{"id":402951,"date":"2024-06-14T18:31:27","date_gmt":"2024-06-14T18:31:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=402951"},"modified":"2024-06-14T19:05:20","modified_gmt":"2024-06-14T19:05:20","slug":"nike-kickoff-classic-returns-with-international-high-school-football-game","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=402951","title":{"rendered":"Nike Kickoff Classic returns with international high school football game"},"content":{"rendered":"

For the third year, Nike and the NFL<\/a> will partner to host high school football events to celebrate the beginning of the youth season. This year, it comes with an additional element: The <\/span>boys<\/span> game will be an international matchup.<\/span><\/p>\n

Washington High School (Massillon, Ohio) will take on The NFL Academy based in the United Kingdom as the league works to expand its following to a broader international base. Washington Massillon, which has had a football team since 1894<\/span>, according to the <\/span>event’s<\/span> press release<\/span><\/a>, has the second-most wins in high school football history (948) and is coming off an undefeated, 16-0 season.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Washington Massillon finished No. 10 in the 2023 USA TODAY Sports Super 25. (USA TODAY Network)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The NFL Academy, which has <\/span>a location<\/span> in the United Kingdom and <\/span>in<\/span> Australia, is a football development program offering intensive training alongside full-time education.<\/span> In total, 30 alumni have received a football scholarship in the United States, 19 of whom played for a Div. I program.<\/span><\/p>\n

On the girls side, De La Salle High School (La.) will take on South Anchorage High School (Alaska) in a flag football game. De La Salle is coming off an <\/span>undefeated championship season<\/span><\/a> under the New Orleans Saints Girls High School Flag Football league, and South Anchorage went 12-4 in its inaugural season last year<\/span>, according to MaxPreps<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

These games will take place at the Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, on Aug. 22. Each will be live-streamed on the NFL YouTube channel and <\/span>then<\/span> aired again on the NFL Network on Aug. 31.<\/span><\/p>\n

Over the past two years, Nike and the NFL have used this game <\/span>as an opportunity<\/span> to introduce athletes to the business side of sports in <\/span>the<\/span> Nike facilities, provide mentoring and training opportunities,\u00a0and grow flag football at the grassroots level.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cG<\/span>rowing things from a grassroots standpoint shows that you care about the future of the game <\/span>in a tangible way<\/span>, and celebrating it by actually playing a game on (<\/span>Nike\u2019s<\/span>) campus is the best tribute to that,<\/span>\u201d <\/span>said Roman Oben, a former NFL player who is the vice president of NFL Football Development, in an interview last year.<\/span><\/p>\n

That will continue this year, with\u00a0the international game incorporated into the programming for the first time.<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition to this event, the NFL Academy has more games <\/span>lined up<\/span> against high school teams. Edgewater (Fla.), De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) <\/span>and<\/span> IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) will all travel to Europe to play against the academy during the season.<\/span><\/p>\n