Missoula Parks and Recreation has teamed up with Little Grizzly Football to offer Jr. Playmakers Flag Football to boys and girls in first through sixth grade.
Jr. Playmakers flag football, now in its ninth season, teaches kids the elements of the game in a fun, low-key, non-competitive setting, says Recreation Specialist Ryan Yearous. “Jr. Playmakers has always been about fun, fair play and good sportsmanship. We’re excited to partner with Little Grizzly Football this year while expanding the program to include first grade,” Yearous said.
Boys and girls in first and second grades can register for the traditional Jr. Playmakers flag football league with no blocking. New this year, kids in third and fourth grades can play a 9-a-side flag football format with helmets and blocking to better prepare them for tackle leagues in the future. Jr. Playmakers also offers flag football for fifth and sixth graders as an alternative to the traditional Little Grizzly Football program.
“Little Grizzly Football is pleased to partner with Parks and Recreation to offer a new football option for third-and-fourth-graders,” says Bob Hermes, Little Grizzly Football program director. “The new format will allow younger kids to easily transition to the controlled contact football played in the Little Grizzly program.”
To register for Jr. Playmakers flag football, phone Parks and Recreation at 721-PARK or stop by Currents Aquatics Center in McCormick Park. The registration fee is $40, or $32 with a resident discount card, and the deadline is Saturday, August 24 at 5 p.m. Players will be placed teams according to their neighborhood school. Parent volunteer coaches are needed, phone Ryan Yearous at 552-6266 for more information. Practices start the week of September 8, and games begin the week of September 22. Games are played Monday or Wednesday evenings at 5:30 p.m. at Fort Missoula. Visit www.missoulaparks.org for a registration form and more information. For more information about Little Grizzly Football, visit www.littlegrizzlyfootball.com.
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