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PCA Updates

Impacting Youth at High School Media Day

by David Jacobson

07.20.2017

PCA staff and Trainers joined USA Football, MaxPreps, and the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium to support coaches and players from more than 30 high schools at the third annual High School Media Day. No team was more impactful in its media conference than California School for the Deaf, here answering a question from a reporter about how the players’ hearing impairments affect their competitiveness.

The event provided a unique opportunity for four or five student-athletes per team to learn from real-life experience in the media spotlight, resulting in coverage here, as well as in this article by Mitch Stephens of MaxPreps and the San Francisco Chronicle and this article by Darren Sabedra of the San Jose Mercury News.

Highlights of the media sessions included:

Menlo-Atherton High School players reflecting on the coaching style of Adhir Ravipati, which earned him the honor of accepting PCA’s Double-Goal Coach® Award on-stage at the 2017 National Youth Sports Awards Dinner and Benefit Presented by Deloitte.


Deer Valley High School Coach Robert Hubbard unveiling a banner celebrating his team’s 3.0 GPA and instructing his players to recite their individual GPAs in advance of their answers to each question from the media. One player spoke emotionally in defiance of public perceptions that “those kids can’t learn,” and Hubbard reiterated his willingness to sacrifice player eligibility and wins in the name of developing youth through sports and “doing it the right way at Deer Valley.”


The magnetic leadership of Junipero Serra High School lineman Nio Mafi (below, second from right).


PCA Partner high schools participating included Encinal, Independence, Junipero Serra, Live Oak, Los Altos, Los Gatos, Menlo-Atherton, Oak Grove, Piedmont Hills, and Pioneer. Each team after completing its media session hit the 49ers practice field for Heads-Up Football instruction from USA Football, including equipment fittings, proper tackling techniques, and drills meant to heighten skills while reducing contact in practice.


Here are more highlights, and check out #49ersHSMediaDay for many more photos!

David Jacobson was the Positive Coaching Alliance Senior Marketing Communications and Content Manager for over 12 years. He is a lifelong sports fan and participant, and even now enjoys playing pick-up basketball. David coached and officiated primarily baseball, softball and basketball, whether his two (now grown) children were on the teams or not.