The Snow Hill youth football team will play in Pop Warner football for the first time, thanks in part to one man’s efforts. (Photo via delmarvanow.com)

In at least two communities this week, individuals stepped up in a big way to help their communities save their youth football leagues, in two different ways.

In Snow Hill, Maryland, Lamont Marshall spent the last few years rescuing the Snow Hill youth football league, after a former youth coach “led the program in the wrong direction,” according to The Daily Times. He paid out of pocket and spent several more personal hours to save the struggling league. He’s coached in the league for six years.

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Now, Snow Hill will compete in Pop Warner for the first time this year.

“We’ve been really competitive,” Marshall said. “Fundamentals are always needed, so what we like to do is break everything down. We always try to get leaders, we make sure our older players are leaders. If a 13-year-old is goofing off, the young player’s going to do the same thing. We make our players responsible — we hold them accountable.”

He hopes the league’s success trickles up to the high school team. Snow Hill won a pair of state championships in the 1980s, but has since struggled, going winless each of the last two seasons.

“Our program was the first team to get a win on that field,” said Marshall, who played football until a torn ACL in eighth grade ended his playing days. “The feeder program is what every town needs. Even though the high school team has been losing, to see the kids excited and winning, it fuels the whole town. Right now, we’re sending over some great kids, so Snow Hill High School football is about to be pretty decent.”

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Meanwhile, the Coachella Valley (California) Junior Raiders youth football team faced an unusual form of adversity earlier this spring, when a May 21 storage unit fire destroyed up to $40,000 worth of the team’s equipment, including helmets, shoulder pads, tackling dummies and field equipment. 

(Photo via Coachella Valley GoFundMe page)

A local resident, Sharon Ruis, donated $5,000 to the league Wednesday, which league vice president Kali Alonzo said would be enough to replace the lost helmets.

“"I actually challenge them [the community]. Everybody, to step in, and let's help these young guys to achieve their goals and get their equipment back so they can play," Ruis told KESQ TV. 

"It was unreal. My stomach turned with excitement," Alonzo said. "This is going to replace all our helmets. That's one thing checked off our list that we don't have to worry about. Our kids have safety equipment now." 

Alonzo added the league will need another $10,000 to be able to play its first game in September. Those who are interested in donating can visit the league’s GoFundMe page.

(photo via host.madison.com)

Former Wisconsin player to receive Pat Tillman Award

ESPN.com has announced that former Wisconsin football player Jake Wood, who served four years in Iraq and Afghanistan as a Marine and later co-founded Team Rubicon, will receive the Pat Tillman Award for Service at this year’s ESPYs, scheduled for July 18.

Wood, along with fellow Marine William McNulty, organized a group of veterans, first responders and medical workers to assist Haiti after a 2010 earthquake. That group evolved into Team Rubicon, which includes more than 80,000 volunteers and has responded to 250 disasters since.

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"Pat was motivated by a strong determination and commitment to teamwork," said Marie Tillman, chair and co-founder of the Pat Tillman Foundation. "Through his leadership of Team Rubicon, Jake is challenging fellow veterans to stay on the front line and lead by example in their communities. In Pat's name, we're honored to present the Tillman Award to Jake and Team Rubicon for their service to our country."

Paralyzed former California prep standout returns to alma mater to coach

Former Independence (Bakersfield) High School quarterback Tyler Schilabel appeared to have a promising future in football, until an ATV accident that paralyzed him from the chest down cut short his career.

Or so it seemed.

Now, Schilabel will lead Independence from the sideline as head coach, eight years after the accident. The school named him May 24 as the new coach. 

Excited for this opportunity. Ready to get to work and continue building the falcon football program and working with great young men! https://t.co/yTtiavTiXP

— Tyler Schilhabel (@tschaub8) May 25, 2018

“I never let the accident control me,” Schilabel told KERO-TV. “I had a great support system here in town,” Schilhabel told KERO. “From the school, from my family had some great influences in my life that really propelled me to where I am now.”

For the past year and-a-half, Schilhabel was a special teams assistant coach at the University of Utah.

He became paralyzed after his ATV careened off a 30-foot sand dune at Pismo Beach, rendering Schilabel a T4 paraplegic.

“I never let the accident control me. I had a great support system here in town,” Schilhabel told KERO. “From the school, from my family had some great influences in my life that really propelled me to where I am now.”

Watch KERO’s report here.

 

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