When Labor Day weekend rolls around, more than 4,000 young children between the ages of seven and 14 will take to the football fields around the area to participate in a milestone season for the St. Louis Junior Football League.
It will be a special year indeed for the JFL, which celebrates its 50th anniversary of competition this year. The organization has grown over the years to become a force in the St. Louis community with more than 3,000 youths playing football and another 1,000 kids who are on the sidelines as cheerleaders.
“We’re very excited about this year being the 50th anniversary,” said Reggie Jones of the Herbert Hoover Boys & Girls Club and president of the St. Louis JFL. “Everyone seems to be aware of it. It’s going to be a great year.”
That tradition includes former players such as Steve Atwater, Trent Green, Darnell and Marquis Walker, Carey Davis, Laurence Maroney, Jeremy Maclin and many others who went on to play in the National Football League.
The tradition also includes many coaches who played in the JFL years ago, but now are on the sidelines passing along their lessons to a new generation of eager young children.
Many of the league’s coaches have been developing young kids for more than a quarter of a century. Those special individuals were honored at a special 50th anniversary banquet held at the St. Louis Gateway Classic Sports Foundation during the spring.
“Most of those coaches played in the JFL, so they understand the tradition of the JFL and what we’re all about,” said Jones.
As the participation numbers grow with more than 120 teams, the visibility of the JFL has continued to grow in the 21st century. In recent years, JFL games on Monday nights have been televised on STL-TV 10. Those games are televised during the week, and that will continue this season.
What will be new this season will be televised games of KPLR-TV, which will air on Saturdays at noon.
This is huge for us,” Jones said. “That’s going to make sure that everyone in the region is going to know what we’re all about. This might be unprecedented for a little league football organization to have their games televised in such a manner.”
On Sept. 26, the JFL will be on display at the Edward Jones Dome as 32 teams will have the opportunity to play on the same field at the St. Louis Rams as a prelude to the annual St. Louis Gateway Classic black college football game.
For more information on the St. Louis Junior Football League, you can check out their website at stljfl.org.
East to Iowa
Hazelwood East football standouts Don Shumpert and Christian Kirksey both gave verbal commitments to the University of Iowa last week. Shumpert is a 6’2” 185-pouind wide receiver/defensive back while the 6’2” 200-pound Kirksey plays tight end and linebacker for the Spartans. Both players were instrumental in the Spartans’ run to the Class 5 state championship last season.
3-on-3 on 9/12
The Richmond Heights Festival 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament will be held on Saturday, Sept. 12 at the AB Greenfield Outdoor Basketball Courts (Dale & Laclede Station Rd.). The tournament will be held for boys and girls grade school (fifth and sixth grade), middle school (seventh and eighth grade), high school boys and men. The cost is $125 per team. For more information or to register, contact Chris Kirksey at chrisakirksey@sbcglobal.net.