Cinnaminson Football Changes Leagues

For the first time in more than two decades, Cinnaminson youth will play football this fall in a different league. Board member Ken Miller said it was time for something different.

“We just felt like we needed a change to make things better for our program as a whole,” Miller said.

The 5- to 15-year-olds will now play in the South Jersey Independent Youth Football Association (SJIYFA). Miller, and other board members, will hold an informational session for parents on April 3 regarding the change and registration.

“This was not a fly-by-night decision,” Miller said.

He, along with board members Mark Rapp, Joe Curry and Steve D’Aiutolo, went to several meetings with people from the new league before coming to the decision to change over.

“We felt it was a good decision for the kids,” Miller said. “It’s a very organized league. A lot of the competition we’re going to see are teams that if our kids go to , they will be seeing them there.”

After Cinnaminson decided to join SJIYFA, local teams like Delran, Burlington City and Ewing also made the leap.

One major change of the new league is a longer season—more traditional, as Miller puts it. The season starts the week after Labor Day and the championship games are around Thanksgiving. With the old league, Pop Warner, games were over by Halloween.

There will be a minimum of four teams—75 lbs., 95 lbs., 110 lbs., and either 125 lbs. or unlimited, according to Miller. There is a possibility of a fifth team.

All of the coaches remain the same for the teams and the league does offer cheerleading.

Costs are remaining the same at $125 per player with discounts for more than one player in a family. This year though, Miller said the group is “ramping up fundraising.”

Insurance costs are higher, so Miller is relying on donations to help fund the program with equipment and uniforms.

Miller credits Christine Turner and Kim Mauroff as key helpers with fundraising and concession stand leaders.

The 8^th annual golf tournament will be held on Sept. 24 and Miller has other events like a bowling night, poker tournament and dine-and-donate in the works.

“It’s all for the kids,” Miller said. “The people involved, we have no kids in the program. Everybody is there for the right reasons.”

The informational session will be at the community center at 7 p.m., Tuesday, April 3.

The first dates of football registration are April 13 from 7 to 9 p.m. and April 14 from 9 to 11 a.m.

Football practice starts the first week of August, with practices running from 6:15 to 8 p.m. three to four nights each week. Every team, with this new league, will play a minimum of nine games a season. Home games are played at the Cinnaminson High School stadium. Practices are at .

“We are very excited about this,” said Miller, who’s been involved in Cinnaminson football for 17 years. “This is a new start for us. So, we are definitely looking forward to it.”

For details or more information, e-mail Miller at kmiller@hyperionbank.com.