GIU aims to strengthen community among coaches and athletes

Gridiron University is a leader in youth tackle football. For over 20 years GIU has hosted games and events that welcomed athletes like Tony Romo, Marcus Brady, and many more. From unique events like the Coaches Gala and Allstar games that host the best talent in the nation to SUNYFL, which is the Southern Utah and Nevada premier youth football league, GIU is committed to providing an experience that goes deeper than just the love of the game.

The GIU Brotherhood App changes the way coaches and athletes communicate. As a coach, you can now create teams and invite your players to a room where you can chat, share playbooks, gameplay footage, and motivational content that only your team can view. You can order team jerseys and uniforms through the app as well. As a player, there will be content from athletes and coaches around the world providing tips and information to help strengthen your game. 

Another main function of the app is access to GIU’s official charity, Cleats Across America, a non-profit devoted to providing new and gently used football cleats to children across our nation whose parents or guardians may not have the direct resources to provide. Cleats Across America Charity does not only help provide football cleats to children, but we like to think that we are help building new friendships, players sharing great stories of their accomplishments in the same pair of cleats, and building a better person through the unselfish act of giving to someone’s else child one pair of cleat at a time.

“It’s all about the kids. You know.. we all come from different circumstances in life, but all anybody needs is a fair chance and opportunity to prove themselves. I want them to know that they have a family that is for life in our brotherhood, and no matter how it can feel sometimes, they aren’t alone.”  President and founder of Gridiron University, Darry “Gator” Alton, responded when asked about the launch. 

To learn more about the GIU Brotherhood App, click here. Available now in the Apple IOS and Google Play store. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jT6zv-9p96Y

About Gridiron University

Gridiron University seeks to unite youth football players to empower and enable them to pursue their middle school, high school, college, and professional career. Through games, leagues, combines, friendships, and community. GIU has created a platform for opportunity that allows athletes to compete against the best of the best in the nation and will continue to do so into the future.

The GIU Brotherhood has grown and evolved over the years. Naturally, we love the game of football.. but we genuinely love to facilitate the friendships. When it is all said and done, the friendships made, brotherhoods formed.. last forever.

We have hosted hundreds of games over the years, and one thing that has continued to stand out 5, 10, 20 years after the game.. is how those who participated still connect with their teammates.. or opponents. Sports connect us in a way that only those who are involved understand.

As a player or alumni of a Gridiron University game, you are forever part of our brotherhood.. but what does that mean? We genuinely want to help players develop not only on the field, but in life, and we do so by working together to instill values that create young men who want more for themselves. Being a part of a team allows players to work towards something beyond just them, something focussed on the greater good. No matter the walk of life or circumstance, camaraderie is born on the field and brotherhood follows.

We strive to create this type of environment by hosting more than just games.. our Coaches Gala honor the coaches, and their families, who volunteer their time to share their passion for the game. Our charity, Cleats Across America, aims to provide access to the necessary gear needed to play the game, thus lowering the bar to entry. And our culture, which seeks to highlight that fact that all someone needs is an opportunity to prove themselves. When we select our players each year, it is more than just an acceptance to a game.. but an acceptance into a family. #GIUBrotherhood

Throughout the years we have hosted Allstar games that allow the best of the best to play against each other. These games have become a resume builder for players looking to get recruited into college and beyond. We’ve had numerous players from the GIU Brotherhood go on to the NFL, one of which was a quarterback in the first game we ever held.. his name is Marcus Brady.

Marcus was recruited to Cal State Northridge where he started for 43 games straight. He held the school’s all-time leads for completions, attempts, yards, and touchdowns. He then went on to play 7 seasons with the Canada Football League (CFL). After a professional career, Brady began his coaching career and was hired by the Montreal Alouettes his former team, to serve as their wide receivers coach in 2009. In 2018, Brady was hired by the Indianapolis Colts and has moved up to his current position, Offensive Coordinator. Brady has helped them reach the playoffs in 2018 and in 2020.

