FAITH, FAMILY, FOOTBALL UNPLUGGED: COYOTES LEAD YOUTH ACCOUNTABILITY TEAM (YAT) MINI-CAMP

The Coyotes and their young protégés openly shared personal stories of battles with authority, anger, attitude, alcohol, drugs, foster homes, broken homes, family conflicts and even struggles with academics.

Coyote players identified the corrective steps they took in their lives that resulted in high school diplomas, college degrees, gainful employment, and football fame.

Afterward, the Coyotes “took it outside” – where they led the group in a rousing game of flag football. Judging by the fun and laughter, the impact of the day was truly felt by all.

Coyote captains Jake Sheffield and Gary Young led a group that also included defensive back John Paiz and rookie center Eric Amidei, along with Hall of Fame head coach J David Miller, and Director of Operations Cinthia Paiz.

Sheffield is a two-tour combat U.S. Marine, graduate of Arizona State, and now the Coyotes all-time sack leader. Young is the fourth all-time leading tackler at Bemidji State, where he graduated.

Amidei is a College of the Desert and West Liberty product. Paiz, a former walk-on, is now in his second full year with the Coyotes, and finished 2015 as the team’s leading tackler.

Riverside County Youth Accountability Teams are a collaborative and integrated multi-agency approach to rapid and effective intervention with at-risk youth and less serious juvenile offenders by providing necessary services to youth and their families.

YAT was established to combat juvenile crime and delinquency locally. The teams are located throughout the county and are a collaborative effort between the Probation Department, local law enforcement agencies, District Attorney’s Office, counseling agencies, and various school districts in the County.

YAT students receive supervision, accountability, school attendance and behavior monitoring, mentoring, and involvement in pro-social activities. A wide variety of counseling services are available, including substance abuse, anger management, and individual treatment.

It is the Coyotes second year of participation with YAT.

ON THE FIELD, 70 PLAYERS EACH YEAR earn the distinction of ‘Defending the Shield’ in the uniform of the SoCal Coyotes, recently named America’s #1 Developmental Pro Football Program.

Many will earn a shot with NFL, CFL or AFL opportunities, or graduate into business careers. Off the field, more than 30,000 Coachella Valley youth annually participate in Coyote Leadership Training and receive published Coyote Leadership Curriculum.

THE SOCAL COYOTES affect every community they touch. Coyote programs reach thousands of youth through coordinated efforts with numerous local charitable and civic organizations, including Boys & Girls Clubs, the YMCA, the Desert Strength Academy, the Boys & Girl Scouts of America, and Rotary International.

Discover more at www.facebook.com/thesocalcoyotes.

-Ron DiGrandi, SVP & Community Outreach ([email protected], 760.285.7073)