Boca Raton resident Ava Shmueli took home the girl’s 10-11 age title at the NFL Punt, Pass and Kick National Finals on January 14 in Baltimore, Maryland during the weekend of the AFC Divisional Playoff Game. The win by Shumeila capped off a great year for the Miami Dolphins Youth Programs department with the Miami Jackson Generals winning the 2011 NFL High School Player Development (HSPD) 7-on-7 tournament in Cleveland, Ohio and Dade County defeating Broward County 36-26 in the second annual Miami Dolphins Dade vs. Broward All-Star Football Game this past Friday in Sun Life Stadium.
Ava and forty young athletes from around the country competed in the NFL PUNT, PASS AND KICK National Finals on January 14 in Baltimore during the weekend of the AFC Divisional Playoff Game.
“I was so happy to win the NFL’s Punt Pass and Kick competition,” said Shmueli. “The entire experience was very exciting. I was so lucky to represent the Dolphins, and have a chance to work with Brandon Fields. The tips he gave me were priceless.”
Finalists competed separately in five age divisions at the Ravens’ team facility, with the top scorer in each group crowned national champion. All participants launched two punts, two passes and two kicks, with scores based on distance and accuracy (in feet). The best score from each activity was tabulated to determine the athlete’s total. All youngsters advanced to the National Finals through local, sectional and team championship competitions held throughout the NFL regular season. The top four scorers in each age group from around the country qualified as national finalists.
“We are very proud of Ava,” said Twan Russell, Director of Youth and Community Programs. “She represented our organization with the heart of a true champion and with great integrity “Recently we have won the NFL’s national 7-on-7 tournaments for the past two years and now the PPK national competition. These accomplishments speak directly to the strength of football in South Florida and the involvement of the Dolphins in fostering that success through clinics and camps provided by Dolphins Academy.
NFL Punt, Pass and Kick, which began in 1961 is celebrating its 50th Anniversary. It is the nation’s largest grassroots sports skills competition. NFL stars including Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterbacks Troy Aikman and Dan Marino competed in the Punt, Pass and Kick program as youngsters.
Credit Miami Dolphins