Great Park to Host NFL Punt, Pass and Kick Competition

Young football fans compete for place in national contest

August 2, 2011 – IRVINE, California – The Orange County Great Park is calling local boys and girls ages 6-15 to showcase their football talents at the NFL Punt, Pass and Kick (PPK) competition on Friday, August 19. The competition is free, but participants must register by Wednesday, August 17. The competition will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on the new Great Park North Lawn.

Every year more than 3 million youngsters nationwide compete in the NFL Punt, Pass & Kick program. PPK offers boys and girls the opportunity to compete separately against their peers in punting, passing, and kicking contests with scores based on distance and accuracy.

Five age groups (6-7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15) are eligible to compete in separate boys’ and girls’ divisions. Participants must fill out an entry form, available through the “Sports Programs” link at www.ocgp.org/events. A valid birth certificate and parental signature are required for participation. Registrations are due by 8 p.m. on Wednesday.

The top finishers from each age group at each local competition will advance to a Sectional competition. The winners at the Sectional competition will have their scores compared with other Sectional champions; the top four scorers from the pool of Sectional champions advance to the Team Championship. Age-group champions at this level will be declared NFL Punt, Pass, & Kick Team Champions. The top four finishers in the boys’ and girls’ divisions within each age bracket from the pool of all Team Champions will qualify for the National Finals at an NFL playoff game in January.

All participants receive a certificate from the NFL, signed by Commissioner Roger Goodell. Prizes for age-group winners include ribbons, medals, awards and trophies.

For more information go to www.ocgp.org

About the Great Park

The Orange County Great Park, with its 1,347-acre master plan, is the focal point of the redevelopment of the publicly-owned portion of the 4,700-acre former Marine Corps Air Station, El Toro. The Great Park is currently nearly 60 acres and includes an iconic tethered helium balloon that rises 400 feet in the air, providing an aerial view of Park development. A $70 million development plan to expand the Park to more than 200 acres is currently underway, building on a core section of the Park for the most immediate and wide-ranging public benefit. The Great Park Farm, Palm Court Arts Complex, North Lawn recreation area and other features are already complete, and the South Lawn soccer fields and Community Garden will be complete in 2012. For more information, please go to www.ocgp.org

Press Contact:
Jenn Starnes
Public Information Officer
Orange County Great Park Corporation
(949) 724-6574