Junior Warriors Accept Neighboring Players [VIDEO]

Seekonk Junior Warriors have accepted a number of children from neighboring towns who otherwise might not play football. Cameron Cabral, an eighth grader from Rehoboth, is one of those who could have been sitting at home this season.

"We only had me and four other kids show up," says Cabral, who showed up for tryouts for the Rehoboth football team this summer, where there were only enough eighth graders for a basketball team.

Junior Warriors President Mary Jane Bernard says there is room in the local football program for Cabral and others like him. "We're open to anybody. Most of the towns around here are Pop Warner, and weight is a big issue."

Cabral may or may not have made weight in Rehoboth. Unfortunately for those few young players who were interested in playing at that level, they never had a weigh in. For others, like Lane Fiola of Swansea or Nathan Schreiner of Rehoboth, the Pop Warner age-weight scale makes playing football in their hometown impossible.

Schreiner is heading into fifth grade and stands approximately 5'8". The eyeball test says that Schreiner weighs as much as his two smallest teammates put together. "I didn't try out [in Rehoboth], I wouldn't have made weight," said Schreiner.

Although it is difficult to argue against giving these kids a chance to play, some fourth or fifth grade parents might be nervous to see their player walk up to the line of scrimmage opposite Schreiner. What does the league say about these physical mismatches?

"Wait until you go to a game and see the other team. There will be some big kids in every program," says Bernard. "These kids are all playing with their friends from the same grade. Most other sports are like that. Lacrosse, hockey, contact sports, but they're played by grade level. Look at soccer, there are more concussions in soccer than in football."

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