Simple approach leads to success of Fort Thomas Youth Football League

 

G. Michael Graham Photo. The Fort Thomas Youth Football League is purely instructional. That keeps kids interested and is a huge reason why the Bluebirds are 94-3 with six straight state championships since the start of 2007.

 

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

Youth football leagues around the country may be great or detrimental in the development of high school programs.

The Fort Thomas Youth Football League has been a major asset to the success of the Highlands Bluebirds football team. That’s a big reason why nearly 100 sophomores, juniors and seniors grace the sidelines for the Blue and White on Fridays.

“Ít’s awesome how we have a junior league and how the coaches make each of the kids on the team work hard and they don’t push them to the point where they don’t want to play anymore,” said Kyler Dalton, Highlands junior offensive lineman. “When they get up to freshman year, we’re all really excited to play Highlands football.”

Fort Thomas Junior Football League donates proceeds to Frink family

Photo by G. Michael Graham/Fort Thomas Matters. Clay Frink, bottom, enjoys the Fort Thomas Junior League Eighth Grade Appreciation Game with his father Neal on Monday. The league donated the proceeds from that game to the family.

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Fort Thomas Junior Football League wrapped up its season Monday with the annual 8th Grade Appreciation Game.

The White team, composed of players from the Red and Gold teams, defeated the Blue team, composed of players from the Blue and Green teams, 14-6. The eighth graders move onto Highlands High School next year as Freshmen. Many of the players had been involved in the league since the third grade.

But in another act of kindness toward Clay Frink, the proceeds from the game went to help him in his recovery from an accident in the summer. A sport utility vehicle hit Frink at the intersection of Highland and South Fort Thomas Avenues, said Lieutenant Rich Whitford of the Fort Thomas Police Department to the Cincinnati Enquirer.

“It really is a wonderful community,” said Dale Mueller, Highlands Director of Athletics. “If there is anything going on, the community rallies around it. I don’t know there’s another community you can find like this. You don’t necessarily have to know somebody, but if something is going on, people are for it. I’m really proud to be a part of it.”