The Houston Texans awarded $25,000 in funds to local youth football programs as part of the 2021 Coaches Academy grants.

Organizations submitted a grant application after attending the 2021 Houston Texans Coaches Academy at the NRG Center on June 5. Coaches in attendance were able to hear from Texans Special Teams Coordinator Frank Ross and learn about the latest in health and player safety from top experts in the area.

"A hundred-plus high school coaches and youth coaches in there, trying to get better, trying to work on their craft, work on their knowledge of the game," Ross said. "Whenever somebody like that is getting together, that is the type of football environment that we need as a sport."

High school, middle school and youth football coaches applied for three different grants for their football programs: The Ray Seals Grant, High School Equipment Grant and the Youth Equipment Grant.

The 2021 Ray Seals Grant recipients, The Provision Academy and Sharpstown High School, each received $5,000. The Ray Seals Grant was named after the former Houston Independent School District Coach, Ray Seals, who compiled a 212-96 record with 21 playoff appearances and was named HISD's Coach of the Year 10 times during his 46-year career. The Ray Seals Grant, designed to assist predominately low-income and minority school programs, can be used for football equipment/uniforms, programming and/or additional student support initiatives.

Through the 2021 High School Equipment Grant, Stephen F. Austin High School received $5,000 in funds. Receiving $2,000 each in Youth Equipment Grants were the Magnolia Park Sharks, Missouri City Raiders, Port Arthur Jr. Bees, Shadow Creek Titans and the Stafford Cobras. Both High School Equipment Grant and the Youth Equipment Grant funds will be used for helmets, shoulder pads, uniforms, or other on-field football-related equipment.

All applicants outlined where funding would be used and the number of their athletes impacted by grants. To be considered for grants, schools and programs applying had to be from low-income or underserved areas while all youth organizations had to be classified as 501c3 organizations.