Damon Allen continues his commitment to Canadian athletics

Dec. 6, 2010 - PRLog -- PRESS RELEASE

CANADIAN FOOTBALL LEGEND DEDICATED TO PROMOTING GRASSROOTS FOOTBALL

December 6, 2010, Vaughan - Damon Allen dedicates his retirement to promoting youth involvement in sport. The former quarterback retired from the Toronto Argonauts in May 2008 after earning four Grey Cup Championships with four different teams, three Grey Cup MVPs and one CFL Most Outstanding Player Award. Born in the US, Damon Allen had an unprecedented 23 year, professional football career– and all in the CFL. He has since dedicated himself to helping the sport grow in Canada by encouraging youth to join the game.

“When a child or a teenager participates in sports, they not only get the health benefits, but they learn the value of commitment, creating goals and team work,” says Allen. “Whether or not they decide to go pro, these are important skills to have in every trade and business. It builds their character and their self esteem.”

The CFL is one of the oldest leagues in North America; this year’s Grey Cup marks the 98th anniversary of the football award. Though senior to NFL, and even senior to Canada’s national past-time league, the NHL, it has yet to garner the same level of recognition, fan support and athlete participation.

“Where I grew up in San Diego, everyone was crazy about football. All the kids would get together to watch the games. The CFL is a great league, with some incredible talent and exciting games to watch” says Allen.

To help promote the CFL to youth, he created the Damon Allen Quarterback Academy. The Academy provides one-on-one or group sessions training youth as young as eight years old to develop the fundamental techniques needed to quarterback.

“These are a group of kids that know exactly what they want and are committed to putting in the time and the effort to be great. I love going to work – I get to take their passion and channel it towards the right goals that will help them succeed,” says Allen. “When I played, I made ‘be great’ my motto, my mantra. These kids already have the attitude in place – who knows what they can accomplish.”

Damon Allen’s commitment excellence resulted in 72,381 passing yards, higher than any other player in professional football. He also reached 11,914 rushing yards, ranking Allen as the third-highest in CFL history – just 329 yards behind his brother, Pro-Football, Hall of Fame, Running Back Marcus Allen.  He is one of just three quarterbacks in league history to run 1,000 yards in a single season. Additional records held by Damon Allen include
•   CFL’s all-time leading passer – 72,831 yards
•   CFL’s all-time leader in passing touchdowns – 394
•   CFL’s all-time leader in pass attempts – 9,138
•   CFL’s all-time leader in pass completions – 5,158
•   Longest Pass Completion – 109 yards
His commitment to excellence to the CFL culminates in his induction to the Hall of Fame in 2011.

Projects by Damon Allen
The Damon Allen Quarterback Academy offers a program specifically designed to aid in the development of quarterbacks for all levels. Students engage in an outstanding training program focused on developing core skills vital to the success of a quarterback, allowing them to elevate their game to an elite level. Visit www.damonallen.ca to register.
Damon Allen High School Quarterback Challenge features 200 teenage quarterbacks from across Ontario who will partake in a series of football challenges and compete for a scholarship to a tier 1 Ontario University.  The event will help amateur football and quarterback talent in Canada grow. Visit www.damonallen.ca to register.
Outside the Pocket is a new online, broadcast channel featuring Damon Allen, Co-Host Tracy Lynn, and celebrity guests. Outside the Pocket talks about the real deal of the sports world – the guts, the glory and pulling no punches. Watch new episodes on Channel 9 Online, www.ch9.ca, every Monday night.

For more information, or to arrange an interview, a guest lecture or public appearance of Damon Allen, please contact Christine Testa, christine@thinkcompass.ca, (905) 264 – 8884 ext 29.

# # #

Promotional advertising and marketing agency - specializing in graphic design and consulting for businesses and not-for-profits