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Collinsworth helps Kentucky program

By Mike Scandura, Special to AmericanYouthFootball

Cris Collinsworth gave a lot during his days as a star wide receiver for the University of Florida and the Cincinnati Bengals.

Mostly he gave cornerbacks and safeties a good look at the back of his jersey as he hauled in a pass and zipped away for a long gain. Or even a touchdown.

Even now, as one of television's better pro football analysts, Collinsworth's still giving -- and it's more than his take on "Xs" and "Os." Perhaps his most satisfying endeavor was the time and money he gave to help build a state-of-the-art field at Highlands High School in Fort Thomas, Ky., which is home to the American Youth Football-affiliated Fort Thomas Junior Football League.

The reasoning behind Collinsworth's decision was as simple as kicking an extra point after a touchdown. Collinsworth, who has coached his four children in youth soccer and softball, relishes watching one of his sons play AYF football. But last season, when it appeared to rain on game day (Saturday morning) more often than not -- which made the field unplayable -- Collinsworth, in essence, said enough was enough.

"They didn't want (the field) torn up," Collinsworth told the Cincinnati Enquirer. "So about three times last year, we're up there with all these kids in full uniforms ... and we had to send them home because they wouldn't let them play. It was making me crazy."

Instead of banging his head against the proverbial wall, Collinsworth used it to come up with a solution, which led to a quest to install an all-weather FieldTurf field - -like the ones used by the University of Cincinnati, the Detroit Lions and the Seattle Seahawks.

The end result? The completion this year of a facility at Highlands High for which the Fort Thomas School Board paid exactly zero.

As in not one dime.

"He's the ideal guy to have in your town," Highlands football coach and director of athletics Dale Mueller told The Enquirer. "He's a guy who can get things done."

What was done is this: The school's Bermuda grass field was converted to NFL-quality synthetic turf (FieldTurf) and an instant-replay video screen was installed at the stadium.

Moreover, not only the high school team (which has won a record 15 state championships over the last 40 years) and the Fort Thomas Junior Football League will be the beneficiaries. Physical education classes and other Highland sports teams can use the field. Even the school band can use it for practice (ever try playing a trombone while marching in mud?). And the field's available for rental on a year-round basis, especially to youth soccer leagues.

"It's the best field I've ever seen, and it's going to generate money for the school system and its educational needs," Mueller was quoted as saying.

Collinsworth "generated" a major surprise last July when he made a pitch at a Fort Thomas School Board meeting for the all-purpose facility. According to his plan, Collinsworth would put together a group that would raise just over 25 percent of the cost of the project to prepare the field for conversion from grass to FieldTurf. And he would help the Highlands High School Athletic Association and the Lions Club raise the additional funds needed to complete the project.

As a means of speeding things along, the Fort Thomas City Council allocated a small sum to be spent over the next 10 years to fund the project.

Fortunately, Collinsworth and the school board didn't encounter any "red tape" because the Kentucky Department of Education places minimal restrictions on individuals or groups who wish to make donations for sports -- or virtually anything associated with schools.

Given the affection Collinsworth and his wife Holly have for the Cincinnati/northern Kentucky area, and for their preference to raise their family in his wife's hometown, Mueller wasn't exactly shocked at the former pro star's actions.

"(A dad) is all he tries to be when he's around here," he was quoted as saying. "He's a parent and a youth coach, and a concerned community member. He is great coaching kids. He's so nice and concerned with them, like they are the most important thing in his life."

Collinsworth's "life" in front of a TV camera has drawn rave reviews. He replaced John Madden on Fox TV's NFL games this season and he's also a major contributor to HBO's weekly "Inside the NFL" show.

During his playing days, Collinsworth was a three-time All-Pro selection with the Bengals before hanging 'em up just prior to the 1989 season. Moreover, he does much of his preparation from his Fort Thomas home, which enables him to spend more time with his family -- and which now enables him to watch youth football regardless of Mother Nature's whims.

Story courtesy Red Line Editorial, Inc.