This past offseason, Lionel Scrimmage traveled from the concrete jungle to the literal jungle to grow the fan base for the New York Silverbacks on the African continent. In Musanze, Rwanda, Lionel attended the naming ceremony for baby gorillas born in Volcanoes National Park and, on behalf of the franchise, awarded each infant an honorary Silverbacks jersey. It was an incredible experience for Scrimmage to learn about the conservation efforts supporting local gorilla populations and, on behalf of his team and its fans, make the first of a recurring annual donation to gorilla habitat preservation. Scrimmage then traveled to the capital, Kigali, to host a two-day introductory clinic on American football. The clinic began with a film session showing a recent ISFL game (a Silverbacks win, naturally) and then finished the day with play calling drills focused on strategy and positioning. The second day of the clinic focused on personal training, exercise, and nutrition during which Lionel worked with local fruits, vegetables, legumes and tubers. It was a fantastic and educational trip for all, but especially Lionel, who came home with a newfound appreciation for the beautiful apes that give his team their magnificent mascot.
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