal stakeholders and culture. And although large pools of athletic talent can be found in concentrated areas, it is the member schools the socioeconomic status of the student body will above all else usually determine overall factors the well-off and less fortunate.

Enhanced competition could trigger transfers by male student-athletes to schools that field dominate football programs.

• Option - Current New York State rules and regulations that is in place to police and discourage abuses athletes and coaches, should be efficient enough to carryover to manage any anticipated increase of transfer request by existing student-athletes participating for a member schools organized football team. Most importantly, it is unlikely any program will be able mimic practices of universities of stockpiling talent, when playing time to garner post-opportunities is at premium. Notwithstanding any significant increases in transfers, any preemptive measures made before then, could cause backlash and resentment.

Plan Limitations and Delimitations

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Plan Rationales and Methodology

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Post-Season Playoff Plan Rationale

In an effort to induce a competitive urgency into NYS interscholastic football, the mission driving the recommendations for this brief

contains the objective to not only providing an opportunity for male youths who are considered at-risk to obesity or juvenile

delinquency but, including, but not limited to, creating a model that insures an incentive for their interscholastic participation in football

and other extracurricular activities is beneficial to the student-athlete.

To achieve the objective of enhancing the competition level of NYS interscholastic football set forth, this proposal recommends the

four governing athletic associations that constitute the body of the NYSFSSAA, eliminate the current interscholastic post-season

football playoffs structure, and institute a format used for the boys and girls state basketball championship tournament, with the

exception that this brief is proposing for single classification state championship playoffs.

Increasing the rigor of competition for interscholastic football in New York will be beneficial to all of the member schools, the students,

the faculty, and their communities. The key points and implications for revising the current post-season playoff format:

Objectives –

Empower young males from low-income urban and rural communities to benefit from their participation in interscholastic

football.

Increase advocacy and public support for initiatives, policies and legislation that encourages adolescent physically active

lifestyles and institutes programs that rewards at-risk male youths from disadvantaged environments for that accept program

requirements.

Strengthen communication and collaboration among the childhood obesity and juvenile delinquency prevention program,

community partners and statewide stakeholders (teachers, coaches, guidance counselors, religious leaders).

Implementing the recommended format reform to enhance the competitive level of interscholastic football, which would allow for

member schools to receive sponsorship revenue corporate advertisers, can provide schools purchase “wish list” items

(technology hardware, services needed for students with disabilities ).

Goals -

An increased proportion of at-risk male youths leveraging the opportunity to earn a full-athletic scholarship offers, eliminating the

financial burden put upon low-income households to provide adequate financial support.

An improved interscholastic system that is built around access and, more opportunities for its disadvantaged participants.

Ancillary revenue circulated into the economy of local New York communities; local grocer and convenience stores experience

increased foot traffic during the regular season, resulting in higher revenue and increased employment; spur local volunteerism.

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Post-Season Format Reform Plan Methodology

Post-Season

Playoff Format

Reform

EP Plan

Implementation

Incoming classmen will aspire to mimic the accomplishments

of upperclassmen’s success; in return, their success will

strengthen their communities.

The EP Plan contains the implicit assumption that the

opportunity exists for disadvantaged male student-athletes to

leverage post-secondary options

Urgent

Motivation

Measurable

Participation

Results

Increasing

participation

incentives

Enhancing

team

competition

Improving

personal

performance

Increased

post-

secondary

options

Corporate

sponsorship

revenue

Increased

Physical

activity

Reform = A revised post-season football playoff format would make the sport competitive statewide for the first time. The EP Plan does not require any funding from the NYSED nor, the member associations of the NYSFSSAA

Urgency = A reformed format will trigger the mechanism in each participating male student-athlete, to begin the first projected stage of the EP Plan, which is to increase the practice of healthy physical activity.

Activity = Reduce the prevalence of childhood obesity and juvenile delinquency; enhance competition, create greater post-secondary opportunities for at-risk male youths, and leverage the popularity of the national popularity of football through the introduction of sponsorship activation to generate revenue for member schools.

Objective = The premise of the EP Plan is to help at-risk male student-athletes gain extra motivation , for maintaining a healthy active lifestyle and, matriculate to a the college /university level.

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Victory Cup Award Plan Rationale

The Victory Cup (VC) is a recognition award program plan was created to celebrate distinguished academic achievement

demonstrated by an organized interscholastic athletic team and cheerleading squad, each enrollment classification, from each of the

four athletic association members of the NYFSSAA, which collectively have excelled in the classroom.

The mission of the VC award is to integrate interscholastic athletics to team academic achievement and, to recognize the student-

athlete as an integral part of the student body, beyond the sports they are active in. With this in mind, the VC program concept is

designed to support the student-athlete development initiatives of NYSFSSAA member schools and to enhance the quality of the

student-athlete experience within the context of interscholastic education.

In the process of achieving this mission, the VC can be catalyst for initiating the following results:

Objectives –

A banner for promoting student-athletes’ ownership of their academic, athletic, career, personal and community responsibilities.

Assisting student-athletes in identifying and applying transferable skills; fostering an environment that encourages student-

athletes to effectively access campus tutoring resources.