For us, it’s stories like this that get us excited. We love watching young talent bloom and lean into their potential to make their dreams come true. For 2022, we will be hosting Hawaii vs Utah in what is going to be an incredible showcase of talent. We are actively scouting now for team recruits, if you are interested.. be sure to have your highlights and stats ready!

There is the saying that you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. And that couldn’t be more true in the modern landscape where content, information, and hype move so quickly. Often times we forget that talent alone is not enough to carry us to the finish line, there has to be more, you have to put yourself out there. You also may have heard the saying that your network is your networth.. and THAT has been a fact for decades. Today we want to focus on networking and putting yourself in a position to open doors, be found, and make a lasting impression.

President and CEO of Gridiron University, Darry “Gator” Alton, recalled a story regarding networking. “There was one year I met Larry King. He wanted to have a conversation about his son that wanted to play in an upcoming game, in person, father to father. I remember I went to the airport one morning, this was back when it was on the hill in St. George, if you are from the area then you remember those times. Anyway.. I grabbed a flight out to LA and once I landed it felt like 15 minutes later I was pulling up to a house in Beverly Hills. It was a surreal moment in time for me like.. this is Larry King’s home?! When I knocked on the door he opened it with a “Gator hello” and for me I was in a daze.. like.. having a conversation with Larry being this easy felt unreal. We spoke about his son, watched highlights, talked stats, and he was just a great guy to have a conversation with. I thought about that experience and others like it over the years and realized that Larry King or not, he wanted to meet with me to have that in person conversation.. to get to know each other personally and the impact that carries in the long term. No matter how quick technology gets there is no replacement for face to face interaction.”

Football is a small world. The coaches, players, and executives all know or know of one another. When you are part of that world it is about meeting someone who likely knows someone to establish the connections. You have to be social in this landscape, shake the hands.. take the photos.. put yourself in the inboxes of those you wish to be in front of. Sometimes that means taking a humble approach and realizing talent or not, you have to actively put yourself out there.

For more information on recruiting you can look here. For camps and combines or information on upcoming games click this link.

For us here at Gridiron it is the best time of year, we solidify the state that will be pitted against Team Utah. This will be the 5th annual Kickoff Classic that hosts the best of the best from 8th grade, 9th grade, and the explosive senior showcase. For the Kickoff Classic 2022, the state that is coming to represent will be Hawaii!

Lead by veteran coach, Wendell Say, he will assemble a team to play in the Senior Showcase this December. Wendell Say is a proud graduate and athlete of Leilehua High School. Throughout his years of high school, Coach Say built many lifelong friendships. A “brotherhood” was formed. Friendships that followed him into college at Linfield College. In his own words here is something that he shared about those friendships, “He was my best friend in high school and my roommate at Linfield,” Say said about
teammate Dombroski. “We were all close-knit and still hang out together. Alex is a doctor, Rick has a law firm in San Diego, Paul has a business in Tampa. When we get together, it was like we were never apart. Sports brought us together. The grind in football taught us to not give up. I still keep in touch with Al Harris. It was special. I always tell our kids that they are going to remember these days. You remember the names, you remember the guys, you reminisce a lot.” After college, Coach Say went on to further his football career as the assistant football coach at ‘Aiea High School from 1980-1991. Which also led him to taking the reins as the ‘Aiea High School head coach beginning 1992 to this current day. In 2021, he finished his 42nd year coaching at ‘Aiea High School with 30 of those years as their head coach. His team moved on and won the Oahu Interscholastic Association (OIA) Division Championships. Within this same year Coach Wendell Say humbly accepted the honor of being named the OIA Division I Coach of the Year. As he continues to coach his Na Ali’i team, he has graciously taken on the opportunity to be the Head Coach for “Team Hawaii.

Cousins vs cousins, friends vs friends, haka vs haka, HAWAII vs UTAH. Who is going to Represent?!

