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American Football Without Barriers will head to Germany for its seventh-annual AFWB Football Camp February 23-24 in Oberhausen

Sunday, February 10th, 2019

American Football Without Barriers (AFWB), a nonprofit created by former Carolina Panthers and Cleveland Browns tight end Gary Barnidge, former Super Bowl champion offensive tackle Breno Giacomini, and Yum Brands engineer Ahmed Awadallah, to teach American football to men, women and children around the world, will host its seventh-annual football camp February 23-24 at the König-Pilsener-Arena in Oberhausen, Germany.

Barnidge will lead a contingent of current and former NFL players to Germany that includes quarterbacks Brett Hundley (Seattle Seahawks) and Kevin Hogan (Denver Broncos), retired running backDeAngelo Williams (Carolina Panthers and Pittsburgh Steelers) and tight end Jordan Cameron (Cleveland Browns and Miami Dolphins), wide receiver Cam Meredith (New Orleans Saints), offensive linemen Ben Garland and Alex Mack (both of the Atlanta Falcons), fullback Roosevelt Nix (Pittsburgh), tight end Austin Hooper (Atlanta), defensive linemen Jabaal Sheard (Indianapolis) and Vernon Butler (Carolina), linebacker Barkevious Mingo (Seattle) and defensive backs Chris MiltonMathias Farley, Nate Hairston and Kenny Moore (all of Indianapolis).

The seventh-annual AFWB Football Camp is completely FREE and it is open to men, women and children of all ages and experience levels. Two camps and a coaching clinic will take place each day on Saturday, Feb. 23 and Sunday, Feb. 24.

In addition, an all-day autograph signing is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 22 from 11 am – 7 pm at the Centro Mall in Oberhausen.

For gaming fans, an EA Sports Madden Football Tournament will take place in-between camp sessions at König-Pilsener-Arena on both Saturday, Feb. 23 and Sunday, Feb. 24, and on Saturday, the 23rd, the first-ever combined meeting of NFL German Fan Clubs will take place at the Centro Mall in Oberhausen. Fan clubs set to attend include the German Birdgang Cardinals, Miami DolFans Germany, Niner Empire Germany, Steelers Nation Germany, Denver Broncos Germany, Cowboysnation Germany, Cincinnati Bengals Fans Germany, German Titans, 49ers Germany, German Seahawkers e.v., Minnesota Vikings fans Germany e.v., Carolina Panthers Germany, German Indianapolis Colts Fans as well as fan clubs representing the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers.

In total, the AFWB contingent will spend nine days in Germany from February 20-28.

AFWB’s contingent will arrive in Dusseldorf on Wednesday, Feb. 20. On Thursday, Feb. 21, AFWB will participate in a community event in conjunction with the Gerald Asamoah Foundation. Asamoah is a former German soccer player from Ghana who suffers from a heart condition, hypertrophic non-obstructive cardiomyopathy, and now runs a foundation which supports children with heart disease.

On Sunday, Feb. 24, AFWB will attend the Borussia Dortmund soccer match against Bayer 04 Leverkusen and the players will meet American soccer sensation Christian Pulisic following the match.

The AFWB contingent is scheduled to travel to Munich on Monday, Feb. 25 where the group is scheduled to visit the Neuschwanstein Castle and the Dachau Concentration Camp. The group will also travel to Austria and spend time in Salzburg and Flachau before returning to the States on Feb. 28.

American Football Without Barriers is a nonprofit organization dedicated to globalizing American football and reaching underprivileged communities with a humanitarian message. In addition to international camps, AFWB hosts several camps in the U.S. aimed at teaching underprivileged kids to play American football. Germany will join China (2013), Brazil (2014), Turkey (2015), Egypt (2016), Finland (2017) and Portugal (2018) as international countries that have hosted AFWB camps. To learn more about American Football Without Barriers, please visit http://afwbcamp.com/.

Looking beyond 2019, AFWB is currently accepting applications for countries interested in hosting a camp in 2020. For more information about hosting an AFWB camp, visit http://afwbcamp.com/ or email camp director Todd Buelow at director@afwbcamp.com. Applications are due by May 30, 2019.

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American Football Without Barriers (AFWB) to hold sixth-annual football camp in Portugal

Thursday, February 22nd, 2018

American Football Without Barriers (AFWB) to hold  sixth-annual football camp in Portugal

American Football Without Barriers (AFWB), a nonprofit created by former Cleveland Browns tight end Gary Barnidge, Houston Texans tackle Breno Giacomini and Yum Brands engineer Ahmed Awadallah, to teach American football to men, women and children around the world, will host its sixth-annual football camp March 10-11 in Algarve, Portugal.

