Philadelphia Youth Football Academy

The Philadelphia Youth Football Academy is a sports based youth development initiative designed to mentor Philadelphia youth. PYFA assist youth from low-income families in Philadelphia with strengthening their chances to graduate from high schools and obtain full-time employment, become entrepreneurs or gain admission to post-secondary institutions.

Philadelphia Youth Football Academy exposes youth to positive role models and productive lifestyles to encourage them to remain in school and set positive goals for their adult lives.

Many Northwest Philadelphia youth attend schools that do not have athletic programming afterschool or football teams. Sports can have a positive impact on youth violence and crime whether used as a diversion from crime or as a hook to bring participants into a wider range of activities, at least in the immediate time-frame. Many youth also can’t afford to play for their neighborhood Pop Warner, youth league teams. Many of our targeted are hesitant to play full contact football. Participating in football is also a great way to release anger and stress.  Team participation increases self-responsibility and accomplishment. It  increases the overall morale at our targeted youth. Our targeted youth need assistance with increasing their academic performance, advice on dating; someone to link them to mini career internships and assist them with developing their overall social skills. This program assists in decreasing violence, suspension rates, assaults and high truancy rate. It will increase the absenteeism rate and the GPA’s of our youth, involved with our program.  Our program exposes our youth to positive and meaningful social, academic and recreational opportunities.  Youth participants receive guidance in their post-secondary transition as it relates to specific colleges and employment. Youth participants are be prepared to apply and gain acceptance to their respected colleges/universities, co-ops, internships and summer workforce programs.