FLINT, MI – Youth football is nothing new to the area but not many programs have been geared to kids strictly in the inner city.Lester Liston Sr. and Edgar Carter have partnered with the Flint Community School District to start the Flint Inner-City Youth Football League – formerly known as the Flint Area Football League.
The program originally kicked off in 2005 and ran for six consecutive years but took a backseat last summer because Liston couldn't commit as much time as he would have liked to. With more support, the league is now back better than ever this year.
"We've always dealt with the Flint schools but this year we're trying this partnership where we actually do sign ups right out of the Flint Community Schools," said Liston, President of the FICYFL. "Our objective is to get the schools and kids more involved. Kids external of these schools have the opportunity to play also but our primary focus is to get the elementary school program with contact going."
In the future this may help to build the city's high school programs.
Players like Thomas Rawls (Michigan), Jordan Fields (Central Michigan), Michael Henry Jr. (Western Michigan), Shane Barron (Northern Colorado), Marcus Forward (Northern Colorado) and Lester Liston Jr. (Hargrave Military Academy) all cut their teeth in the league as youngsters.
All games will be housed in Flint's legendary Atwood Stadium beginning June 9.
The league is open to all first through fifth graders in elementary school and teams are guaranteed at least seven weeks' worth of games.
"The kids are our bosses and that's who we work for," said Liston, a 1986 Flint Southwestern graduate. "Our goals and things are for kids but we just need the support from the parents and the cooperation and for them to come out and cheer for the success of the kids and not the score of the game."
Parents can register their children by calling Liston at 810-336-4181 or via email at lgliston55@gmail.com. Carter can be reached at 810-813-4807.
Sign-ups will be held at :
Northern High School on Saturday May 12th (9 a.m.-4 p.m )
Saturday May19th (9a.m-4 p.m.)
Since Liston and Carter are running the league with no sponsorship, the projected cost for each player is $172.00. This funding will be used for registration, equipment, uniforms, awards, banquet, and team training equipment.
League entry:
Kids Entering into the First 1st thru Entering into the 6th
All of the funds go directly into the program and payments must be made in the form of a cashier check or money order. Liston and Carter aren't pleased with the feedback thus far; they're serious about getting this program rolling.
"The public itself they like it but it's just the powers that be and the people that push the buttons, they're moving kind of slow," said Carter, Vice President of the FICYFL. "We have a definite interest because neither of us currently have children in the Flint school system and we've been doing child-related mentoring together for over 10 years with football and basketball combined."