Barnidge will lead a contingent of 15 current and former NFL players who will split time between Lisbon and the Algarve region in Portugal. The list of additional players scheduled to attend includes former Buffalo Bills Hall of Fame wide receiver Andre Reed; Oakland Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch; former Pittsburgh Steelers and Carolina Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams; Indianapolis Colts defensive ends Barkevious Mingo and Jabaal Sheard; Colts defensive backs Chris Milton and Matthias Farley; Browns quarterback Kevin Hogan; Atlanta Falcons guard Ben Garland; New England Patriots defensive back Johnson Bademosi; Pittsburgh Steelers fullback Roosevelt Nix and tight end Xavier Grimble; Texans quarterback Josh Johnson, and former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints fullback Erik Lorig.

This year’s AFWB camp is being hosted by the Algarve Sharks, a member of the Liga Portuguesa de Futebol Americano (LPFA). Algarve is currently in the early stages of raising funds to build Europe’s first-ever American-football-only stadium and Portugal will join China (2013), Brazil (2014), Turkey (2015), Egypt (2016) and Finland (2017) as countries that have hosted AFWB camps.

The sixth-annual AFWB Football Camp is completely FREE and it is open to men, women and children of all ages and experience levels. For more information or to register for the camp, visit http://afwbcamp.com/ or contact Todd Buelow, the director of the AFWB camps at director@afwbcamp.com or (704) 458-2119.

“We are honored to have NFL players take time out of their busy offseason to come spread American football across Portugal,” said Algarve Sharks Coach Lance Heron. “It is the first time we can remember this many NFL players coming to our country. We feel blessed they are willing to commit their time to grow American football as well as highlight Portugal’s nonprofits that are doing great work in our community.”

“It is our mission to visit countries where the NFL has not invested heavily to help grow the sport,” added Barnidge. “It’s a great privilege to use our platform as current and former NFL players to help grow the sport we love, as well as use the media exposure to highlight nonprofits that are helping to improve the lives of future generations.”

In total, the AFWB contingent will spend eight days in Portugal from March 7-14. The group will be in Lisbon for various activities March 7-8 and 13-14, and in Algarve for the camps March 9-12. A number of community events have been embedded in the group’s schedule, including a visit to a NATO air base, a visit with victims of the deadly 2017 wildfires that ravaged Portugal, and a visit to a Portuguese orphanage and home for neglected children. The actual football camps will take place March 10-11 in Faro, the capital of Portugal’s Algarve region. There will be a total of five sessions, including a coaching clinic.

The 2018 AFWB football camp is presented by lead sponsors TAP Air Portugal and Anantara Vilamoura Algarve Resort. Additional partners include The Algarve Sharks, The U.S. Embassy Portugal and Sport TV. Supporting sponsors include Tivoli Hotels and Resorts, AlgarExperience, Fundacao Luso Americano, Jambo Athletic, GridironMVP Bionutrients and Spikes Restaurant in Bale do Lobo. AFWB team sponsors include BeastMode Apparel and The DeAngelo Williams Foundation.

“We are fortunate that so many great brands recognize the impact we are having on lives across the world,” explained Giacomini. “It is because of these generous sponsors that we are able to conduct free American football camps around the world and bring attention to the many nonprofits that serve these amazing countries we visit.”

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NFL PLAYERS ANNOUNCE FINLAND AS THEIR SITE FOR 2017 INTERNATIONAL CAMP

Tuesday, February 14th, 2017

NFL PLAYERS ANNOUNCE FINLAND AS THEIR SITE FOR 2017 INTERNATIONAL CAMP

American Football Without Barriers aims to globalize the sport of American Football, with camps and outreach to underserved communities.

American Football Without Barriers is proud to announce their 5th annual camp and charity visit to take place in Helsinki, Finland, February 21st thru March 1st, 2017. The event is organized by the SAJL a Finnish government approved non-profit organization that promotes American Football and its different variations in elite and recreational playing by spreading knowledge of the game in Finland.   After successful camps in China in 2013, Brazil in 2014, Turkey in 2015, and Egypt in 2016 12 top National Football League (NFL) players are heading to Finland, the first AFWB International camp in Europe.

