Midget Football: from summer clinic to the playoffs

Posted on November 2, 2015 by Keera Frye in Sports // 0 Comments

“Bring it in,” yelled SHS football coach Mike Adams

Nearly 100 excited midget football players swarmed around him in the middle of Russ Grimm Field following those three words.

Last summer, the Southmoreland High School football team hosted a football clinic for the Southmoreland midget football players.

“I really enjoyed it,” said sophomore Jaden Datz, “We got to help the players enhance their skills and show them the building blocks of football.”

At the clinic, high school football players and coaches took the midgets through numerous drills that the high school players do at their own practices. From cone drills to throwing to receiving to blocking to just running, the midget players made the most of their time practicing with the high school football players.

“The high schoolers were really inspirational,” said 10-year-old Division 2 midget football player, Makai Trout. “It was a lot of fun learning from them.”

Being in the teaching position was also enjoyable for the high school players. Many of the players expressed a new appreciation for the game and their coaches.

“It puts you in the position you put your coaches in,” said Datz.

Southmoreland Midget Football Commissioner Ron Smith went to coach Adams with the idea of the clinic. He was excited to tell the midget players after he and Adams agreed on the details of the clinic.

“Oh, they were ecstatic,” said Smith, “It was like Christmas morning for them.”

Parents, players, and coaches were all happy to be involved in the clinic and hope for there to be more like it in the future.

“It made them feel like they were a part of something bigger than just a midget football team,” said Smith. “They got to see what they’re future may look like.”

A future that looks bright for Southmoreland football with two out of three midget football teams claiming a spot in the playoffs.