ESCANABA---The Upper Peninsula Youth Football League in Delta County will not have a season this fall, and will dissolve as an organization.
The league has been run for the past 15 years, playing for nine weeks on Saturday mornings at the Holy Name Catholic School field in Escanaba. It started as a Pop Warner football program, but the league later disassociated with that organization.
Over the years, UPYF saw more than 2,500 kids particpate, including Escanaba High School and Northern Michigan University graduate Jace Daniels, who now plays for the Winnipeg Bluebombers of the Canadian Football League.
Daniels played for parts of two seasons on the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers practice squad before signing in Canada.
Escanaba resident Elvis Hood, and his wife, Elise, started the league back in 2000, and were the main organizers of every season since. Their son, Boston, played and officiated in the league, and has run the day-to-day operations of the league for the past several years. Why is the league dissolving?
"We could no longer fulfill our basic mission," Elvis Hood said, "to safely teach tackle football in a safe and fun environment without the 'win at all costs attitude'."
The league's motto has been "it's all about the kids", but there's fewer young kids interested in playing youth football these days. At one time, the league had 220 players registered, but this past fall, that number dropped to 130 kids.
The UPYF, like many other youth sports organizations, has struggled to attract enough people who are willing to volunteer their time to help with running the league, officiating games on Saturday mornings, and to help with field maintenance.
Boston Hood did many of those duties himself, but is now limited in how much he can do because of issues with his heart. He has made several trips to the Cleveland Clinic for treatment. And his parents, Elvis and Elise, both have full-time jobs.
"I would like to say thank you to my parents for all of the work that they did over the last 15 years for the league," Boston Hood said. "The players that went through the program greatly appreciate them. From painting the field on their wedding anniversary to the countless hours of entering data into the computer so the kids could play on Saturday. Thank you."
There were quite a few accomplishments for the league over the years when it comes to child safety. UPYF was amongst the first in the region to buy anti-concussion helmets back in 2003, and it was the first in the Upper Peninsula to invest in ten "digital helmets" with Riddell's "insite impact response system" to measure concussions in 2014.
Even though UPYF won't be having a season this fall, Hood still wants the kids to stay active and play football through the Northern Lights YMCA program.
The league's official statement is posted below.
UPYF regrets to announce that after 15 years of dedicated service to Delta County youth they will be discontinuing football operations. This decision was made after significant consideration for all concerned. There has been a declining interest in tackle football over the years resulting in decreasing support for the program.
This coupled with health concerns of the principal operators we do not feel we can fulfill our basic mission. UPYF is proud to have served several thousand players and cheerleaders while in operation and is extremely grateful for all the help we have received over the years.
For those kids that are still interested in playing football, the Northern Lights YMCA is ready to serve that need, so please continue to participate in youth sports! Thanks again to all who participated in Upper Peninsula Youth Football!
The league has been run for the past 15 years, playing for nine weeks on Saturday mornings at the Holy Name Catholic School field in Escanaba. It started as a Pop Warner football program, but the league later disassociated with that organization.
Daniels played for parts of two seasons on the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers practice squad before signing in Canada.
Escanaba resident Elvis Hood, and his wife, Elise, started the league back in 2000, and were the main organizers of every season since. Their son, Boston, played and officiated in the league, and has run the day-to-day operations of the league for the past several years. Why is the league dissolving?
"We could no longer fulfill our basic mission," Elvis Hood said, "to safely teach tackle football in a safe and fun environment without the 'win at all costs attitude'."
The league's motto has been "it's all about the kids", but there's fewer young kids interested in playing youth football these days. At one time, the league had 220 players registered, but this past fall, that number dropped to 130 kids.
The UPYF, like many other youth sports organizations, has struggled to attract enough people who are willing to volunteer their time to help with running the league, officiating games on Saturday mornings, and to help with field maintenance.
"I would like to say thank you to my parents for all of the work that they did over the last 15 years for the league," Boston Hood said. "The players that went through the program greatly appreciate them. From painting the field on their wedding anniversary to the countless hours of entering data into the computer so the kids could play on Saturday. Thank you."
There were quite a few accomplishments for the league over the years when it comes to child safety. UPYF was amongst the first in the region to buy anti-concussion helmets back in 2003, and it was the first in the Upper Peninsula to invest in ten "digital helmets" with Riddell's "insite impact response system" to measure concussions in 2014.
Even though UPYF won't be having a season this fall, Hood still wants the kids to stay active and play football through the Northern Lights YMCA program.
The league's official statement is posted below.
UPYF regrets to announce that after 15 years of dedicated service to Delta County youth they will be discontinuing football operations. This decision was made after significant consideration for all concerned. There has been a declining interest in tackle football over the years resulting in decreasing support for the program.
This coupled with health concerns of the principal operators we do not feel we can fulfill our basic mission. UPYF is proud to have served several thousand players and cheerleaders while in operation and is extremely grateful for all the help we have received over the years.
For those kids that are still interested in playing football, the Northern Lights YMCA is ready to serve that need, so please continue to participate in youth sports! Thanks again to all who participated in Upper Peninsula Youth Football!
