The Rolling Youth Foundation welcomed their first participants in the new flag football program that is part of the NFL.
Erice Williams, founder of the Rolling Youth Foundation, and the program’s coordinator, Sheneka Stitten, extended registration to get as many enrolled in the NFL Flag Individual Grant Program.
Stitten said every child who registered or participated in the NFL Flag individual grant program, but did not show for the initial combine is still eligible to play and will be pushed through to the next rounds of Saturday meets. The players meet every Saturday at the Southside High School football field until the combine and meet and greet are done.
The next Meet and Greet is May 3, and the first game is May 10. The field location is Southside High School, 7975 U.S. Highway 80 E in Selma. The end of the summer program’s season is in June.
The April 26 combine brought participants from almost every ward in Selma. It was a modest turn out for a budding program. Some of the tracked running speeds for the ages for a yard were strong at 3.09secs, 3.5secs, 4.35secs and 3.21secs.
Williams then taught side shuffling (a defensive stance) and how to properly hold, throw and catch a football. The children who completed their registration were also given their own specific numbers to wear during their scoring and lessons.
Stitten registered some children who weren’t quite sure about “this whole flag football thing” and was even able to get her niece and nephew to become excited about the event. Some children registered at the recent East Selma Easter Egg Hunt.
Stitten and Williams said volunteers are welcome to participate by refereeing or coaching. Head coaches who volunteer are gifted with one free registration for the child that they either sponsor in life, or have handpicked from their respective family trees.
