Registration is now open for the 6th annual Charles Johnson Foundation Sports Academy and Community Weekend. The two-day event remains free of charge and will take place June 16-17 in Johnson’s hometown, Hawkinsville, GA.
 
 
“Every year, this event gets bigger and better,” Johnson said. “I’m excited that we’re adding baseball and softball to our clinics. It’s always great to tie in a new sport and hopefully reach more kids.”
 
 
The 2017 Sports Academy & Community Weekend welcomes 1st-12th-grade boys and girls to participate in clinics in football, basketball, dance, cheer, baseball, softball and STEM. This is the first year baseball and softball have been offered, and the event will no longer include tennis. The annual Sports Academy ties in positive messages including an emphasis on the importance of education and team-building, in addition to athletic skills.
 
 
Last year’s event had more than 1,000 attendees and 12 celebrity guests. The list of NFL and NBA guests for the 2017 event is not yet finalized, but previous guests have included: Mario Addison (Carolina Panthers), Chas Alecxih (Free Agent), Kony Ealy (New England Patriots), Dwan Edwards (Retired, Formerly Carolina Panthers), Tedd Ginn (New Orleans Saints), Justin Houston (Kansas City Chiefs), Frank Kearse (Free Agent), Kyle Love (Carolina Panthers), Kawann Short (Carolina Panthers) and Fernando Velasco (Free Agent). Carolina Panthers coaches Sam Mills III and Richard Rodgers, along with NFL agent Drew Rosenhaus, have also assisted with the event.
 
 
A full schedule of events will be announced closer to the Sports Academy. The tentative breakdown of events is as follows:
 
 
Friday, June 16
 
Basketball clinics 1st-12th graders
Baseball and softball clinics 1st-6th graders
STEM clinics 1st-6th graders
Dance clinics 1st-6th graders
Charles Johnson Huddle 7th-12th graders
Community night and 2017 scholarship presentation
 
 
Saturday, June 17
 
Football clinics 1st-12th graders
Cheerleading clinics (1st-6th graders)
Baseball and softball clinics (7th-12th graders)
Cheerleading performance
 
 
To register for the 2017 event, please visit here. The foundation is looking for volunteers for the event and those interested should visit here for more details. While this is a free event, the foundation does require all participants to register. The foundation relies on generous sponsors to keep this event free of charge for the community. If interested in sponsorship, email info@charlesjohnsonfoundation.org to learn more. For media requests or questions about the foundation, contact Meredith Geisler at mgeisler@tandemse.com or (703) 740-5015.
 
 
ABOUT CHARLES JOHNSON & THE CHARLES JOHNSON FOUNDATION
 
Charles Johnson is a defensive end for the Carolina Panthers, a native of Hawkinsville, GA, and a proud alumnus of Hawkinsville High School. After attending the University of Georgia where he starred at defensive end, Charles was drafted by the Carolina Panthers of the NFL in 2007.
 
 
Through ten professional seasons, Charles has received All-Pro recognition on the strength of 67.5 career sacks, placing him among the premier pass-rushers in the league. Charles ranks second on the Panthers’ all-time sacks list. He is a four-time captain for the Panthers, including the 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2016 seasons.
 
 
In 2012, Charles’ passion for philanthropy and loyalty to Middle Georgia led him to launch the Charles Johnson Foundation. A non-profit organization, the Charles Johnson Foundation is dedicated to fulfilling a two-fold mission:
 
· Providing opportunities for under-served youth to reach their full potential through athletic, recreational, and educational programs and initiatives; and
· Providing support for single African American mothers through proven programs and initiatives.
 
 
The Charles Johnson Foundation Sports Academy and Community Weekend is the flagship annual event in Hawkinsville, GA for the Charles Johnson Foundation, combining his efforts to advance education with free sports clinics in football, basketball, softball, baseball, dance and cheer.