Ridgefield Youth Football Joins Forces with RHS Football
by Greg Girolamo
RHS head football coach, Kevin Callahan (seated on front desk), and his coaching staff field questions from over 20 RYF coaches at Tuesday night’s coaches clinic. The meeting marked the beginning of a new partnership between RYF and high school football programs.
On Tuesday, May 18 over 20 coaches from the Ridgefield Youth Football and Cheer (RYF) program met with high school football head coach Kevin Callahan and his coaching staff to discuss and put in place a new partnership program between RYF and the Ridgefield High School (RHS) football programs.
Working together, the RYF and RHS football programs will undertake a number of activities over the next few months to bring the organizations closer together. Some of the ideas discussed at Tuesday night’s coaches clinic centered on RYF youth player involvement in high school games. Suggestions included game night half-time flag football exhibitions by the youth players, RYF players serving as water boys and reserved sideline seats and jerseys for RYF football players. Additionally, RYF plans to use the same football terminology, base formations and plays as the high school does, allowing for an easy transition for those players who ultimately will move on to high school football. RYF emphasized, however, that the partnership will benefit all players, regardless of their intentions beyond eighth grade.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to be teaming up with Coach Callahan and his first-rate high school program,” said RYF President John Pavain. “The partnership will benefit both the young football players and the high school players alike. Our boys truly look up to the high school players and will get so much out of an increased exposure to our town’s excellent high school program. Additionally, I think Coach Callahan would agree that the high school players benefit by being provided the opportunity to be good role models.”
Over the course of the summer and into the fall, RYF and RHS will conduct additional coaches clinics. In addition, RYF coaches will be attending high school practices this spring to become familiar with their coaching techniques and practice plans.
Commenting on the partnership Callahan added, “My staff and I are excited to work with the coaches and young players of RYF and look forward to a long and rewarding football experience for everyone involved. This partnership is going to greatly benefit both the RHS and RYF programs.”
The new RYF/RHS partnership is built, in part, on other successful programs in the area. RYF became more familiar with such programs through its recent affiliation with the Fairfield County Football League (FCFL). In building the Ridgefield program, RYF will look to and communicate with two fellow FCFL/FCIAC league towns, Westport and New Canaan. According to Pavain, both Westport and New Canaan’s youth football FCFL programs are known for their quality partnerships with their high schools. Those partnerships, in turn, have contributed to Westport and New Canaan’s successful high school programs.
Established over 50 years ago, RYF provides football programs for students in third through eighth grade and a cheerleading program for girls in kindergarten through eighth grade. Affiliated with the FCFL, RYF competes with the towns of Darien, Fairfield, New Canaan, Norwalk, Westport and Wilton. Open registration for the 2010 season has begun online at www.ridgefieldyouthfootball.org. Scholarships are available.
For football registration questions, contact Liz Rose at 203-438-8302. For cheer registration questions, contact KamiEvarts at 203-244-4227.
I sat throught this very same meeting. The unique viewpoint of the RYF Publicity Director needs clarification. This meeting was attended not only by RYF coaches but, also by coaches from RFCL, who were invited by Coach Callahan. While most of the meeting did focus on football and training, some RYF coaches could not let the night pass without attempting to secure Coach Callahan’s approval of their organiziation and their new league. Coach Callahan has consistently told anyone who would listen that he will not play favorites. Coach Callahan’s direct answer to these questions was that his focus was on building continuity between the HS program and the youth programs in town. As a matter of fact, I just spoke with Coach Callahan who assures me and the town that he and his staff want to work in partnership with both youth football prgrams – RFCL and RYF – to benefit ALL of the kids playing youth football. That’s good enough for me.
Steve,
Please don’t be so bitter you and your brother got what you wanted, the eigth grade team?
GO RYF!
HMA
[...] the mantra of the excuse maker coach that wants to make the game 100% about who has the most talentRidgefield Youth Football Joins Forces with RHS FootballSome of the ideas discussed at Tuesday night’s coaches clinic centered on RYF youth player [...]
Any Ridgefield youth football person who doesn’t believe in supporting their kids and only cares about winning should not be coaching them. We are here, no matter what anyone thinks, to foster a simple transition to Coach Callahan’s high school football program. Coach C has been very forthright in helping any youth program in Ridgefield and has once again opened his practices and staff for their betterment.
Get off your high horses and drop your ego’s and work with Coach Callahan! Your kids will benefit from it!!!!!
Coach Mack…
As a parent of a childs in the Ridgefield Football & Cheer prgram – It is really sad to see what is going on here. Shame on all who are saying we are doing what is the BEST for our children. YOU ARE NOT!
It is Men behaving badly! The season has started and I see it already….