Park Ridge Youth Football and Cheerleading Reorganizes

New Football Program Emphasizes Fun, Safety and Playing with Friends

After 48 years in operation, Park Ridge football and cheerleading, an affiliate of the Park Ridge Park District, is headed in a new direction thanks to a recent effort led by the leaders of both the Falcons travel league and the House football league. Prior to the vote by the Boards of both leagues last month, the two leagues were run by separate boards and generally functioned separately with one oversight board under Park Ridge Sports, Inc.

When the singular Board was reinstituted, new officers and new Directors were elected following the vote to reorganize. The vote realigned the travel and house programs back under Park Ridge Sports, Inc. instead of operating independently as separate leagues. The move will bring a greater efficiency in managing youth football and cheerleading, while providing a positive experience to more area youth.
“We are excited about the 2015 youth football and cheerleading season,” says Dave Marquardt, the new President of Park Ridge Sports, Inc. “We are continuing the tradition which began in 1967 yet have reorganized our programs to allow more young people to experience the fun of football and cheerleading while learning valuable athletic and life skills.”

Marquardt added that there will be a greater emphasis on safety and having fun with friends and less on winning championships. “Everyone plays to win but we want our players and cheerleaders to have a positive experience at whatever level is most appropriate for the individual’s size, age and skill level.”

Due to the growing interest of flag football, the new league will continue to offer the flag option to players as young as five years old. Older children will be offered the option to participate in flag or tackle. Ages for football and cheerleading are 5 to 14 years old.

The newly elected officers are Marquardt as President, Garry Abezetian as Vice-President, Rob Guzaldo as Treasurer, and Robert Leach as Secretary. The new program directors are Al Czech, Anna Hagerty, Tony Porrello, Jim Dihu, and Jim Toulon.

Registrations for the 2015 season begin with mandatory online pre-registration in April. All youth players and cheerleaders are required to pre-register online prior to attending one of the May/June registration sessions in-person. Parents shall bring their online receipt, a copy of their child’s birth certificate (new football players only), cash or a check payable to “Park Ridge Football” (if not paid online) to one of the registration sessions. In addition, tackle football players must be present at a registration session for helmet sizing and weight verification.

The organization teaches the core fundamentals and rules of the most popular sport in America. Young athletes have the opportunity to compete in an organized football league or cheerleading on sidelines and competitions that promotes fun, teamwork, and friendships, as well as self-respect and discipline, in an atmosphere where safety is a top concern.

Open to all area children, the program consists of cheerleading and six divisions of football which are classified according to type of football, age, and weight. Teams are structured to promote neighborhood friends and schoolmates to participate together as long as reasonable parity and fairness is maintained or accounted for.

Committed to providing a safe, positive, and nurturing environment, Park Ridge Football and Cheerleading help both players and coaches have fun together as they develop strength of character, build self-esteem and realize personal development. Park Ridge Football is a member of USA Football, a national governing body for amateur football which promotes Coach Certification and Heads Up Tackling programs to educate, develop skills, create change, and address complex challenges for both coaches and players. Park Ridge Cheerleading is associated with the Illinois Recreational Cheerleading Association (IRCA) for coach certification.

For more information about these programs, visit www.prfootball.com. Those who create a website account can pre-register online and stay informed about important dates, activities, and league updates.