Spartan youth football program heads to CIYFL Super Bowl
The St. Joseph Youth Football program is gearing up for their Central Illinois Youth Football League Super Bowl appearance at the Rantoul Sports Complex on Saturday.
The program’s Varsity team beat the Champaign Colts 20-0 while the Junior Varsity team defeated the Champaign Panthers 18-14 on Oct. 10. The Pee Wee team also beat the Seahawks 10-6.
“Our focus as a team and program is teaching sound fundamental football, being a selfless team player, and making sure you are always representing your team and community on and off the field,” JV coach Chad Carter said.
Carter has been with the 27 players on the JV squad during their two years at the Pee Wee level, one of which was canceled due to COVID-19 mitigations.
“This group of young men has grown so much in my time with them,” he said. “Their overall football knowledge is incredibly impressive for kids their age. We challenge them with fairly advanced concepts and terminology and they can process and execute most everything we throw at them.
“In addition to their growth on the football field, it’s been really fun to be a part of watching them grow into mature young men. They are a great group.”
Which a 5-1 record, the JV Spartans are looking to avenge a 2019 Super Bowl loss.
“They set a goal of winning the Super Bowl this time around,” Carter said.
The 6-2 Pee Wee avenged an early-season loss to the Danville Seahawks to get to the Super Bowl game.
“These boys have made incredible improvements in many ways since the beginning of the season,” head coach Matt Umbarger said. “The way they’ve developed their mental and physical toughness, in particular, has impressed me.
“Football is a tough sport to play. It’s hot with all that equipment on, it hurts getting hit every play, it’s not always fun getting beat around at practice every day. You better be tough if football is the sport for you.”
Umbarger said his team is nothing but tough. Not one athlete has left the team from the beginning of the season, and their eagerness to play, listen and learn is what propels them into the end of October playoffs.
“They’ve put in the work and have earned the success that they’re having now,” he said.
Both coaches know, though, that what the boys learn at this point in time is just the starting point for their future.
“Above all else, I hope they come away with a love and passion for football,” Carter said. “Football is a selfless team sport that can build characteristics that are hard to duplicate in other sports or even life. Football can bring together a community and build relationships that truly last a lifetime. Football is a special sport.”
The JV team includes coaches Eli Marlow, Dustin Butts, and Mike Shelato and the Pee Wee coaches include Jordan Learnard, Lee Waters, and Axel Mohr. SJO Daily also reached out to the Varsity team but has not heard back at this time.
