MISSION
Our mission is to serve as a multidimensional and interdisciplinary resource for enhancing the efforts of the National Football Foundation (NFF) and Springfield College in using and promoting football and sport participation as a vehicle to foster the personal, social, academic, and athletic development of youth.

We seek to fulfill our mission by providing services in five major areas:

1. Training and Supervision – of academic coaches participating in the NFF’s Play It Smart program and for other students and professionals in methods and strategies for teaching life skills to youth

2. Research and Evaluation – to provide outcome data and to identify "best practices" for the Play It Smart program and other Center initiatives and to coordinate and support research efforts in youth development through sport

3. Development of Educational Resources – in written, technological, and web-based formats that support the efforts of Play It Smart academic coaches and others interested in youth development

4. Consultation and Collaboration – with individuals, academic departments, professional groups, NFF staff, and others on grant writing, program development, implementation, and troubleshooting for Play It Smart and other Center initiatives

5. Direct Service and Outreach – in assisting the NFF in identifying and recruiting academic coaches and by securing student interns and adult volunteers to serve as academic coaches, mentors, and advocates for youth in school and community agencies