No tackles, just fun

Middle school squads begin season today

Kyle Cleland of Redwood School tries to elude two Smith R. students in a scrimmage. See more photos at triplicate.com/photos The Daily Triplicate/Bryant Anderson

Spectators shouted “go, go, go.” He darted through the defenders, his teammates opening a path as he ran in for the touchdown, touching off a wild celebration.

 For  Richards, a Crescent Elk student, and the rest of the players in the middle school flag football league, the sport has given them an opportunity to show their stuff on the gridiron.

“It was fun,” Richards said. “It’s just really cool to score.”

What was he thinking as he scampered down the field?

“That I better make this touchdown,” Richards said. After all, he didn’t want to embarrass himself in front of his friends, who laughed, congratulated and teased him a bit as he talked about his touchdown.

Players from Crescent Elk, Smith River and Redwood were at Crescent Elk on Tuesday afternoon for scrimmage matches before the regular season kicks off today.

While Del Norte Youth Football provides an opportunity for youths middle school age and younger to play tackle football, flag football gives a wider variety of kids an opportunity to play.

There is no tackling in flag football. A player is down when  his flag is pulled off.

There are five flag football teams, including sixth and eighth grade squads at Smith River and Crescent Elk, and a single team for Redwood.

The squads play each Tuesday and Thursday. Today the games begin at 4 p.m. at Crescent Elk when the Smith River and Crescent Elk sixth grade teams meet, followed by the eighth grade game.

Andrew Fitch, the head coach at Smith River for the past seven years, loves the simplicity of flag football and the way the kids do it for the enjoyment of the game and playing with their friends.

“It reminds me of the days when you played football with your friends and you drew up plays on the ground in the dirt,” he said. “They just love it.” 

Coulter Mann, athletic director for the local middle schools and dean of students at Crescent Elk, said the flag football program has proven to be a popular alternative to tackle football.

“The kids who are playing are really enjoying it,” he said. “It’s been nice to have.”

“It’s great,” said Redwood student Nick Payne, who is in his third year playing flag football. “Everyone gets to play and get the ball.”

Payne said he enjoyed taking part in the scrimmage before the season begins.

“We get to see who we are going to play and what they do,” he said.

As his friends laughed and gathered around him, curious to hear what he was going to say to the local newspaper, Traden Williamson of Smith River also talked about playing flag football.

“It’s fun,” Williamson said. “They are all my buddies.”

Fellow Smith River player Robert McDonald, the quarterback on the sixth grade team, said he enjoys playing that position.

“I like it because I get to throw to all my friends,” he said. “It’s awesome.”

“It’s a lot of fun,” said Crescent Elk head coach Nick Jager. “They go out and work hard. They are good kids and have had a great attitude.”