The NFL players working with AFWB are passionate about sharing their professional skills with emerging fan bases around the world and spreading their commitment to service and leadership. The 12 professional athletes will include All-Pro Tight Ends Gary Barnidge and Jordan Cameron, Super Bowl Champion Breno Giacomini, and All-Pro Running Back DeAngelo Williams.  Over the course of the week they will teach on-field technical skill building and leadership to Youth, Women, and Men that are part of SAJL. The players will also hold a Coaches Clinic with in-class instruction and on-field implementation.

As part of their global goodwill tour, the players have designated two days of community outreach and will be visiting various non-profits in and around Finland.

The NFL players will be hosted locally by SAJL, the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) recognized governing body of American Football in Finland, and the organizers of the Finland Mens and Womens National Team. SAJL currently has 39 Member Clubs with over 3000 players, and is actively engaged in growing American Football among the Finnish Men, Women, and Youth. They have National Teams for men, women, under 19, under 17, and under 15.  Since 2000 annual American Football numbers have tripled (annual growth approximately 12%) and SAJL has been a member of the Finish Olympic committee since 2014.

Media interested in attending any portion of the camp or charity events should make arranges through Todd Buelow, AFWB Board of Director Member (contact below).

Social Media to Follow:

About American Football Without Barriers

American Football Without Barriers is a non-profit organization dedicated to globalizing American football and reaching underprivileged communities with a humanitarian message. In addition to international camps, AFWB hosts several camps in the U.S. aimed at teaching underprivileged kids to play American football. To learn more about American Football Without Barriers please visit www.afwbcamp.com.

About SAJL

American Football Association of Finland was founded in 1979. Our mission is to organize and promote American football and its different variations elite and recreational playing by spreading knowledge of the game in Finland together with our quality member clubs as well as being active participant in international American football bodies. Currently SAJL has 39 member clubs and 3300 license participants in men’s and women’s leagues as well as in six different youth categories.

SAJL is member of Finnish Olympic Committee and International Federation of American Football IFAF. For more information visit www.sajl.fi

Contact:

Todd Buelow
Board Member, AFWB
director@afwbcamp.com

Mika Laurila
Head of Communications
mika.laurila@sajl.fi

Sixth Day in Cairo – Oday Aboushi

Sunday, March 6th, 2016

Day 6 in Cairo – Oday Aboushi

Today was our sixth and final full day in Cairo, Egypt. After a quick breakfast at the hotel, we headed out to Cairo’s newly renovated olympic stadium where we got to hang out and play with the kids from the orphanage. They were great kids and we had a lot of fun showing them the game of American football. After that we held an EFAF all-star combine for players who came out to our camps the past two days. We timed them on their 40’s and on shuttle runs to start out. Then we moved on to more position specific drills and coaching. It’s amazing what a big difference basic fundamentals and instructions can do for players with limited experience.
To end the day, we played an offense vs. defense style of competition. The players fought hard, but defense came out on top with a big fumble recovery for a touchdown to end the game in dramatic fashion. Gotta say, all the players from the EFAF really impressed us out there.
Can’t believe this is our last night here! We are all so appreciative for the great hospitality we’ve received from the Egyptian people. Thank you to all who helped with the camps and with the charities. Cairo, it’s been real! We’ll still be posting all the footage and photos we took from the trip on all our social media sites so keep looking out for that. Thanks everybody!
– Oday
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Fifth Day in Cairo – Erik Lorig

Friday, March 4th, 2016

Day 5 Cairo, Egypt – Lorig

How’s it going AFWB fans! This is Erik Lorig coming to you from Cairo. We’re past the midway point of our trip already! It goes by fast when you have plenty to do and you’re enjoying it all. Today was another big day of camp sessions. The players of the EFAF came back to Cairo American College to hone their skills some more. Weather was perfect again. And these guys were putting in the work, truly trying to get better at every aspect of the game.
There really is some raw talent out here, but they’ve had no formal coaching before so we had our work cut out for us. They made some mistakes and missteps, but they had enthusiasm and the drive to improve which is all you can ask for. Scrimmaging at the end showed us who the stars were out there. We’ll be bringing a few of the players with us tomorrow to work them out and test their potential a little further.
Back on the bus now, about to regroup at the hotel. Get ready to see some solid camp footage on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram in the next few days. Drone footage of the camp was on point. Thanks for all the love from our fans and followers!
AFWBCAMP, EGYPT
– Erik
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Fourth Day in Cairo – Cameron Brothers

