Football fans of this great county it is once again time to break out those lungs that have been idle for the past few months and get set to do some cheering. That’s right, the CCPIF league has held its tryouts at Dundon. This will be the tenth anniversary of the league, and it has been a road worth taking for the youth of this county. Many people have had a hand in the success of the league over the years, and it just keeps growing. The tenth anniversary ushers in a new president, long time supporter and dad of some of the players, Scott Bass. Bass, as most of you know, is the Senior Trooper in the Clay detachment of the West Virginia State Police and has long protected the people of the county and supported not only the CCPIF but also every other sport in this county that our youth are involved in. President Bass, who also coaches the A team, has a “hard work brings success” attitude and instills this in the players so they will be at the top of their game when the scoreboard is lit up. The league is proud to have Scott Bass as president as it can only mean more positive things to come.
That being said, the baseball diamonds were turned into makeshift gridirons, and the conditioning of these young future football stars began this past week. Youth from around the county began the muscle burning calisthenics to prepare for football war. All of the coaches put them to the test – from blocking sleds to a warrior’s carry. At the end of the week, participants were either a football player or still trying to be one. Some of the best and loudest cheerleaders showed up to try out for the cheer teams to cheer on the gladiators. The fields were alive with action, and the look in the young athletes’ eyes, whether they were football players or cheerleaders, gave a person the idea that this was not going to be a regular season. This will be the year that CCPIF will be at the top of the food chain. The first time they hit the field will be the Grid. It is here where fear and anxiety will take a back seat to the thrill of the tackle, to the first catch or run of the year. It is when a player looks into the mirror after a game and is covered in dirt and stains and they realize, “I am more than what I think I am, I am a football player.”
The place to be is at Roane County on August 15th at 10 am; you won’t want to miss this one. No doubt that when the smoke clears the Clay Intermediate Panthers will be on top. If you get the opportunity and you’re tired of life without football, head to Roane County and watch some real heart pounding, head busting action. There is a lot of hard work that goes into this league from all the coaches, assistant coaches, league officers and many volunteers that make sure it is smooth sailing for the kids. Their first home game will be against Gilmer on August 29. Flag football begins at 11:00 am and C-team starts at 12:00 pm. You owe it to yourself to bring your weary with life heart and bones out to a game to feel young again, grab a hotdog, have a seat and see what a great league this has turned into.
