YOUTH TACKLE FOOTBALL LEAGUE FORMING IN JACKSON

In the past, Jackson youth wanting to play tackle football prior to eighth grade had to go to Cape Girardeau. A group of Jackson men hope to change that.

The Jackson Area Youth Football Foundation is being organized to give youngsters a chance to don pads without leaving Jackson.

"Currently Cape has a youth tackle football league for ages 5-7," explained Dennis Sievers, who is helping spearhead the move. "At this time Jackson has hosted a Little Indian Football Clinic Saturdays, 9-11, for children in third through seventh grade. Historically we have had 120-150 enrolled in the program -- including a great number of third and fourth graders.

"Then they would take the opportunity to play tackle football at Cape, or play soccer."

Now, with strong backing from local service organizations, the league is forming to give Jackson children a chance to play tackle football at home.

"Cape, Sikeston, Charleston, Poplar Bluff, Paducah, Anna, Mayfield, Kennett, Caruthersville, Portageville, East Prairie, Dyersburg all have tackle youth football l leagues," Sievers said. "Due to the size of Jackson and the great tradition of high school football here and the outstanding community pride it has always generated, it didn't seem right not to offer it. Now they'll have an opportunity, just like kids in those other towns."

The program, expected to start in August, will include a second and third grade flag football league and two divisions of tackle football. Division of players will be based on age and weight.

"There will be a target weight. Kids below the target weight will be in the junior varsity division; kids above it, in the varsity division," Sievers said. "Any seventh graders are automatically in the varsity league, despite weight."

This will not only be safer, but will make competition more fair and more fun for the children, Sievers stressed.

"Smaller, younger kids will have their own league and the older kids will have own league also," he said. "You won't have a big kids running over a small kids. Hopefully all the kids will be about the same size."

Organizers are targeting four varsity, four JV and four flag teams for 2000.

"We hope to have two-to-three weeks of clinics before the season starts, to teach the kids the overall fundamental of game," Sievers said, "how to put pads on, etc."

Children will have about two practices and one game a week during the season. Each player will get to play in six games during the season.

"To educate the youth of the Jackson area in the fundamentals of football in a safe, wholesome environment and an atmosphere of good sportsmanship," the league's mission statement reads. "We will promote teamwork, a strong work ethic and build character."

The program should also benefit the R-2 football program in the long run.

"One of the advantage I see is hopefully when an athlete does go on into the junior high program, he will already know a lot of the basics. There are a lot of things you take for granted that kids have to learn sometime."

The program is in the forming stages now. Several sign-up dates in August are planned.

"Right now we're raising funds, establishing competition committees, looking at what other programs have done in the past and securing fields and equipment," Sievers said. "We're doing a lot of the work that needs to be done up-front."

Sievers estimates that it takes $115 to $140 to outfit a youth player in tackle football. Adult sizes have to add $85 to that number. "With 250 -300 kids on the field, it will require a great deal of money to make that happen," he noted.

Since word first got out about the league, Jackson has been rushing to support the program.

"We have had outstanding support since the initial announcement Saturday," Sievers said. "We've had contact by numerous business and service organizations, hoping help us start our program. We're very encouraged by the support we've received to date."

Those wishing to make donations or needing more information may call Sievers at 243-1702, Sam Birk at 243-3958 or Terry Bass at 833-6137.