Youth Football Takes Over Redskins Park

The City’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities will be the first local agency to benefit from the construction of the Bon Secours Washington Redskins Training Center. On Saturday, September 28, about 270 young children will take to the fields to play youth football.
     “Many of these kids will be playing in the footsteps of their heroes, and I’m sure their parents will be just as excited as they are,” said Dr. Norman C. Merrifield, director of Richmond’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities. “Our young cheerleaders also will be there to cheer them on.”
     The department offers football and cheerleading for youth age 5 to 14. Each team represents one of the department’s community centers throughout the city.
     The games will begin at 10 a.m. and are free for the public to attend. Using two fields, one for flag football and one for tackle, the schedule is as follows:
    
      Flag Football (for children age 5 through 7)
              10 a.m.            Blackwell vs. Hotchkiss 1
              11:15 a.m.       T.B. Smith vs. Hotchkiss 2
              12:30 p.m.       Bellemeade vs. Battery Park 1
               1:45 p.m.        Reid vs. Westover

      Tackle Football

               10 a.m.            Randolph Juniors vs. Westover Juniors (children age 13 and 14)
               11:45 a.m.       Hickory Hill Midgets vs. Westover Midgets (children age 11 and 12)
                 1:30 p.m.       Randolph PeeWees vs. Westover PeeWees (children age 8 – 10)

     The public is invited to attend, but please note that no smoking, personal food or drinks are allowed at the facility; however vendors will sell food, sodas and water in the concession area. Parking is available on West Leigh Street, and spectators will need to bring their own seating.

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Registration for Youth Football, Cheerleading, Soccer Begins in August

The Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities will hold registration for youth football, cheerleading and soccer beginning in August. Children ages 14 and younger who want to play football or who want to participate in cheerleading can register beginning Aug. 1 through Aug. 22. Registration for those who want to play soccer will take place from Aug. 12 through Sept. 12.
     All registration will take place at the department’s community centers throughout the city. The registration fee is $25 per child/per activity for children who live within the City of Richmond. Children who do not live in the city can also register for these activities, but will be charged $55 plus a non-residency fee of $20.
     Proof of residency as well as proof of age are required at registration.
     If you have additional questions about registration, please call the community center where you wish to register. To find a list of community centers and their phone numbers, visit the department’s website at www.RichmondGov.com/parks or call 646-5733. The Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities operates 18 community centers throughout the city.

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Department to train coaches on sports injuries, concussions

The department will conduct a seminar for its youth football and soccer coaches on dealing with sports injuries and recognizing the symptoms of concussions.

     “Every year we have hundreds of youth playing football and soccer on our recreational teams, and the dangers of injuries, especially concussions, are something we cannot overlook,” said Dr. Norman C. Merrifield, director of the department. “We are very pleased to have Dr. Charles Dillard, a specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitations, traumatic brain injury and concussion, to help educate our staff and volunteers on this important topic this year.”

     Dr. Dillard is a native of Richmond and an assistant professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU (CHoR). He currently serves as the medical director of CHoR’s Traumatic Brain Injury Program.

     The seminar will be held on Saturday, Aug. 11, in the auditorium at the department’s Pine Camp Arts and Community Center, located at 4901 Old Brook Road, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

     The department holds training seminars for its coaches, who are primarily community volunteers, every year, and all first-year coaches are certified by the National Youth Sports Coaches Association. Residents who have an interest in serving as a volunteer coach or assistant can contact the community center where they would like to volunteer or call the department at (804) 646-1175 for more information. A list of community centers can be found on the department’s website. 

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Registration for football, cheerleading expanded

The department is expanding opportunities for children between the ages of 5 and 14 who live in the city and are not beyond eighth grade in school to register to play football and participate in cheerleading this fall. Registration will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 6; Wednesday, Aug. 8; and Thursday, Aug. 9, at the following locations: 

• Battery Park Community Center, 2803 DuPont Circle
• Blackwell Community Center, 300 E. 15^th St.
• G. H. Reid Community Center, 1301 Whitehead Rd.
• Hickory Hill Community Center, 3000 E. Belt Blvd.
• Hotchkiss Community Center, 701 E. Brookland Park Blvd.
• Linwood Robinson Senior Center, 700 N. 26^th St.
• Powhatan Community Center, 5051 Northampton St.
• Randolph Community Center, 1415 Grayland Ave.
• T.B. Smith Community Center, 2015 Ruffin Rd.
• Westover Community Center, 1301 Jahnke Rd.       

