ND Pee Wee

Published 12:00 am Saturday, September 8, 2007

ND Pee Wee set to debut at jamboree

By Angie Ledbetter

The North Delta Pee Wee football team will show off their talent tomorrow when they take the field at a jamboree at West  Memphis Christian School.

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The team of 31 players from fourth through sixth grade will be coached by David Hardy.  

This is not the first time that North Delta has had a pee wee program. Several years  ago there was  a program, but the team did not travel to play other teams.  

“We talked about getting it back going,” Hardy said.  “What we were really wanting to do was get people involved and get the excitement level up of interest for that age of fourth, fifth, and sixth grades.”

Some of the players  played with the city league, so there is some experience. For the most part most of the players are really learning the game for the first time.  

“We want to teach them the importance of fundamentals of safety and encourage them to have a good positive outlook on the game early on,” Hardy said. “Hopefully they will continue to play the game later.”

Hardy is excited about having the response that he did. He did not know what kind of numbers to expect.  

“When you compare numbers to junior high and high school numbers, thirty-one is definitely a nice number to have for three grades.” he said.  “It’s almost even across the board with an average of ten per grade. It’s a good group to work with and we have had fun so far.”

Following the jamboree North Delta will have six more ballgames, four at home and two on the road.  The games will be a short version of the junior high games.

The players have practiced every day just like the junior high and high school teams with pads and uniforms.  

Giving it all they have had, they are excited and ready to play the game.

“The guys are so excited,” Hardy said. “I’ve seen some of them in the hallways during the day with their cleats on already.  They are anxious to get everything going. You can just see the interest of how they want to learn how to do this.  The excitement level is higher than I thought it would be.”

The team practiced the first in tee shirts and shorts due to the heat and the fact that it was some of the players’ first time experience in a football environment.

The day finally came when the team put on helmets and the next day shoulder pads. Then the day they had been anxiously waiting to put on their uniforms.  All dressed out in Green Wave uniforms, the pee wee team is ready to play some football.

The game starts at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday morning in the jamboree. Their first game will be on September 11, at home against Marvell Arkansas.