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Youth football programs square off on Sunday
By Curtis Pulliam
Rick Riley’s squad already has a Super Bowl win this year.
Now they want more.
“They are really excited,” said Riley, the head coach of the Warren Little Raiders. “It’s not often when your the best team in the league you get a chance to go up against another league from a rival city.”
The Little Raiders — made up of 9- and 10-year-olds) will take on the DBM Kings on Sunday at Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pa.
The game is part of a championship series between the Northeast Ohio Youth Football League and the Volney Rogers Youth Association. The games start at 11 a.m.
The Raiders are part of the NEOYFL.
“It will be fun to find out who is the best in the Tri-county area,” Riley said.
Two other games are scheduled for Sunday.
In the 6-8 age group the Westside Patriots face the Youngstown Warriors.
“It is exciting for them, it’s something they normally don’t do,” said Warriors head coach Shawn Mays. “They are used to playing in the park and stuff but now they get to play on turf this time and in front of a bigger crowd.”
Tony Lawrence, head coach of the Westside Patroits, said the contest will be fun for the kids.
“I’ve been coaching a few years now and this is a great experience,” Lawrence said.
In the 11-13 age group, the Fightin Little Redmen play the Youngstown Titans to end the series.
“This is huge,” said Justin Glover, head coach of the Little Redmen.
The teams are no strangers to each other.
“We’ve scrimmaged them a couple times,” Glover said. “The games are really competitive. One guy might think he’s better than the other guy and now they get to show that.”
In the younger division, Lawrence knows it’s all about the experience for the players.
“We have some guys who like to mess around but other guys who take it very seriously,” Lawrence said. “But I’m here to give kids opportunities that weren’t available for me when I was a kid.”
Riley hopes it’s a learning experience for his team.
“I want them to learn hard work pays off,” he said.