Promote the respect for diversity and inclusion among student-athletes.

An opportunity to develop a testing ground for a wide variety of measures, data sets, methodological approaches, and social

conditioning modeling.

Goals -

Become a powerful vehicle for educators to use, to strengthen student-athletes’ commitment to academic excellence, personal

development and team solidarity and; increase academic standards.

Leverage initial VC award recognition to incite participants to motivate and encourage their teammates to sustain and/or exceed

their GPA average.

Increase the number of disadvantaged male and female student-athletes to excel academically, succeed personally, and

positively impact their community.

Increase boys and girls confidence while improving their literacy in science, technology, and mathematics; this is achieved, in

part, through involution, a mentoring model that will empower young adults to mentor younger boys and girls, and all participants

will learn how to collaborate and "find their voice" by working in teams.

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Conclusion

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Plan Base Points

Key Plan Base Premises

Focus on fitness – Learning the fundamental motor skills through sport (e.g., flexibility, coordination) can aid in skill development, but can also be transferred to other sports and leisure activities, promoting increased participation and healthy involvement. In a reformed and inclusive implemented format, young athletes will be enabled to enhance both fundamental motor skills (e.g., running, jumping and strength training) skills that could potentially allow them to leverage post-secondary options.

Criminal and/or Delinquent Behavior – A view taken is that, a youth who plays sports are more or less likely to be delinquent, because it could be argued that those kids were more or less likely to be delinquents in the first place. However, it is important to understand the relationship between school-sponsored sports and delinquency to the extent that students’ degree of involvement and attachment to their school deters or encourages them from engaging in delinquent behavior. Prevention strategies such as the format reform recommendation of the EP Plan, succeed when their are positive in orientation and comprehensive in scope.

Matriculation – In large part, the effectiveness of the EP Plan will be measured by the number of low socioeconomic male youths who transition onto universities, as the result of the EP Plan’s of reform. As part of the strategic process of the EP Plan, it is imperative that at-risk male youths be engaged early. It is the principal of the EP Plan sum up as, that at-risk male youths are better served to be enabled with a system and structure to leverage their natural abilities onto greater post-secondary opportunities. As opposed to the option of minimal employment prospects that generally await them, a likely scenario for individual that lacks the skills and training to serve in an financial and technological services-dominated economy and, healthy physical activity.

Policy inaction – After studying the issue for more than a year, the California Interscholastic Federation voted to begin offering title sponsorships for all state and regional championships staged by the federation, beginning with tournaments to be held in 2012. Their next enactment, which theoretical can be considered to compliment the sponsorship provision, the post-season football playoff format was revised so that the best regional teams in California will battle each other to go to the state bowl games. The EP Plan’s reformed NY interscholastic football post-season playoff format recommendation was devised under the precept that member school competition is more equitable on a state-wide basis when schools compete with other schools of similar competitive ability. As many charter schools are created with the original intent of providing a unique and innovative educational experience to its students; one that cannot be matched by the traditional public schools.

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Conclusion Statement

In the case of deliberating the recommendations that make up the EP Plan, all points of analysis begin with dissecting its format

structure and underlying philosophy. What is the value proposition of a system that delivers inefficient incentives year over year?

The answer to this question is self-evident and, is the driving force of the EP Plan, because far too many disadvantaged male youths,

who may or may not graduate with a diploma, often find themselves surrounding each other, idly loitering on the streets or embedded

in a couch cushion for hours on end, playing video games. Which only too often leads to the onset unhealthy living, reckless

behavior, which in its best case scenario can lead to simply disorderly behavior and, at its worst, and it leads to deadly violence.

What is needed is a radical shift from “business as usual” to a profound systemic, cross-institutional change that serves at-risk male

youths’ needs and capitalizes on their strengths. This shift in change is the underlying philosophy of the EP Plan which is defined as

the idea that student-athletes who compete at an elite level tend to spend more participating in preparation drills and film study during

the season to ensure a positive outcome on game day. This pattern of behavior and routine tends to influence other facets of their

lives and, has positive long-lasting effects into adulthood. Over the course of this period, the selective peer group is credited for

promoting and reinforcing behaviors that the wider society rewards (competitiveness, teamwork, persistence, sacrifice, etc), the other

component usually driving this behavior is the social connections that athletics participation promotes.

Important tenets of the EP Plan include the following:

Reduce poor academic achievement and truancy; improve the lack of positive peer influence; lack of school involvement; and

high levels of violence.

1) Increase the proportion of disadvantaged male youths’ who are physically active; 2) increase perception of obesity as a public

health risk, and 3) increase the consideration for healthy food choices.

Designing the EP Plan to ensure that interscholastic football participants get the benefits of more competition by proposing the

post-season format reform, and making sure that each player and, NY high school football as a whole makes measurable

progress.

Winning the fight against childhood obesity in low income, minority ethnic communities will depend on policy makers and public

services desire to change the social and physical environments in which these communities exist. This plan should serve as a critical

step toward eliminating the barrier to opportunity for at-risk male youths.

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