The morning after the cheers die down from the Mingus Union High School opener, fall’s opening weekend continues with three youth football games at Cottonwood Middle School.
Under new league president Danica Briseno, 155 players ages 6 to 14 years old have made this the biggest year ever for High Desert Youth Football.
“These are extraordinary numbers we were a little unprepared for,” said Briseno, who made the leap into her new position from cheerleading coordinator. “Last season, we had to actually close a team. We kept registration open a week longer than we normally do.”
Experimentations in new ways to register, such as on Facebook, also helped boost the numbers, along with booths at local restaurants, supermarkets, Dog Days in Clarkdale and Fourth of July.
There has also been word of mouth from a new flag football league, started by High Desert governing board members Becky Allred, Pete Kelly and Jose Zabala.
“We have an excellent board that has been advertising since the beginning of June,” Briseno said. “We had a lot of kids out there for our youth camp before the first week of school, but when they go to school they tell their friends they’re playing football, It’s wonderful … absolutely exhilarating.”
Another 29 cheerleaders will rouse the fans of the Cottonwood Wildcats in their 2 p.m. opener Saturday, Aug. 29, at Cottonwood Middle School, following two games between four of the Minors and Mighty Mites teams which begin at 10 a.m.
For the full story and all youth football schedules, please see the Wednesday, Aug. 19, issue of the Cottonwood Journal Extra.
