Chicago Bears touchdown in Exeter as children enjoy Monster American football clinic
Local children from Exeter enjoyed their first go at American Football and received a masterclass with former Chicago Bears player Kaseem Sinceno as part of the Bears’ Mini Monsters UK tour this June.
The Chicago Bears are one of the most successful professional American Football teams and have brought their Mini Monsters Clinics back to the United Kingdom this summer. The six-city tour has been designed to inspire and encourage more boys and girls in the UK to pick up an American Football for the first time.
There were 300 school children from across Exeter in attendance at Dawlish College on Friday and the 90-minute clinics will reach approximately 2,000 kids from more than 50 schools throughout the UK, up from 1200 kids the previous year.
The Mini Monsters Clinics, brought to you by United Airlines, is providing free youth coaching for boys and girls between the ages of 7-12. The programme stressed the importance of healthy eating, physical activity and proper hydration through fun, non-contact American football drills.
All children and young people participated regardless of experience with American football or level of physical capability. The event was a massive success with all kids enjoying their first experience with American football. Team spirit amongst the children and young people was high as they learnt how to throw an American Football with Chicago Bears alumnus Kaseem Sinceno.
Sinceno was on-site to help lead the clinic at Dawlish College in addition to Bears Manager of Youth Football & Community Programs Gustavo Silva.
Commenting on the Mini Monsters Clinics returning to the UK for the second-time, Silva said: “It was a great opportunity to spread the joy of American football with young boys and girls in Cambridge. The popularity of American Football is growing in the UK, and we are thrilled to have brought Mini Monsters back here to six cities including four brand new locations this year, with our unique take on skills and drills.
The Bears are taking their Mini Monsters Clinics on a six-city tour from June 20th – 30th across the United Kingdom, where they have marketing rights through the NFL’s Global Markets Program. Earlier this year as part of their continued efforts to increase their presence in the UK, the Bears joined forces with the New York Jets to co-run the inaugural Jets & Bears NFL Girls Flag league, a first-of-its-kind all-girls competition in the UK.
Silva continued: “We want to give more young fans in the UK, access to the sport as well its emotional and physical benefits. These unique experiences, provided through initiatives such as Mini Monsters and the Jets and Bears Girls Flag league which we launched earlier this year, inspire more young people to enjoy the sport and adopt healthy physical habits for their future.”
The Mini Monsters UK Tour 2023 has been supported by official Title Partner United Airlines, the Official Airline of the Chicago Bears.
“We are proud to sponsor the U.S. professional American football team, the Chicago Bears, bringing their free youth American football camp to schools and community organisations across the U.K.,” said Karolien De Hertogh, United’s Director of Sales in the UK and Ireland. “At United Airlines, good leads the way and for many of these children and young people, it will be their first experience playing the team sport.”
Other locations that were visited across the two weeks of the Mini Monsters tour included Juniper Green Primary School (Edinburgh), Etihad Campus (Manchester), Archbishop Beck Catholic College (Liverpool), Dukes Academy (Haringey, London), All-Weather Sports Ground (Battersea, London) and One Leisure St Ives Outdoor (Cambridge).
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