Ultimate FUN!

As the summer heat closes in, we bid adieu to the fifth exhilarating season of Ultimate Flag Football. Played entirely at Mullins Park every spring, active dad, Craig Schnuer, coaches his son, Jason, 11, who was part of last season’s Super Bowl winners, the Junior Giants. This season, he coaches Jason’s team, the Junior Raiders, who are heading into the playoffs as we go to press. Happy at the family friendly facet of life at the fields, Craig says, “Jason has met quite a few boys and I have met quite a few coaches that we all hang out with. My youngest son, Brandon, 6, has also made a lot of friends on the fields. It’s a lot of fun, and we have all enjoyed it so much.” Craig also appreciates that the Ultimate schedule doesn’t include Saturdays and Sundays. “The games are only from Tuesday to Friday nights, so there are no commitments on the weekends.” Happy to have made new friends as his brother had fun in the middle of the game action, Brandon looks forward to playing on an Ultimate team next spring.

The youngest children cut their football teeth in this league while first-time sports parents got a feel for incorporating school, team activities, family time and more. As the players become more experienced from season to season, they blossom into confident teammates who often encourage other up-and-comers. The weather, even though it’s tropical, was a bit cooler, the players were halfway between winter and summer break, and the field conditions were perfect more often than not. On certain weeknights, the fields at Mullins Park were filled with the cacophony of nonstop action, cheering families and colorful fun.

This was the second season after Coral Springs residents and Founders Michele and Jeff Lindstrom turned the non-profit, volunteer-run league over to families with younger children. “This was our plan all along,” Jeff said. “Hopefully it will be around for the kids for years to come.” Ultimate’s Commissioner, John Graeler, is pleased with how things have been developing. “The league has grown year over year. Our goal is to continue to build from the foundation that Jeff laid,” he shared. Building on a well thought out formula, John explains the principles that have worked to make Ultimate such a successful league in a fairly short time. “We truly welcome all skill levels. In the Ultimate flag family, you’ll find players in their first season, who have never played organized football before, all the way up to kids who play in a tackle program every fall and are at very high levels. Because there is no tackle available in the spring, this gives them an opportunity to hone their skills playing flag football.”

For first time players, Graeler assures parents, “Our philosophy is to teach the game of football and the value of things like good sportsmanship in a competitive environment, including our playoffs and super bowls. We believe that spirit is an important part of sports, but in an all-inclusive manner. Everybody shows up, makes a team, and we have strict minimum play rules. Every team makes the playoffs and has an opportunity to be in the Super Bowl.”

The Ultimate Flag Football program welcomes players in three age groups: 6-8, 9-11 and 12-15 year-olds. Registration for the 2014 season will be available after the summer. Plan now for a terrific spring of fast, fun, flag football in 2014. See our Facebook album for more amazing photos, and keep watching the Spectator for sign ups.

For more info see: www.UltimateFlagFootball.org

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