Mid-American Conference

USA FOOTBALL INTRODUCES FOOTBALL DEVELOPMENT MODEL COUNCIL
MAC COMMISSIONER DR. JON A. STEINBRECHER NAMED TO COUNCIL
 
INDIANAPOLIS – USA Football, the national governing body for football and a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee, announced today the formation of its Football Development Model Council to guide the formation of the first national application of a long-term athlete development model for the sport.
 
USA Football announced its 20-person council, which includes MAC Commissioner, Dr. Jon A. Steinbrecher as one of two collegiate administrators, as the council is led by Dr. Brian Hainline, the NCA’s Chief Medical Officer.  The council is comprised of leaders across sports science, athletic development, youth, high school and college football.
 
“I am honored to have been asked to serve on this council and look forward to the task to help develop a long-term developmental model for the sport,” said MAC Commissioner, Dr. Jon A. Steinbrecher. “The collaboration of our leaders within our council provide a diversity of background from medical and child development specialists, along with youth, high school and collegiate coaches and administrators.”
 
Aligned with the U.S. Olympic Committee’s American Development Model, the Football Development Model (FDM) centers on physical literacy and developmentally appropriate skill instruction.  The FDM serves as a framework for how football is presented, practiced and coached from youth through adulthood, spanning varying game types and options.  
 
“The FDM is an athlete’s roadmap – at any age – to enjoy the fun of football by participating in sport activities that are developmentally appropriate physically, mentally and socially,” said Dr. Brian Hainline, chairman of the Football Development Model Council and the Chief Medical Officer of the NCAA.  “Part of the model’s forward thinking is that you learn to become an athlete before you learn to become a player. When sports programs adopt the FDM, athletes will perform better, play longer and gain a lifelong path to athleticism, health and wellness through football.”
 
“Our FDM Council is a tremendously diverse and knowledgeable group of experts,” said USA Football CEO Scott Hallenbeck. “Each member will help deliver a first for our football family, employing a holistic framework to reimagine how football is played, coached and experienced.”
 
Football Development Model Council
Medical/Child Development Specialists
Dr. Brian Hainline (Chairman), NCAA Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Gerard Gioia, Division Chief of Neuropsychology, Children’s National Health System
Dr. Michael McCrea, Professor of Neurosurgery & Neurology, Medical College of Wisconsin
Dr. Johna Register-Mihalik, Assistant Professor Exercise & Sport Science, University of North Carolina
 
Long-Term Athlete Development and American Development Model Specialists
Dr. Stephen Norris, Professor of Applied Physiology, Mount Royal University Calgary (Canada)
Dr. Paul Roetert, Former Chief Executive Officer, SHAPE America
Mr. Chris Snyder, Director of Coaching Education, United States Olympic Committee
 
Football Subject Matter Advisors
Dr. Jon Steinbrecher, Commissioner, Mid-American Conference
Mr. Todd Berry, Executive Director, American Football Coaches Association
Mr. Anquan Boldin, Former NFL Player
Mr. Elijah Brooks, Running Backs Coach, University of Maryland
Ms. Callie Brownson, Assistant Football Coach, Dartmouth College
Mr. Jon Butler, Executive Director, Pop Warner Little Scholars
Mr. Brad Garrett, Assistant Executive Director, Oregon School Activities Association
Mr. Scott Heitland, Head Football Coach, Dallas Center-Grimes (Iowa) High School
Mr. Kirby Hocutt, Director of Athletics, Texas Tech University
Ms. Janan Miller, League President, Hill Country Pop Warner (Austin, Texas)
Dr. Karissa Niehoff, Executive Director, National Federation of State High School Associations
Mr. Richard Raphael, President, Xtreme Youth Football (Miami, Fla.)
Mr. Buddy Teevens, Head Football Coach, Dartmouth College
 
 
MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE
Founded in 1946, the Mid-American Conference is an NCAA Division I, 12-member conference that sponsors 23 championships and is one of 10 members of the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). With total enrollment of nearly 300,000 students, the league represents institutions of higher learning in five states – Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New York and Ohio.
 
Current MAC schools and the year they joined are – East Division:  University of Akron (1992), Bowling Green State University (1952), University at Buffalo (1998), Kent State University (1951), Miami University (1947), Ohio University (1946).  West Division:  Ball State University (1973), Central Michigan University (1971), Eastern Michigan University (1971), Northern Illinois University (1975-86, rejoined in 1997), University of Toledo (1950), Western Michigan University (1947).  The conference office is based in Cleveland, Ohio.
 
USA FOOTBALL
USA Football designs and delivers premier educational, developmental and competitive programs to advance and grow the sport.  As the sport’s national governing body, member of the U.S. Olympic Committee and organizer of the U.S. National Team for international competition, USA Football partners with leaders in medicine, child advocacy and athletics to support positive football experiences for youth, high school and other amateur players.