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Flag football league kicks off third season
By SHAIYLA HAKEEM
It’s football season.
At least it is for hundreds of kids in the Valley, who will hit the field this spring for some flag football.
The Youngstown Youth Flag Football Association was founded in 2007 by Elliott Giles. It encompasses students from the Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties.
“It started with only 80 kids and has grown immensely,” said Giles, a former YSU football player. “We are very excited about what our organization has been able to accomplish.”
The league is split into five divisions by age group containing 45 teams and more than 400 students. Each year is broken into two seasons, fall and spring. Fall season begins in September and spring season will end June 7.
The football association is a nonprofit organization that was set in place to give kids a positive outlet to play with students from varying counties.
Giles says it provides students with a unique opportunity to build friendships and bonds with students from other counties. The players can meet kids they may have never had a chance to meet if it were not for the league.
“You name another sport where two kids from different towns will have an opportunity to play on the same team,” Giles said, “Parents want their kids to play on teams with kids that are different and from different areas.”
Fifth-grader Johnny Medvec, of Struthers, says that his parents initially brought up the idea of him joining the flag football league.
“My parents thought it would be an opportunity to do something good and I can get to know different people,” Medvec said.
Giles says flag football has all the components of regular football such as speed, agility and team building, but it takes out the physical aspect of tackling. The league is co-ed and the girls don’t seem to have a problem keeping up with the boys.
“It’s a fact that girls mature faster than boys and some of these girls are really good athletes,” Giles said.
Michael Masucci, North Elementary School principal, has a son and two daughters that have all played with the flag football association. His son has been in the league since its beginning. Masucci says there are benefits with the league outside of football that appeals to him.
“You don’t have to be the best athlete. It’s five on five and every kid gets to touch the ball,” he said. “It builds teamwork and friendship.”
Giles says parents are pleased with what the league is offering their kids.
“The cultural diversity and the opportunity for their kids to interact and meet other kids from different areas have made an overwhelming impact on the players,” he said.
For information on joining the Youngstown Youth Flag Football Association for the fall season, visit www.yffayouth.net.