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Highlands Today

Youth Football Tackles Change

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By CHRIS HOFFMAN

Highlands Today

Published: August 5, 2008

AVON PARK - Richard Dick may be the president of Avon Park Youth Football and Cheer, but he just couldn't resist working on the fine art of tackling with a group of kids during Avon Park youth football practice at Memorial Field on Friday.

"I've always loved coaching, and it's something that'll never leave me," Dick said. "This is the good age to be working with them, too, since this is when they learn the skills that they'll take on to high school."

Dick, in his second term as president of the youth football league, said he's seen many changes since he began with the organization six years ago.

But this season, his organization is tackling its biggest change of all.

Formerly with Pop Warner, the AP Youth Football board decided to make a switch to the upstart MidFlorida Football and Cheer Conference prior to this season.

The reason: Pop Warner's weight restrictions and academic standards excluded some youngsters from suiting up, something Dick said didn't sit well with the board.

"We made the switch for the kids," Dick said. "We, as a program, were frustrated with Pop Warner and their weight restrictions. They didn't seem to be changing with the times, and kids these days are getting bigger. We were turning kids away because of their weight, and with MidFlorida, we don't have to.

"We just felt left out by Pop Warner and felt they were taking more interest in the bigger cities."

Dick said the change centered around the fear that some parents and kids may try to meet the weight limitations of Pop Warner in extreme ways for a chance to play.

"We had some kids that were three-to-four pounds over the limit and couldn't play," Dick said. "The parents were putting eight- to 10-year-old kids on diets, and that wasn't something we felt comfortable with. Kids that age shouldn't be on diets just to play football."

Besides the weight restrictions, MidFlorida doesn't have the same academic standards that were a requirement to play Pop Warner.

Dick said players will still be recognized for good scholastic achievements this season, but the academic standards are being placed on the parents.

"I've had numerous parents come to practice and pull their kids from the program until they get their grades up," Dick said. "There are no league mandates for grades by MidFlorida, but as a community, I feel that we won't let those kids struggling in school to be left by the wayside.

"In fact, I feel that being a part of some type of athletic program gives them the tools to do better in school."

Avon Park wasn't alone in their move to MidFlorida, as Sebring Youth Football has also made the move to the new organization.

Sebring Pee Wee coach Robert Duncan is happy with the changes and encouraged by the influx of new kids getting a chance to play this season.

"It's wonderful for the kids," Duncan said. "They're having a good time, and it's heartwarming to see them come out and see the positive effect of hard work.

"MidFlorida is so much better for a small community since the decisions of the league are made locally."

The league change seems to have gone over well at practice.

Dwayne Council, who's an assistant coach at Avon Park High School, has had numerous children play in the program and applauds the change to MidFlorida by the board.

"This gives the chance for the bigger kids a chance to play football," Council said. "In Pop Warner, the big kids were excluded and didn't get a chance to really play organized football until they reached middle school.

"This move is great for the future of Avon Park football."

On the academic front, Council said he feels the responsibility is on the parents in the community to police their own kids when it comes to keeping good grades.

"The rule in my house is that my kids have to make A's and B's to play sports," Council said. "I know other parents that have the same rule, and it's our job as parents to hold our kids to a higher standard."

Both towns have seen a spike in registrations since they made the move to MidFlorida, with Sebring having to split some divisions into two teams to meet demand.

Another benefit of changing to MidFlorida has been the schedule, which will see both teams play squads from Polk County, including Haines City and Davenport.

Council believes this will make the kids better football players, and should see a huge benefit for high school football in the area.

"These kids will be growing up playing against the same Polk County kids who they'll face in high school," Council said. "So when they play them at the varsity level, they won't be surprised or overwhelmed but already know most of the kids they'll be playing against."

Chris Hoffman can be reached at 863-386-5827 or at choffman@highlandstoday.com.

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