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Sports

Middletown Tiger Youth Football and Cheering Kicks Off Season

Over 150 athletes participate on the football teams and as cheerleaders, comprising the 2011 Middletown AYF team, with which the NFL partners.

Marco Gaylord, founder and director of the Middletown Youth Tiger Football and Cheering program, welcomed athletes recently to the 2011 season.

"We will have to work hard," Gaylord said. "Be quiet when your coaches are talking. Be respectful of the coaches and your teammates. We don't tolerate any bad language. Have a good attitude. Make sure you bring water to every practice. A lot of water. Safety is important, so everyone needs to listen to the coaches. Let's have fun and have a great season!"

The program mission is to teach fundamentals of football and cheering, but more importantly to develop strong character and teach life skills such as teamwork. Maintaining a good academic record is equally important.

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The team practices three to four nights per week at Woodrow Wilson Middle School or the Pat Kidney Field. Games for grades two to four are held on Saturdays and grades five through eight are played on Sundays. The community is encouraged to attend the practices and games and support their teams.

Parents and community members are highly involved in coaching both the football and cheerleading, holding fundrasing events, and running the concession stand during home games.

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During a special meeting for the parents, Gaylord remarked, "We've had 30 more boys sign up for football than anticipated. That means extra helmets and uniforms. We'll need to fundraise. We need parents to help."

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