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“Our philosophy is to make the game fun above all else,” league director Steve Kosidowski said, “and teach the fundamentals.”
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Winona Green player Drew Fakler breaks through tackles from Lewiston White defenders on a punt return Monday during the Morrie Miller Youth Tackle Football League’s championship game at Maxwell Field. (photo by Katie Derus/Winona Daily News) |
Lewiston-Altura White beat Winona Green 20-6 in a defensive battle for the league championship Monday at Winona State University’s Maxwell Field at Alltel Stadium.
“They don’t care so much if they win or lose,” Kosidowski said. “As long as they get a rug burn from WSU’s field, they’re OK.”
More than 170 fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders competed in a seven-team league — up from 160 kids and six teams last year.
There have been talks of adding teams from Houston and Rushford-Peterson as well, Kosidowski said.
“The growth has been phenomenal,” Kosidowski said. “Down the road kids get a better love for the game. Hopefully they stick with it, have fun and move on (in the sport).”
The final game was a graduation of sorts for the sixth-graders.
Afterward, a pair of 11-year-old veterans entertained their first post-game interview.
Isaac Pape is a sixth grader at Winona Middle School.
“You get a lot of friends,” Pape said of the league, “and it’s a lot of fun.”
Pape also learned at least one other valuable football lesson.
“We run a lot,” he said.
Jordan Breza, 11, is a sixth-grader at Cotter middle school.
The cutoff to carry the ball in the Morrie Miller league is 125 pounds. As a result, Breza, a good six inches taller than anyone he played against Monday, has come to love the physical play along the line of scrimmage.
“Hitting the quarterback or the running back,” Breza said when asked what he liked most about football. “Hitting anyone with the ball.”
Breza, too, said the friendships he made over three years in the program kept him coming back.
“We work as a team, we play as a team, and we win and lose as a team,” Breza said.
Aside from teaching kids about winning and losing and the spirit of fair play, the league serves as a feeder program for area high school football teams.
Cotter High School running back Mike Sullivan is a recent product of the league. Sullivan leads the Ramblers with 980 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns.
“The seventh grade program at Winona Middle School had 50 kids out this year,” Kosidowski said. “If we can put 50 kids in each grade all they can do is be successful.”
Kosidowski also was quick to thank several supporters of the youth league. Among them, WSU football coach Tom Sawyer, WSU athletic director Larry Holstad, former league director Pat Bowlin and all the members and donors of the Morrie Miller Foundation.
“We couldn’t do it without them,” Kosidowski said.
