Fernley High football coach Dave Hart has been chosen by the National Football League to participate in its Youth Football Summit and Pro Football Hall of Fame festivities.
Hart will be heading to the Hall of Fame in August. He was chosen as Nevada's delegate and will be among 150 coaches, administrators and other supporters of youth and high school football to attend the summit. Hart has coached youth football for 25 years and at Fernley for 22 years.
Several football experts and NFL coaching greats will be on hand to discuss topics vital to the continued success of youth and high school football.
New Hall of Fame inductee Jim Kelly will speak about the importance of youth and high school coaches while Hall of Famer Lynn Swann, the recently appointed chair of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, will discuss the importance of sports and physical education for kids.
Hall of Fame coach Bill Walsh, who directed the San Francisco 49ers to three Super Bowl titles, will discuss football strategy. Former Minnesota Vikings coach Dennis Green, will discuss successful football programs on and off the field.
Other topics and presenters will include:
Best practices from several of the country's top 20 high school footbal programs.
Strength and conditioning tips, nutrition, injury prevention and first aid from NFL youth football consultant Dr. Barry Goldberg and Dr. Bob Murray of the Gatorade Sports Science Institute.
Role playing demonstrations on handling coach-player relationship issues by motivational speaker Zach Minor.
Tips on inspiring youth and high school football players from sports psychologist Dr. Kevin Elko.
An interactive forum and round table discussions led by representatives of the American Football Coaches Association, the National High School Athletic Coaches Association and the National Federation of State High School Associations.
High school football coaches from across the country were given a chance to attend the summit by entering a nomination and essay contest. Coaches wrote about their coaching careers, commitment to youth and coaching philosophies.
A blue-ribbon panel from each state reviewed the essays and 50 coaches -- one from each state - were chosen.
Participants will also attend the Hall of Fame induction ceremony.