Letter from our President
In the words of the legendary Green Bay Packers coach, Vince Lombardi, “Football is not a contact sport. Dancing is a contact sport. Football is a collision sport.” All too often I hear parents say, “Football is too dangerous for a young child to play. “ OR “Johnnie is too young to play football. I am going to wait until he is older when it is safer to play.” Regrettably, what that parent does not realize is that by the time Johnnie is older, he may be facing his peers who have been playing for two or three years. The more experienced players are not afraid of contact. They became acclimated to contact at an age when contact didn’t hurt all that much. Moreover, the experienced youth player, who is by now a two or three year veteran, has also had two or three years’ worth of instruction on the proper safety techniques and the fundamentals engrained in him.
Contrary to popular belief, research studies confirm that the absolute safest time for your son to begin playing tackle football coincides, ironically enough, with the entry point for most youth football leagues – ages six and seven. When it comes to safety, physics favors the age and ability grouped leagues that are comprised of the younger, smaller, lighter, and slower players. This makes perfect sense in light of the fact that, Force is generated by multiplying Mass times Acceleration. At the youngest ages, the boys are simply too small, too slow, and too heavily protected by their equipment to bring much force to a collision. Because the equipment worn in the youngest leagues is substantially the same as that worn in high school, college and professional football, the boys at ages six and seven are more than adequately protected from the injuries that might otherwise result from impact.
SSYS is particularly grateful this season to the City of Sandy Springs, who has invested over $5,000,000 to provide our children with the finest youth sports facility in the north metro area. At Sandy Springs Youth Football and Cheerleading, we offer an age and ability appropriate experience for children entering Kindergarten through the 7th grade.
In closing, we want to personally invite you and your son to experience his first year of football with our program at Sandy Springs Football. As Presidents of our Association, we are taking a personal interest in our “safety first” instructional Pee Wee league, which is designed for boys entering the 1st and 2nd grades in the Fall of 2010. We are confident that your son will have an enjoyable experience, and that you and your family will spend the duration of your children’s youth playing both baseball and football in our wonderful program. We look forward to seeing you this August at the fastest growing youth football and cheerleading program in our area. Go Saints!
Chuck Trense & Cory Van Gundy
Presidents, Sandy Springs Youth Sports Football & Cheerleading
P.S. For more information on the safety of youth football, in general, and our program, in particular, please e-mail us at: sandyspringsfootballinfo@gmail.com or click on the informative tabs on our web site at: www.sandyspringsfootball.com.
______________________________________________________________________________
Sandy Springs Youth Sports (SSYS) in the Fall offers the finest in youth football, facilities, and families in the north Atlanta area. For additional information and to register, please visit our web site at or e-mail us at: sandyspringsfootballinfo@gmail.com. Hurry! Space is available on a first come, first serve basis and the “Early Bird” discount ends at midnight on April 30, 2010. Fees gradually increase through July 31st.
Youth Football and Cheerleading: Grades: Kindergarten - 7th
In Park, Recreational Football League (up to 24 teams – no travel)
K & 1st Grades: Flag league - multiple teams
1st & 2nd Grades: Tackle - multiple teams
3rd & 4th Grades: Tackle - multiple teams
5th & 6th Grades: Tackle - multiple teams
Division I Football League (4 teams, limited area travel)
4th Grade Division 1 Select team
5th Grade Division 1 Select team
6th Grade Division 1 Select team
7th Grade Division 1 Select team