Registration open for new Baldwin Whitehall Youth Flag Football League
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Planning began last June for the inaugural Baldwin Whitehall Youth Flag Football League.
Now, it’s close to becoming a reality.
The flag program is the initiative of Baldwin Whitehall Athletic Association Football and Cheer and is targeted for youngsters ages 5 to 14. Age divisions will be 7U, 9U, 11U and 14U (ages 12-14).
League games will take place Sundays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. at the Paynter Elementary field.
Two men instrumental in establishing the league are Rich Johnson, BWAA Football and Cheer director of football operations; and Andrew Baker, BWAA Football and Cheer president; with support from Loran Cooley, head coach of the Baldwin varsity football team.
“Once coach Cooley asked me to come over to Baldwin-Whitehall to help revive the football program, Andrew and I got together and wrote down some things that needed to happen to get the youth level back to where it once was,” said Johnson, who is head coach of the Harrison Middle School football team. “The top two things I told him were: No. 1, helmets, and No. 2, a flag football program.” .
“We went back and forth on how to do it until our tackle football league (Parkway YFL) was presented with an opportunity from Mike Marchinsky, the youth football coordinator with the Steelers. We jumped on this as soon as we could. This is truly a team effort from the high school football program all the way down to the youth football board members and coaches. We are one big football family.”
Registration fee for the flag league is $50, which will provide a player with a jersey, belt and flags. Registration is available at bwaayouth.com until April 12.
“This program is open to anyone who wants to try flag football at a recreational level,” Johnson said. “Any student-athletes in any community are welcome.
“Our league will follow USA Football/NFL flag football rules. We are trying to provide a working schedule to have in-season athletes attend our program. It is not our intention to clash with any in-season sport. We have also reached out to the Pittsburgh Flag Football League and will be reaching out to the Washington/Greene youth football league to see if we can put a weekend of games together.”
The league’s planning committee consists of board members Frank Lincoln, Kelly Dallmus, Krystal Cornell, Heather Faight, Johnson and Baker.
Donations and/or sponsorship for the flag program are welcome. Board members can be contacted at bwyfaboard@gmail.com.
The planning committee has established an enterprising set of goals to the league. They are:
• To have the community become more active, and have the youth depend less on electronics.
• Bring football and the community together.
“The varsity program has come a long way in the last year or so,” said Johnson. “Coach Cooley has done a tremendous job in trying to change the culture. We want to show everyone we are here and we care about the community. It’s more about the culture aspect.”
• Develop individual skills and increase the number of players in the BWAA youth football program.
“Flag focuses on the skill part of football,” said Johnson. “This program will allow our players to hone in on their skill set. The high school kids coming to coach can work on their maturity and leadership skills. The youth players look up to these kids and will do what they do.”
• Provide an opportunity for girls to participate in football.
“I have coached flag for years, and the young ladies are usually the disciplined players and flag grabbers on the field,” Johnson said.“Women and young ladies have a passion for football, and this gives them somewhere to showcase their love for the game.”
• Increase the overall number of tackle football players in the district.
“Baldwin is a 5A school, yet we could not field the numbers at each level that our league desired,” Johnson said. “We want to get our coaches out in the community to show that we are a dedicated bunch. We want to get this program to the next level.”
• Raise money for equipment, in particular for new helmets.
• Participate in national flag football league tournaments.
Among the BWAA youth football players who have signed up for the flag program so far are Errin Barlow, Trey Johnson, Ethan Summerfield, Ryan Summerfield, Julian Cornell, Alexander Douglass, Noah Mickolay, Randy Ardolino-Baker, Jacob Pyle, Evan Gude and Andrew Sharp.
The league will kick off April 14 with a flag camp from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Paynter Elementary.