The Best of the 804 Announces Dates for 2014’s Inaugural Event Series
Richmond, VA (PRWEB) March 25, 2014 -- The team that developed and hosts the annual high school athlete showcase series to Virginia’s 757 area code region is bringing their series to the 804 this season and offering a multi-sport combine on June 28 at XL Sports World and a baseball showcase at the Virginia Sports Complex on August 16.
“This event series not only provides athletes with an opportunity to showcase their skills and compete against each other and the top in their region, but it is an event that the entire 804 community – athletes, fans, coaches and local businesses – can rally around,” said Suzanne Culotta, Event Director. “It brings a sense of pride, community and camaraderie within the 804."
The multi-sport combine is open to all high school boy and girl student athletes for $60 in advance or $75 the day of and will include performance testing, functional movement screen, and sports performance drills to showcase agility, reactivity, power, strength, and speed.
“When we say all high school athletes, we mean it in the truest sense of the word,” Culotta said. “We’re excited to see our volleyball, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, football and more athletes come out. If you play a high school sport in the 804, we want to see you.”
An obstacle course, similar to events like in the Tough Mudder series, will test the strength of the athletes and a clinic hosted by the Bon Secours In Motion Sport’s Performance Team, including physicians, sports performance expert and nutritionists, will be on hand to discuss injury prevention.
The baseball showcase, which costs athletes $75 through July 21 or $85 from July 21 to the day of the event, will feature the performance testing and a skills challenge as well as batting practice and pitching, as well as hitting and throwing velocities.
Athletes can register now for all of these events at http://www.bestofot.com/804. While athletes can walk up and register on site the day of, registration fees increase the closer the date gets to the event.
“Although there are other types of combines, camps and showcases targeting high school athletes, we have developed a highly unique concept and platform that combines athletic testing, coaching, skill competitions and cutting edge technology,” said John Cunningham, a founder of the Best of the 757 and Managing Partner of Best of Our Town, USA, the parent company for Best of the 804. “Our comprehensive model is by design and we believe this will continue to help differentiate us.”
Culotta is confident the 804 series will be equally successful to the 757 events, where attendance has grown, in part, because the event series has become known for its ability to profile top athletes in the noted sports by bringing them together to compete in a series of athletic tests and then work with top area high school coaches in a showcase to gain new skills.
Over the past seven years, the Best of the 757 event series has brought together more than 2,500 high school athletes in the Hampton Roads, VA market.
“As the only website that covers the entire state, VirginiaPreps.com is extremely proud to work with our Best of the 757 partners to take the camp and combine show on the road to the Richmond area for the first ever Best of the 804 event,” said Rod Johnson, owner of VirginiaPreps.com, the official media partner for the showcases series this year. “Folks around the state's capital know that their football is on par with every other region of Virginia and this will give them another chance to prove it. We are expecting big things from our first venture into the area and are wildly excited about getting an even closer look than usual at the players who light up the gridiron every Friday night.”
More than 175 football players who have competed in Best of the 757 combines, including 35 who signed letters of intent in early February, have gone on to play college football for, among other schools, the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, University of Maryland, Ohio State, East Carolina University, Old Dominion University, Christopher Newport University and the College of William and Mary.
Troy Williams, Anthony Barber and Devon Hall, top basketball player recruits in the nation who have signed with Indiana, North Carolina State and the University of Virginia, competed in the 2011 Best of the 757 basketball showcase. Other Best of the 757 alumni include Andrew Brown, the Gatorade National Player of the Year in 2014 who signed early with University of Virginia to play football and Jalyn Holmes, a high school All-American headed to Ohio State in the fall of 2014.
Each athlete who participates in these Best of the 804 events will receive an official event t-shirt, their results and photos posted on the Best of the 804 web site and a goodie bag with items from sponsors.
Sponsorships are available for events in both regions’ series.
Stephanie Heinatz, Consociate Media, +1 757.713.2199, [email protected]
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