Calling All Parkland Players!

By Stacy Case

Parkland Flag Football marks a special milestone this year, and the league will celebrate by having what’s expected to be another ordinary, meaning successful, season: Offering the city’s youth a great chance to play on the gridiron in a fun, safe environment once again.

The program will celebrate being two decades old this coming Fall and,according to the league’s president, 700+ players are estimated to participate in the Pine Trails Park-based organization this next season. “Flag football teaches the kids a lot, including sportsmanship and physical fitness,” says Mike Bartlett, who is in his second year as the league’s president, his eighth year on the 15-member Board of Directors.

He also likes that when these kids play for Parkland Flag Football, they also have the opportunity to make new friends who they may not ordinarily meet in their classrooms or neighborhoods. Parkland’s season begins when the players attend evaluations that test their skill levels in various areas of the sport. All players get placed on a team and the evaluations simply help to ensure that each team has a fair balance of players’ abilities.

This season, the league has its division aligned according to player grade; kindergarten, first and second, third and fourth, fifth and sixth, and seventh and eighth for its co-ed teams. The league also has a girls-only division for grades 2-4, 5-6 and 7-9, in which there are about 50-60 girls in each group. Mike says they’re also trying to get a co-ed high school division this coming season as well, but that may have to be determined as the registration progresses.

Additionally, the league will continue to follow its traditional format of 8-on-8 play and, according to Mike, it’s for good reason. “We don’t want the fields crowded with too many others during the plays, which can sometimes lead to injuries,” says Mike, whose two daughters have been participants of Parkland Flag Football. “I just think it can offer the kids more play time and we are always looking for ways to help reduce on field collisions.”

The league is set to start in the middle of August. With double elimination playoffs and Super Bowls in each division (except kindergarten), the season wraps up around early November. Since its inception in 1998, the league has expanded greatly, and Mike says this year should follow suit. He credits the manner in which it’s run and to the volunteer coaches.

“Our goal each year is to give every child the opportunity to have fun while learning how to play a team sport,” adds Mike. “We hope that by doing such, it maintains the growth of our league as well, and we always want to create as much excitement as possible for this great league.”

Registrations are already underway for this coming season, and the early bird sign-ups end June 15.  Visit parklandflag.com

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