Friday, March 4th, 2016

Day 4 – Jordan and Colby Cameron

Cameron bros here! Thursday in Cairo. Another great day for football. Sunny and 75. Today was the first inaugural AFWB Egypt camp. The Cairo American College was generous enough to host us today and tomorrow. These kids showed a lot of enthusiasm and potential out there. We ran some agility and position drills with them to show ’em how it’s done.
In the second session, the players padded up and got some form tackling and blocking lessons along with more position specific help. We capped the day off with some light scrimmaging. They made some big plays out there that got all of us hyped up. Definitely impressed by the size and speed of some of these players. Overall day 1 was a big success and once again everyone from AFWB thanks the CAC along with the EFAF for all their help!
Our day didn’t end there though. We got to go to Ahmed Awadallah’s (one of AFWB’s founding members) sister Sarah’s wedding back at the JW. We got to dance a little, eat a little. And had a great time, congrats Sara and Tamir!
Keep checking in on us, more posts to come. Camp 2 starts mid day tomorrow so check Twitter and Instagram for more pics and videos!
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Third Day in Cairo – Lynch

Thursday, March 3rd, 2016

Third Day in Cairo – Marshawn Lynch

Q: Marshawn, how do you like the trip to Egypt?
A: Man, I’m just here for the kids. But I’m thankful.
Translation:
Hey what’s up everybody, it’s Marshawn. Day three out here in Cairo, Egypt with AFWB. It’s been another awesome day. To start off we went to the Cairo American College and spent some time with students and teachers there. Got in some real intense games of four square. The school itself had some great facilities and staff. We’re extremely grateful to them for letting us use their field for our first day of camp tomorrow. Shout out to CAC!
Next stop was the Children’s Cancer Hospital, one the premier cancer hospitals in the Middle East. We went through the hospital to give out presents and meet the kids. It was tough to see how tired and exhausted some of the kids were from their chemo, but they could still smile which was enough for us. We ended the visit with a dance party with the President of the Hospital in the auditorium. That Egyptian music gets you going!
Finished the day with some traditional Egyptian Fatir at a great hole in the wall. Tomorrow’s a big day so stay tuned for some more updates and pictures!
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Second Day in Cairo – Williams

Tuesday, March 1st, 2016

Hey everybody, DeAngelo Williams here. Day 2 Cairo, Egypt. AFWB. Having a great time in this city so far. We got to eat lunch at the highest point in the city in the Cairo Tower to start the day. Not sure about that ride up though. 7 NFL players weren’t meant to fit in one elevator! But that view was worth it. Couldn’t quite see the pyramids, but you could see just about everything else.

After lunch, we went to the Egyptian Museum to check out all the crazy treasures found in the pyramids and throughout Egypt. Can’t believe how many amazing artifacts they have in that place! (No Pictures Allowed Though!)

Our tour guides and the Egyptian people have been so great to us everywhere we go. Traffic gets crazy though on the roads. Never seen anything like it! You gotta be brave to drive these streets.

But now it’s time for a nap and a late dinner. Gotta be ready for these upcoming camps and charity events! See you later football fans, keep checking here for more blog posts, and on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more updates on our awesome trip!

– DeAngelo Williams, 34

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First Day in Cairo – Barnidge

Monday, February 29th, 2016

 

Egypt Day 1 with Gary Barnidge

First day in Cairo, Egypt with @AFWB was great. Love the food and history of this city. First stop of the day was the Great Pyramid. I’d already been once before, but I’ve always been fascinated by Egyptian culture and history so seeing the pyramids will never get old. Plus, so many guys in our group had never been before, so the expressions on their faces were enough to bring back the excitement for me. Once we parked the van, we snapped a couple photos and hopped on our camels to get to the Great Pyramid. Trying to climb through the pyramid’s tunnels to get to the tomb was something else. Definitely not made with big people in mind…My back was killing me after making that TREK! But our tour guide for the day did a great job and for that, AFWB thanks @EforEgypt.

Next stop was the Sphinx which is also incredible. We met up with Thomson Reuters, a great international news agency there, for an interview. Happy to talk with them about or trip and AFWB.

After a quick break at the hotel, we spent a few hours at the U.S. Embassy in Egypt. The ambassador, Stephen Beecroft, was a great host and we all appreciated his hospitality.

TMZ got a hold of me on the way to dinner and asked if I could do a quick interview with them after photo bombing DeAngelo Williams earlier today. Interview was fun and I’m real glad they reached out and took an interest in our organization.

