Athletic skills, character, confidence and good social skills are just some of the qualities the Mansfield YMCA Flag Football program hopes to instill in local youth. The Mansfield YMCA, located at 750 Scholl Road, together with the Crestview YMCA has grown the league from just about 40 players in 2007 to currently fourteen teams with approximately 180 players participating.
The league is broken down into three age groups; Rookies, 4-5 years old; Winners, 6-8 years old; and Champs, 9-11 years old. The program runs from September 9 through the end of October and a total of seven games are played.
Director of Operations at Mansfield YMCA James Twedt said,”Number one, we want them [children] to have fun.”
According to Twedt the goal of the program is to help children develop skills that include making friends, setting individual as well as team goals, and discipline. Twedt believes these skills help improve self-confidence, promotes diversity and increases self-esteem, social skills, and of course, improve physical condition.
With fun and safety as major priorities, Twedt stated that all coaches and volunteers involved go through rigorous background checks and referees undergo extensive concussion training. The Mansfield YMCA program has fourteen coaches and the Crestview YMCA has seven and plenty of parental volunteers on both sides. Twedt added that all practices for the Mansfield teams are held at the YMCA facility and are supervised with staff at all times.
Program Coordinator Kerrick Franklin believes the program has a very positive influence on children.
“The league provides them [children] the opportunity to come into football and to rise with the knowledge of the game, learning athletic skills, teamwork and having an overall positive experience.”
The program has gotten support from the community in ways that include parental involvement. The Mansfield City School District showed their support by granting the league access to Arlin Field so that the teams could experience playing under the lights.
“We want to see parents involved,” said Twedt. Twedt believes youth sports can influence healthy relationships between adults and youth as well as family. He also believes the positive time spent with family and friends may also strengthen our communities.
Besides the flag football program, he Youth Sports program at the YMCA also offers a youth basketball league, T-ball, swimming and soccer leagues.
“We have something for everyone,” said Twedt. “It’s both competitive and recreational.”
In Twedt’s opinion what sport you play isn’t as important as just getting involved and being active on a team.
Said Twedt, ”We want kids to be active, running, catching, throwing, the best exercise is play. We want kids to focus on doing what they enjoy. If they like to run, then run. If he or she likes to throw or swim, then we encourage that.” He added, ”Our focus is not only on winning, we teach them to play well, lose gracefully and to develop the fundamental skills of being active. This is about healthy competition and enjoying themselves so that they will build on that on into their future.”
Twedt looks forward to the league and the Youth Sports program as a whole to continue to grow and to bring children, families and the community together through healthy competition.
For more information on youth league sports or other activities visit their website or call 419-522-3511.
”Our focus is not only on winning, we teach them to play well, lose gracefully and to develop the fundamental skills of being active. This is about healthy competition and enjoying themselves so that they will build on that on into their future,” said James Twedt.
