New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees is launching his first football academy next summer, the Drew Brees Passing Academy and Tournament for high school players at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando.
The prestigious four-day academy, which is open to all skill levels but is expected to attract some of the most highly-ranked high school players in America from June 27-30, will involve elite-level instruction from Brees and other marquee NFL players and coaches. The academy participants will learn insider tips related to virtually every facet of the passing game, from the proper throwing motion to throwing on the run to taking command of the huddle, from one of the NFL’s elite quarterbacks.
Additionally, the athletes will have the unique opportunity to immediately put what they have learned to the test by taking part in three days of intensely-competitive 7-on-7 competition, a format which has been widely credited with helping accelerate the development of several current young NFL starting quarterbacks. The 7-on-7 competition will be run by KSA Events, the nation’s premier host of high school sports events.
“When you look at some of the top young players who are having a lot of success early in the NFL, being involved in 7-on-7 programs probably put them ahead of the curve as they moved forward in their careers,’’ Brees said. “My academy is designed to help more high school kids of all levels get the same type of competitive advantage. Not only will my academy provide these high school kids with NFL-quality instruction, great competition and a first-class sports facility at Disney, but there will also be off-the-field opportunities for these kids that, combined with the football camp, will make this a once in a lifetime opportunity that they will carry with them forever."
The academy is the latest collaboration between Brees and Disney. In 2010, Brees appeared in the famous “I’m Going to Disney World’’ commercial and Super Bowl parade at Walt Disney World following the Saints’ championship win over the Colts. In 2011, Brees acted as spokesman for Walt Disney World during the week of Super Bowl XLV in Dallas, Texas.
The academy also adds to the growing list of events at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex which offer youth athletes the opportunity to learn and train with marquee professional athletes and teams. Later this month, for instance, some of the nation’s top high school soccer players competing in Disney’s Soccer Showcase will train with stars from Italy’s famed AS Roma soccer team.
“This academy is unique in that the athletes not only are going to be trained by world-class football players such as Drew Brees, but they will be doing it at a world-class facility,’’ said Mike Millay, Director of Sports Development for Disney Sports. “It’s the ideal environment for any high school football player looking to take his game to the next level by learning the real art of the passing attack from one of the true masters of the game."
Teams can sign up for the academy at www.ksaevents.net/drewbreesacademy.
Proceeds from the academy benefit the Brees Dream Foundation, established in 2003 by Brittany and Drew Brees to help improve the quality of life for cancer patients and provide care, education and opportunities for children and families in need.
About ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex
ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, which hosts more than 350 events a year, is the leading multi-sport venue for amateur and professional sports in the nation, accommodating 70 different sports and athletes from more than 70 countries. Designed to take youth sports to the next level, the 255-acre facility features multiple competition venues, including Champion Stadium, the HP Field House, the Jostens Center, the Hess Sports Fields, a track & field facility, a tennis complex and a baseball/softball sportsplex. It is also home to the ESPN Innovation Lab, a real-world testing ground for the ESPN Emerging Technology Group that develops ground-breaking on-air products like Ball Track and ESPN Snap Zoom, as well as development of its new 3-D television channel. In addition, the complex features 56 high-definition cameras and 40 high-definition video screens, including three jumbo screens, which can capture and display footage from any event taking place at the complex. The camera and video screens, as well as a 20-zone audio system, are controlled through the state-of-the-art HD and 3-D Production Center with direct links to ESPN facilities in Bristol, Conn., New York and Los Angeles. For more information, visit disneysportsnews.com for news releases, photos and videos. Follow us on Twitter at @DisneySports and @runDisney, and on Facebook.
About KSA Events
KSA Events is a non-profit organization that hosts high school sanctioned sporting events to raise scholarship money for high school athletes to continue their education. Our mission is to develop and demonstrate the educational aspects of sports through interstate interscholastic athletic competitions. We do this by combining world-class competition facilities, experience in team travel and travel preparation, the responsibility of representing their organization through sportsmanship and citizenship and the opportunity to provide exposure to themselves, their team and their school and their community.
About The Brees Dream Foundation
The Brees Dream Foundation was founded in 2003 with a mission to improve the quality of life for cancer patients, and provide care, education and opportunities for children and families in need. Brittany and Drew Brees and the Brees Dream Foundation have collectively committed and/or contributed more than $13,000,000 to charitable causes and academic institutions. For more information, please visit www.drewbrees.com or follow Drew Brees on twitter at @drewbrees.
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