Ready for some football
Aug 20, 2009 | 613 views | 0 
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Munchie Games mark the start of youth football season
If it smells like the scent of pigskin is permeating the air, it’s because the football season is just over the horizon.
The football season unofficially started Aug. 9, with the playing of the NFL’s Hall of Fame game. It may be preseason football, but it’s football nonetheless.
But it’s not just the National Football League that has its preseason going — youth football in Patterson is gearing up for its upcoming games. The Patterson Ravens football and cheerleading teams kicked off the 2009 season by hosting the Munchie Games, a jamboree at Patterson Community Stadium.
Six teams — including the first-year Ravens program, comprising mostly former Patterson Redskins players and coaches — representing the Trans Valley Youth Football League’s four divisions participated in the preseason scrimmages in preparation for the upcoming season, which begins Saturday, Aug. 22.
The scrimmages consisted of 40-minute intervals for each team from each division. A total of 20 minutes was spent for each offense and 20 minutes for each defense.
“It’s a way to see where we stand,” said Read Weinzheimer, coach of the junior varsity Ravens. “It’s the first chance they have to hit someone they don’t know.”
All divisions were represented for tackle football, including starters (ages 6 to 8), rookies (9 to 10), JV (11 to 12) and varsity (12 to 14).
After hours of practice under the sizzling summer sun, teams finally got a chance to see how they stack up against one another.
“It’s a chance for everyone to get to know each other and for the kids to get a feel for the game,” said Reece Roper, the Ravens’ vice president of player personnel. “The players are psyched, and the cheerleaders are out. It’s a great atmosphere. Everyone’s excited about the new season.”
Eric Bonilla, 9, of Salida, said the Munchie Games are different than practices, which have been going on several times a week since early August. Players are allowed to tackle, rather than just tap one another.
“It’s sort of like a warm-up to know our plays,” he said.
The jamboree — named after Ryan “Munchie” Taylor, the youngest certified coach in the history of the TVYFL who died in a 2004 motorcycle accident — annually kicks off the local football season.
“It’s like a football camp,” Roper said. “You see different formations and setups. It’s a learning process for the kids.”
Coaches spent the day preaching sportsmanship and the fundamentals of the game to their young charges, mixing advice on how to get out of a three-point stance with how to look a coach in the eye, or blending a lesson on sidestepping for a block with the importance of respecting teammates.
“We really monitored the players individually,” Weinzheimer said. “Some of (the players) take big steps. Some take smaller steps. But they all progress over the course of the day.”
The Munchie Games also allow coaches and players to gauge strengths and weakness as well as the positives and negatives of their practice this summer. And it allows them time to make last-minute adjustments to the opening week’s game plans.
Bonilla said he enjoys watching football on TV, but it’s a lot different on the field.
“(On TV), you think, that looks pretty easy,” he said. “But when you’re actually playing, it’s like, wow, that’s hard.”
The Ravens begin their season Saturday against the Tri-City Bulldogs at Patterson Community Stadium. The first game kicks off at 9 a.m.
If it smells like the scent of pigskin is permeating the air, it’s because the football season is just over the horizon.
The football season unofficially started Aug. 9, with the playing of the NFL’s Hall of Fame game. It may be preseason football, but it’s football nonetheless.
But it’s not just the National Football League that has its preseason going — youth football in Patterson is gearing up for its upcoming games. The Patterson Ravens football and cheerleading teams kicked off the 2009 season by hosting the Munchie Games, a jamboree at Patterson Community Stadium.
Six teams — including the first-year Ravens program, comprising mostly former Patterson Redskins players and coaches — representing the Trans Valley Youth Football League’s four divisions participated in the preseason scrimmages in preparation for the upcoming season, which begins Saturday, Aug. 22.
The scrimmages consisted of 40-minute intervals for each team from each division. A total of 20 minutes was spent for each offense and 20 minutes for each defense.
“It’s a way to see where we stand,” said Read Weinzheimer, coach of the junior varsity Ravens. “It’s the first chance they have to hit someone they don’t know.”
All divisions were represented for tackle football, including starters (ages 6 to 8), rookies (9 to 10), JV (11 to 12) and varsity (12 to 14).
After hours of practice under the sizzling summer sun, teams finally got a chance to see how they stack up against one another.
“It’s a chance for everyone to get to know each other and for the kids to get a feel for the game,” said Reece Roper, the Ravens’ vice president of player personnel. “The players are psyched, and the cheerleaders are out. It’s a great atmosphere. Everyone’s excited about the new season.”
Eric Bonilla, 9, of Salida, said the Munchie Games are different than practices, which have been going on several times a week since early August. Players are allowed to tackle, rather than just tap one another.
“It’s sort of like a warm-up to know our plays,” he said.
The jamboree — named after Ryan “Munchie” Taylor, the youngest certified coach in the history of the TVYFL who died in a 2004 motorcycle accident — annually kicks off the local football season.
“It’s like a football camp,” Roper said. “You see different formations and setups. It’s a learning process for the kids.”
Coaches spent the day preaching sportsmanship and the fundamentals of the game to their young charges, mixing advice on how to get out of a three-point stance with how to look a coach in the eye, or blending a lesson on sidestepping for a block with the importance of respecting teammates.
“We really monitored the players individually,” Weinzheimer said. “Some of (the players) take big steps. Some take smaller steps. But they all progress over the course of the day.”
The Munchie Games also allow coaches and players to gauge strengths and weakness as well as the positives and negatives of their practice this summer. And it allows them time to make last-minute adjustments to the opening week’s game plans.
Bonilla said he enjoys watching football on TV, but it’s a lot different on the field.
“(On TV), you think, that looks pretty easy,” he said. “But when you’re actually playing, it’s like, wow, that’s hard.”
The Ravens begin their season Saturday against the Tri-City Bulldogs at Patterson Community Stadium. The first game kicks off at 9 a.m.
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