Parents’ Review Of The Junior Rank Academic All American Game
All-Star parents, Sandra and Arthur Araiza, reviewed their experience at the Junior Rank Academic All American game exclusively for us. Youth Football Online All-Star Isreal “Izzy” Araiza was the only 11 year old in the game so he was undersized, however he was able to hold his own and have success blocking for his QB. As you’ll learn from the review below, the Junior Rank game wasn’t just about an all-star football game. The winner or loser of the game didn’t matter. Emphasis at the event was centered around the importance of character building and academic excellence.
It was such an exciting atmosphere and a great honor to have been a part of youth football history as parents of a participating student athlete in the Junior Rank Academic All American Game, 13 and Under. The magnitude of this event was extraordinarily high. It was such a rewarding and yet humbling experience for these young men aspiring to do great things on and off of the field. The Junior Rank Academic All American game was a well organized event, and celebration of some of the top youth football players from across the country. Right off the bat, Mr. Berry made it clear how the boys should carry themselves and represent themselves for this magnificent event. High ranking officers in the United States Marine Corps. talked to these young men with words of wisdom, courage, and inspiration. It was so moving to see how motivating this was for these young men.
This was such a rewarding experience for our son to see how far all of his hard work in the classroom combined with talent on the football field can take him. This experience was a great opportunity to see where our son Isreal measured up with the best of the best. This event made it possible for us to see where he is at now and where he needs to develop to continue to play at a high level. This alone is PRICELESS. We could see the changes in Isreal’s play within days of working with these coaches. He is definitely returning home a more refined player.
The Game & Other Activities:
The Jerseys and helmets were one of a kind. The boys got to ride in travel buses wrapped with US Marines and Semper Fidelis Logos to and from practice, as well as special events such as the The Fiesta Bowl Parade and Arizona Cardinals Game. All of the Junior Rank & Semper Fidelis All American Players got to be a part of the Fiesta Bowl Parade. Each 14 and 13 & Under player was buddied up with a Semper Fidelis High School All American Player as a big brother. This game itself took youth football to another level. The coaching staff all around was made up of both former NFL, and College players as well as coaches. This was definitely football on a higher level. The talent of both the East and the West teams was nothing short of superb. The linemen were not only big, but strong and athletic. The Linebackers were fast, tall, and lights out hitters. Offensively, the talent in the skilled positions category was ridiculous. I had never seen a 13 year old run perfect routes and use double moves. The speed of the running backs was impressive. The defensive backs were very skilled.
The entire time the Junior Rank Staff and Speakers put a heavy emphasis on Character, and Academics, stressing that without these two characteristics, talent alone is not enough to receive a college scholarship offer. The game itself was exciting as the young men warmed up like pros getting a sneak preview of what the future holds for some of these players. It was simply put, ” A World Class Experience”. The game was a big deal, Junior Rank is a big deal. I would love for my son to be so fortunate as to be selected next year. This was a phenomenal experience, and a memory that will last a lifetime.
