Pee Wees Serve Up Family Fun At The Park
[Written by Patrick Bean]
Much rumbling and tumbling, dashing back and forth, along with keen doses of skill and talent were present and on display at Bernard Park as the Pee Wee Youth Leagues took centre stage, with several club teams featured on the inaugural day of organised play for the 2019 season.
Like the ‘big boys’ of the Bermuda Football Association [BFA] leagues, the micro versions have been in intensive training and preparation, with Saturday providing the opportunity to engage, and there was certainly no shortage of competitiveness both on and off the pitch.
And while the Pee Wee sector does not come under the purview of the BFA, the local governing body does assist with allowances relative to facility, resources and structure.
Squads on parade included from as far away as Ireland Rangers territory in Dockyard, to points many along the way, taking in PHC, Devonshire Colts, Dandy Town, Boulevard and hosts North Village, with more expected to join as action switches to PHC next week.
“This is not exactly a tournament or league, as such, but it’s really to get the young players started in match environment rather than just kicking the ball,” explained Allan Young, aka DJ Younguls, combining the posts of public address announcer and, of course, spinning some tunes as added entertainment for the gathered crowd.
“Most of them are still just kicking the ball around, but for the most part this gives them a chance to get their boots on, get in gear, get them in a structured environment and game setting, and today is just nice, we have the weather cooperating for us and today and usually it’s a nice setting of family and community, supporting our young people, it’s a nice Saturday morning.”
Colourful and smart, clad in their crested uniforms and carrying their sideline rooting sections of mums, dads, relatives true and assumed, there was as much fervour off the pitch as on.
“It’s typical that the parents get very much enthused, sometimes too much,” said Young, with a chuckle. “But the boys and girls love it, they’re enthusiastic, want to play and finally get on the field, so it always acts as a nice family environment, we have the music playing which gives it a tournament atmosphere, where they can feel their boots and get their boots on the field.”
“It’s the first time for a lot of these players. The very first time for some, while others have been in the programme a few years, depending on how early they started.
“It’s great for them to finally get on the field and play against peers, with real grass under their feet and real balls. So it’s great for the development, great for the coaches and it’s a great training ground for the parents to understand that it’s about fun at this level, it’s about development for the young players and that it’s not World Cup…just yet.”
