Education Support - Tampa Bay Buccaneers Community - buccaneers.com

The Jr. Bucs Middle School Flag Football Program enhances the flag football curriculum for nearly 70,000 middle school students by providing Buccaneers flag kits, equipment and instruction. Students in Hillsborough and Pinellas county school districts participate in a flag football program in either the fall or spring semesters, during which they also receive special visits and instruction from certified flag football instructors and Buccaneers Legends.

Every Friday before a Buccaneers home game, all local schools are invited to show their Buccaneers pride as part of "Raise The Flag Fridays", a community activation to spread Bucs spirit.

Coaches are responsible for teaching lessons on and off the field that develop student-athletes into leaders. The High School Coach of the Week program is driven by the community, where local coaches are nominated for a weekly award determined by student and fan voting. The program celebrates coaches who have helped guide their team to a significant victory while demonstrating leadership and a commitment to player safety, character development and community service. Along with a $2,000 youth football grant, winning coaches receive other incentives from the Buccaneers.

"As part of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ongoing commitment to supporting educational development and student success, the Buccaneers and CIGNA are proud to host students at each Buccaneers home game through the Tampa Bay Buccaneers "Krewe Student Athletes" program presented by CIGNA. Since the inception of the program, the Buccaneers have rewarded over 24,000 students with tickets and on field experiences, courtesy of CIGNA.

The Buccaneers support these two engaging programs that introduce Tampa Bay-area students to economic concepts, workplace skills, and personal and business finances in student-sized towns built just for them. The team is proud to help students connect the dots between what they learn in school and how it is applied in the real world!

Every student-athlete deserves the chance to fulfill their dreams. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have contributed over $1.4M to programs that have provided over 18,000 student-athletes a platform to demonstrate their talents. Support for high school football combines, recruiting fairs and showcase events provides students the opportunity to earn college scholarships.

Throughout the year at Curtis Hixon Park in downtown Tampa, as well as at 24 schools in mostly underserved neighborhoods in Hillsborough County, the Buccaneers have erected court-sized shade structures to create additional outdoor educational and recreational opportunities. These open-air structures have become community symbols of the Buccaneers' enduring commitment to education for underserved youth, now and for generations to come.