Youth Athletes, Parents Increasingly Turning To Flag Football

By now, it's likely safe to say that football has overtaken baseball as America's pastime. Particularly active on the gridiron is the Parkway youth.

But the local kids aren't donning pads and heading out daily for the hard-hitting practices of Pop Warner. Instead, over 50 teams take to the fields at Catholic Memorial and on Reservation Road as part of the immensely popular Parkway Youth Flag Football League.

Pop Warner, meanwhile, fields only four teams this season.

The reasons for the PYFFL's success are many.

"It's just so convenient," Noel Alvarez, the mother of 11-year-old Brian Alvarez, said. "It's once a week for an hour, it's here in town. It's not that big of a commitment."

Alvarez saw two older sons through Pop Warner. Brian is her first to participate in organized flag football.

Chris Fox, whose son Ben, 12, played Pop Warner a season ago and made the switch this fall, seconded Alvarez's thoughts.

"There's one practice and one game a week," he said. "It's a lot less of a workload. It just doesn't require the dedication of Pop Warner."

The less rigorous schedule also allows athletes who play other sports the opportunity to play organized football while keeping up with other athletic interests.

"Kids play lacrosse," said Alvarez. "Basketball season goes all year now. Hockey season's already started. This is once a week. Kids, and their parents, can do this while doing other sports at the same time."

"It's something for him to do while we wait for hockey season to get in full-gear," said Bob Calci, the father of 8-year-old James.

Beyond the less rigorous schedule, parents cite the inclusive nature of the league as a draw.

"The game's available to all kids," said Anne Fleming, the aunt of 13-year-old Jack. "Everyone gets an opportunity."

"In Pop Warner, kids are guaranteed six plays each," Alvarez said. "So parents have to drive their kids to practice everyday and who knows where on game day to maybe watch them play five minutes. Here, everyone gets an opportunity."

The general quality at which the league is run also stood out to some.

"Take a look at the website for this league and compare it to the website of other youth leagues around the city," Calci, a software engineer, said. "That should give you an idea of just how well-run this league is."

"It's just a great program," Alvarez said. "The coaches are great, the officials are great. The kids show up, everyone participates, everyone has fun, and then you're allowed to go on with your life."

You can learn more about PYFFL at http://www.leaguelineup.com/welcome.asp?url=pyffl