It is important for recruitment that you are knowledgable about the process and are prepared ahead of time. Being proactive is always a best practice for any given situation, but it is even more important if you are or plan to be seeking recruitment. Academics, football IQ, highlights, experience, and other factors account for what schools are looking for in potential athletes for their programs. Below is a starter list of things to be aware of.

Have a plan

As an athlete you never go into an important game or match without a game plan. Plotting out your strategy helps you win, and it prepares you for any unexpected twists that you might encounter. Consider the recruiting process to be one of the biggest competitions of your life. It’s one that requires a perfect plan of attack.

Develop a Measurable Action Plan (MAP)

It’s extremely important for college recruits to be well organized, and that’s why a Measurable Action Plan is vital. A MAP provides a timeline for you to follow during each step of the recruiting process. It should include athletic goals, academic goals, a growing list of colleges that you are interested in, a checklist of coaches that you need to get in contact with, and much more.

Having a MAP can ensure that you’re being thorough. And being thorough is the key to finding the most scholarship opportunities at schools that are a good fit for you, and earning as many scholarship dollars as you can.

When does the football recruiting process start?

An GIURS scout can help you put your recruiting action plan in motion after a quick scouting evaluation. Getting an early start makes the recruiting process much more manageable in the long run.

1. The recruiting process started yesterday! Competition for football scholarships is very intense. Coaches identify talented athletes very early in their high school careers—in fact, 84% of Division I prospects are identified by the end of sophomore year. This means the advantage goes to student athletes who are active, informed and have a plan.

How do I get discovered?

2. College coaches scout based on verified information from neutral, independent sources like GIURS. Play your game well and you’ll be discovered—right? Wrong. College football coaches identify prospects using online tools and databases well before they show up to scout a game in person. Occasionally someone else will catch their eye, but they are primarily there for the prospects they have already identified.

How do coaches evaluate prospects?

3. The Internet is your best recruiting tool. College coaches don’t have time to attend every high school football game. The majority of them identify top prospects by watching highlight videos that they request or receive from a trusted third party. This is what will convince a coach to come out and watch you in person.

 Where am I qualified to play? 

4. Less than 1% of student athletes get a full ride to a D-1 school. Roughly 80% of football scholarships are offered by schools that do not compete in NCAA Division I football, so set your expectations accordingly.

What is my coach’s role?

5. Don’t leave your future solely in the hands of your high school coach. Getting recruited is a full-time job, and your football coach has a whole team of players who will be asking for their help. One coach does not have the time, resources, or relationships to get a scholarship for each of his players.

Cleats Across America is a non-profit organization devoted to providing new and gently used football cleats to children across our nation whose parents or guardians may not have the direct resources to provide. The spirit of sport being ushered through the donation of a pair of cleats goes beyond the giving of hardware to compete. These cleats have history, love, and passion. By providing to those who need, it is helping to build new friendships, creating shared stories of accomplishments in the same pair of cleats, and allowing for the opportunity at a fair chance to compete.

Founder and President of Gridiron University, Darry “Gator” Alton”, was asked about receiving his first pair of cleats.

Gator: “Mmmm (in reflection).  I can remember sitting in the locker room getting ready for my 1st practice. My Coach handed me ‘A pair of cleats”  that had been worn MANY times before me, I mean there was tape wrapped around the toes. The eyelets were rusted… the bottom was smooth, well it had cleat on it.. every other OTHER cleat (he laughs) But!! THAT was Inner City Detroit.. My family did not have any money let alone extra money. There was no other choice. In spite of all of that it didn’t matter, I felt a part of a team.. I just wanted to play football, and this allowed me to do so… I’m forever grateful for that.

To donate, you simply head over to http://www.cleatsacrossamerica.com and hit the “register” button and fill out a short form. To receive a pair of cleats, you can visit this link to register. It’s not just about the game! It’s about everything that comes with it. The lessons learned, the bonds formed, and the lifelong development that happens. We love football! But it doesn’t have to just be about that. It’s proven that participating in team sports, whatever it is, helps in the development of youth and adults in our communities.

