Author: gridiron

Well, we learned last year that the south loves ALUMNI FOOTBALL. So, this year, we’ve expanded our schedule to further accommodate the growing number of alumni football players. Last year, we had 5 games in the South. 3 games in Louisiana and 2 in Georgia. So far this year, it looks like we’re going to repeat the games in Louisiana as well as picking up games in Tennessee, Georgia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Arkansas, and North Carolina. We also have games brewing in Oklahoma, Mississippi, Alabama, Virginia, and Florida.

Our commitment to putting on a quality football event has helped us pick up these other games and made it possible for us to bring the joy of Playing Football One More Time a reality for thousands of players in the South the year! Here’s to a great spring!

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. Many Alumni Football players share in the same tradition that I like to call the 4 “F’s”

Food
Family
Football
Friends
So, from our family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving!

Just wanted to let you all know that things are always getting better here at Gridiron Alumni. Putting on Alumni Football Games is not easy business if you care about your players.

In the past 6 months, we have done so much to improve the game itself. We really believe that we put on some of the best football in the nation. One thing we have noticed is the difference between the number of guys who have signed up and the number of guys who show up. Between registration and game day, there is about a 50% drop-off. That’s a lot of people who are excited about playing football, but somehow can’t pull the trigger on playing when it comes down to game day.

We recently sent out a survey to all of our “ghost” players and we got some tremendous feedback. We have the Top 3 reasons listed and what we have done to help get you to the game.

REASON #1: It costs too much money!

ANSWER: We have now adopted a new player fee system that allows players to Pick Their Price. Our Player Registration Fee is $79. If you choose to pay at the time of registration, we have given you a discount of $20. After that, you have up to 7 days before the game date to make your player fee of $79. If you are a last minute type of guy, then we ask that you pay a small $20 convenience fee, so your fee is $99 instead of $79. Please note that games that do not have 25 players PAID on both teams 30 days before their game date will be postponed.

REASON #2: I had to work that day!

ANSWER: With over 30 days before any game date is scheduled, we have given players plenty of time to ask for the day off. Please make sure to notify your employer AS SOON AS YOU KNOW THE DATE! As an employer myself, I can work around your schedule if you just give me plenty of advanced warning.

REASON #3: I didn’t have time to practice with the guys.

ANSWER: While we would love it if you all could make every practice, we and your teammates understand that you have adult obligations. Work and family take a lot of time. If you can’t make practices, just let your team leader know. YOU CAN STILL PLAY!! Don’t use this as an excuse to not show up. Remember that practice is optional, but it’s also helpful.

So, hopefully that will help some of the players out there get in game! As always, please CONTACT US should you have any questions, comments, or suggestions.

In the Silver state of Nevada, there isn’t much of a bigger rivalry than Douglas vs. Carson. Douglas and Carson High have been playing for almost 100 years, so I am told. That’s a lot of bad blood. Recently, Joey Crandall wrote a very nice article on Gridiron Alumni and putting together a rivalry game between alumni of Douglas and Carson. SEE ARTICLE HERE!

Well, it might have been a record how both teams had 35+ players in less than 5 days. The game will be played in the spring of 2012 and the Douglas Tigers will get home field advantage. Players have signed up from all over the nation to come back to this homecoming. Keep your eyes peeled for more details. Thanks again to Joey Crandall for going above and beyond the call of duty with his fantastic article.

A company is made and sometimes broken by the decisions they make. While some companies put on alumni football games with inferior used equipment and hand me down uniforms, we always try to use the safest equipment we can afford. This last year, we bough 100 new helmets. We also bought 100 used helmets from a dealer in San Antonio we were referred too.

The helmets were in good condition. I would’ve put my head in any of them. However, I recently sent in 67 helmets to be painted red and reconditioned. Imagine my dismay when I found out that 32 of used helmets had turned 10 years old 7 days ago. Under the new reconditioning guidelines, reconditioners are not able to re-certify a helmet that is 10 years old or older, regardless of it’s condition. So, I missed using the helmets by one week.

After careful consideration, I decided that even though we are not governed by high school standards, safety has to come first. Therefore, at much cost to us, we have eliminated all helmets that turned 10 years old last week. In addition, we bought some Schutt Air XP’s and Schutt DNA Pro + helmets this week. All of our helmets now either carry a 2011 certification sticker or are brand new this year. When I played alumni football for another company, the gear was shotty at best. Their lack of concern for player safety is one of the reasons that I started my own company. I pledged that my gear would always be good and player safety would come first.

Removing a grand total of 87 helmets from our inventory meant taking a big hit in the fiscal department, but I believe YOU ARE WORTH IT! I’m sure your friends and family would agree.

One of the things we pride ourselves in is having really top notch equipment. After all, you’re paying good money. You should get good equipment to go with it. When I played in my first alumni game, we actually all chipped in $45 and bought our own jerseys. The second year, we didn’t have enough money as a team and we took what they gave us. Well, let me tell you, those jerseys should have been in a museum. They had to be older than I was.

I hear someone out there saying “How old were they?” and I can’t help but sheepishly say that I didn’t know that the apostles had their own football team. While we can’t order every color combinations, we try hard to have what our customers need. This year, we noticed that if we were to get red and purple jerseys, they would really get some good use.

In addition to new jerseys, we have decided to take a portion of our black and white helmets, now totally 220 and have some of them reconditioned and repainted by SunValco in Tempe, AZ. Gary over there gave us a sweet price on them and we’re hoping to have them back for Lodi and Galt to wear them on 9/24 and 9/25 respectively.

This year alone, Red will be worn by Galt and Trinity. Purple will be worn by Tokay, Portola, and Oroville. As always, we order every number between 00 and 99, so nobody’s favorite number is left out.