In addition, registration will take place at these same sites on Saturday, Aug. 18, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. as previously announced. 

     The registration fee is $25 per child. A utility bill or rent receipt to verify city residency, a report card or current year school schedule to verify grade level, and a birth certificate to verify age will be required at registration, and a parent or guardian must sign a waiver.

     Practices will begin on Monday, August 6, and all games will be held on Saturdays beginning on September 8. The season will culminate in tournament championship games and an awards ceremony.

     For more information, call 804-646-5733.

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Register for Youth Football, Cheerleading

Children who live in the city, between the ages of 5 and 14, and are not beyond eighth grade in school, can register to play football or become a cheerleader this fall with the Department of Parks, Recreation & Community Facilities. Registration cost just $25 per child and will take place between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on July 28 and August 18 at the following community centers:  

• Battery Park, 2803 DuPont Circle
• Bellemeade/T.B. Smith, 2015 Ruffin Rd.
• Blackwell, 300 E. 15^th St.
• Chimborazo, 3000 E. Marshall St.
• Hickory Hill, 3000 E. Belt Blvd.
• Hotchkiss, 701 E. Brookland Park Blvd.
• Powhatan, 5051 Northampton St.
• Randolph, 1415 Grayland Ave.
• Reid, 1301 Whitehead Rd.
• Westover, 1301 Jahnke Rd.   

Practices will begin on Monday, August 6, and games will be held on Saturdays beginning on September 8.  The season will culminate in tournament championship games and an awards ceremony.

     Proof of city residency through a utility bill or rent receipt, grade verification through a report card or current year schedule, and a birth certificate are required at registration. Parents or guardians must also sign a waiver at registration.

     Payment can be made by Visa, MasterCard, check or money order. No cash payments will be accepted.

     For more information, call 804-646-5733.

Youth Football Championship Games set for Nov. 13 at City Stadium

The department will hold its youth football championship games on Saturday, Nov. 13 at City Stadium, previously known as the University of Richmond Stadium, which is located at 601 McCloy St. Three games with players ranging in age from 8-years-old to 15-years-old will be played starting at 10 a.m. to determine the junior, midget and peewee championship teams.
The teams represent the department’s community centers located throughout the city. Approximately 1,720 children in the city play football through the department’s athletic programs at city community centers. They are led by department staff and largely supported by volunteer coaches and parents.
The games this year will include a halftime program featuring the Huguenot High School Marching Band.
Come out and support the city’s youth and get a glimpse of the football players of tomorrow. Tickets can be purchased at the gate and are $2 for children age 11 and younger and $4 for adults and children age 12 and older.
For more information, call (804) 646-1091.

Department to Hold Ed Perry Football Camp for Children

Approximately 200 Richmond children will have the opportunity to learn some football and life fundamentals, next week under the instruction of former National Football League (NFL) player Ed Perry. Perry, who was born in Richmond, also played football at Highland Springs High School and James Madison University before being drafted by the NFL’s Miami Dolphins in 1997.

The Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities and Open Arms Child Development Center have partnered to offer the Ed Perry Football Camp to children, who range in age from 9 years old to 14 years old, for free. The camp will be held at City Stadium Aug. 9 – 13 from 9 a.m. to noon.

The goal of the camp is to inspire the children to become better athletes as well as to provide them with instruction in life skills. Each day of the camp will include training on basic offensive and defensive football skills, followed by a 30-minute life-skills session covering topics such as nutrition, conditioning and character development.

The Open Arms Child Development Center is a non-profit organization that provides services for at-risk children and families.

Media are invited to visit the camp at any time.