Over the next few months our events aim to invest in the athletes skillsets and to help them progress in their positions. We hope to provide guidance the players can utilize for the rest of their lives.

Our combine helps to analyze each player’s skillset. We provide in-depth coaching during the event to help with individual progress. This is a chance for a player to get on their name on the radar and showcase their hard work throughout the season and offseason. During the combine, the top five players in the 8th grade bracket receive a place on the Kickoff Classic Allstar team and the top 3 players in the Freshmen bracket will earn automatic Kickoff Classic placements as well.

For SunYFL teams, the 7 on 7 Passing League takes place in April every year. If you play a skill position, the Passing League is imperative to position growth. This league is designed to help the young guys understand passing patterns and thus understand the overall game of football even better. By focusing on honing skills players can expect better timing, where to play in their zone, and for coaches this means overall improvement of the team dynamic on the field. 

For players, they begin by learning the route tree as this helps to prepare them with a strong foundation for high school. Being part of the Gridiron University Brotherhood, we put unprecedented focus on developing the core skills to ensure our players are prepared with the skills and knowledge to pull their weight on any team. The 7 on 7 Passing League coaches play a critical role in player development as they work with them through the summer. Registration for the 7 on 7 Passing League opens on February 1st and you can click here to learn more.

We are eager to continue to see players come through the programs here at Gridiron University go on to be recruited and do great things in their athletic careers. GIU is by far the best at providing guidance, coaching, and opportunity for those who are striving to become the best football player that they can be. Welcome to our brotherhood. #FaithFamilyFootball

“It’s an honor to showcase these young men and play these All Star Games on MLK day. This special day makes me feel a strong desire to preserve and continue fighting for justice for all people and these young men give me hope for a better tomorrow.” -Darry “Gator” Alton, President and Founder of Gridiron University.

Due to health and safety circumstances, the 2022 MLK Day Allstar Classics were cancelled.. but the significance and lessons that surround this day extend beyond the game and beyond one single day.

“The beauty of genuine brotherhood and peace is more precious than diamonds, silver, or gold.” -Martin Luther King, Jr. Teaching the values and companionship of brotherhood is of the upmost importance at GIU. These young men get to connect and learn to work as a team and to put the greater good of the team before ones own self. Some of these bonds created can last a lifetime.

Fair opportunity, the reason we do what we do is to allow these athletes their fair chance to seize special moments. We bring young athletes together to provide an opportunity for them to showcase skills against equally noteworthy talent. All we can ask for in anything that we do is a fair shot. What we do with that time is ultimately on us, there is power in that understanding.

Through Football, we are able to come together in learning lessons that these young men can take with them for the rest of their lives. Humility, brotherhood, dedication, and perseverance.. seeing these skills develop in our athletes keeps our passion alive, it’s why we do what we do. We look forward to seeing everyone at the upcoming events. #FaithFamilyFootball

New Years weekend Team Utah was pitted against The Nation and Team Oklahoma. The best of the 8th Grade Rising Stars, Freshman Rising Stars, and the Senior Showcase took place on January 1st, 2022.

The first football game featured the best of the best of SunYFL (3rd-8th grade). Each team had 35 players each and showcased their skills in the 8th grade All-Star game.

The 9th grade All-Star Football game consisted of Utah talent split across the state and faced a national team composed of players from all over America. For these kids, many of them may be state rivals that have come together to form a great team that creates lifelong bonds and friendship. By participating in this game, players add to a recruitment portfolio that can be used during their senior year by testing their abilities by some of the best this country has to offer.

The high school senior game saluted the kids preparing to finish their high school careers. We invite the 40 best seniors to represent the state of Utah that will face off against Oklahoma.

Gridiron University wants to thank everyone from the players, coaches, and refs to the parents and the city of St. George for helping to make this annual event possible.

We at Gridiron University also want to give a very special thank you to Darry “Gator” Alton, Founder and President of GIU for creating a platform for young athletes to stand on and showcase their skills. It is from a place of passion that this was born, and it is that passion that keeps the fire going.