PARA Announces Partnership With West Alabama Youth Football

PARA Announces Partnership With West Alabama Youth Football

The Tuscaloosa Park & Recreation Authority announced a major partnership with the West Alabama Youth Football Association.

With a decrease in participating due to COVID-19, both leagues wanted a chance for their players to have a sense of normalcy for the season. This collaboration will help bring just that for the players, coaches, and families involved.

WAYFA Chairman Burkles Davis, Jr. spoke on the partnership saying, “It is always a good idea when the community can come together and work together. There is room for PARA and WAYFA where we can come together for the good of our community and our youth.”

As a kid, I played tackle football and I know how meaningful one game in the season is to the team. The fact that PARA and WAYFA decided to partner for the benefit of the players' season speaks volumes.

For more details on the partnership, check out this press release from PARA.

Press Release

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Tuscaloosa County Park & Recreation Authority announces a collaboration with the West Alabama Youth Football Association for youth tackle football programming.

Due to COVID-19 and increased health and safety concerns, PARA and WAYFA both recognized they had youth who wanted to play yet a decrease in program participation. PARA engaged both leagues and stressed the importance of health measures based on CDC guidelines, structured practices, coach’s health communication guidelines with players, parents’ health needs, and to mask up in order to play.

Jay Logan, Director of Athletics & Community Outreach said, “It was decided it was in the best interest of our sports community, representatives from both Tuscaloosa City and County school systems, to keep youth tackle football going by joining the leagues together, and bringing a sense of normalcy for kids who needed the opportunity to participate in this team sport. Finding a way to provide this opportunity was important while being mindful of the needed health safety measures for COVID-19 and the new Coach Safely Act.”

Burkles Davis, Jr., WAYFA chairman said, “It is always a good idea when the community can come together and work together. There is room for PARA and WAYFA where we can come together for the good of our community and our youth.”

According to PARA officials, the collaboration has worked well because combining the two leagues helped provide a meaningful season for all players. The arrangement still allows the independent teams to play travel football on Saturdays and league games during the week at Sokol Park.

Additional details are as follows:

· A total of 314 players compete in this combined program.

· The WAYFA and PARA teams form three divisions in our Youth Tackle Football League, including 8U, 10U and 12U divisions.

Central Falcons Youth Football

Sipsey Valley Youth Football

Brookwood Youth Football

· The 8U & 10U divisions consist of four teams each, while 12U division has five teams.

· Games began on September 14, with the regular-season competition expected to continue through mid-October, as each team will play six regular-season games.

· Post-season play will consist of a single-elimination tournament for each division, following the conclusion of all regular-season games.

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