All this was just day one. I can’t wait to start the camps and help spread the game of America Football in Cairo!

– Gary Barnidge, 82

NFL PLAYERS INTRODUCE AMERICAN FOOTBALL IN EGYPT WITH A HUMANITARIAN MESSAGE

Wednesday, February 24th, 2016

AFWBPRESSRELEASE-EGYPT-02_23_2016

 

NFL PLAYERS INTRODUCE AMERICAN FOOTBALL IN EGYPT

WITH A HUMANITARIAN MESSAGE

 

American Football Without Barriers aims to globalize the sport of American Football, with camps and outreach to underserved communities.

 

Egypt Air and Lenovo are proud to sponsor the 4th annual American Football without Barriers (AFWB) camp and charity visit to take place in Cairo, Egypt, March 2nd thru 5th, 2016. The event is organized by the Egyptian Federation of American Football (EFAF) in coordination with the Egyptian Ministry of Youth and Sports and Egyptian Ministry of Tourism.   After successful camps in China in 2013, Brazil in 2014, and Turkey in 2015, 10 top National Football League (NFL) players are heading to Egypt, the first AFWB International camp in Africa.

 

The NFL players working with AFWB are passionate about sharing their professional skills with emerging fan bases around the world and spreading their commitment to service and leadership. The 10 professional athlete include All-Pro Tight Ends Gary Barnidge and Jordan Cameron, Super Bowl Champions Marshawn Lynch and Breno Giacomini, and one of the NFL’s top running backs DeAngelo Williams.  Over the course of two days they will teach on-field technical skill building and leadership to over 450 Egyptian and international American football players and enthusiasts.  The players will also hold a Coaches Clinic with in-class instruction and on-field implementation.  The week will conclude with an All-Star Football game between the camp’s best players, followed by a concert and party hosted by The Egyptian Federation of American Football (EFAF).

 

As part of their global goodwill tour, the players have designated two days of community outreach and will be visiting the Children’s Cancer Hospital 57357 and LeBaladna which seeks to help Egypt’s underprivileged communities and reform their infrastructure which includes education, health, food supply, and shelter.

 

The NFL players will be hosted locally by EFAF, the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) recognized governing body of American Football in Egypt, and the organizers of the Egyptian National Team.  EFAF currently has 7 teams affiliated with their league, with over 400 players, and is a socially responsible organization seeking the expansion, popularization, and the development of both tackle and flag football in Egypt.  American Football in Egypt is growing rapidly and just recently held their first international club friendly between the Cairo Wolves and Jordan’s Amman Barracudas.  International guests representing all nations across the Middle East and North Africa region will also be participating in this year’s camp in an effort to include and further promote American Football.

 

Media interested in attending any portion of the camp or charity events should make arranges through Todd Buelow, AFWB Board of Director Member (contact below).  Members of the Press, with credentials from their outlet, are invited to the Media Press Conference on March 5th.

 

Activities for the Press:

  • Saturday, March 5th Media Press Conference, 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM

 

Social Media to Follow:

 

Roster of Players:

  • Breno Giacomini: New York Jets, Offensive Lineman
  • DeAngelo Williams: Pittsburgh Steelers, Running Back
  • Erik Lorig: New Orleans Saints / Free Agent, Fullback
  • Gary Barnidge: Cleveland Browns, Tight End
  • Johnson Bademosi: Cleveland Browns, Defensive End/Special Teams
  • Colby Cameron, Fujitsu Frontiers, Quarterback
  • Jordan Cameron: Miami Dolphins, Tight End
  • Marshawn Lynch: Seattle Seahawks, Running Back
  • Oday Aboushi: Houston Texans, Offensive Lineman
  • Craig Loston: Jacksonville Jaguars, Safety

 

 


 

 

About American Football Without Barriers

American Football Without Barriers is a non-profit organization dedicated to globalizing American football and reaching underprivileged communities with a humanitarian message. In addition to international camps, AFWB hosts several camps in the U.S. aimed at teaching underprivileged kids to play American football. To learn more about American Football Without Barriers please visit www.afwbcamp.com.

 

Contacts:

Todd Buelow                                                               Ahmed Awadallah

Board Member, AFWB                                                Director, AFWB

todd@afwbcamp.com                                                 Director@afwbcamp.com

 

Amr Hebbo

Founder, Egyptian Federation of American Football

amrhebbo@afwbcamp.com

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