Football is in season and many teams are looking forward to their first games.
With so much focus on high school football in the area, there is a youth team kicking off its season this week as well, the Manitowoc Chiefs.
While on WOMT’S Be My Guest program recently, Mike Ponish of the Manitowoc Chiefs talked about what’s in store for the Chiefs this year.
“It’s a very exciting time in the sense the start of the season is a new beginning in the sense that it’s a journey,” he said. “Football is a great sport in the sense that it teaches so much, and it’s an exciting time”.
The community has always been a big help in the success of the Chiefs program.
Whether it be volunteers or sponsors, the support has allowed them to keep registration costs relatively low and spend money on new equipment on and off the field.
“The Chiefs are a 100% volunteer organization. There is nobody at the Chiefs that receive any sort of financial compensation or stipend,” Ponish explained. “Everything we do is about improving our program and keeping our players safe”.
The Chiefs are a community team. It brings together players from all over the county, as well as in the area itself, regardless of what school you attend.
It allows people from the community to collaborate and work towards a common goal.
“To me the thing that’s so exciting about the Chiefs, is that they are Manitowoc’s team. This is the one opportunity that kids from Lincoln, Lutheran, Roncalli, regardless of where you go, if you’re out in the county that’s great too,” Ponish said to host Lee Douglas. “That they get to play together, think about the bonds that these kids form, that regardless of where they go to high school, they get to play together, they get to develop friendships, spend time together, bond together, you name it.”
With all the support, the Chiefs were able to start up an NFL Flag Football program as well, providing younger players with a Football opportunity that is just as fun, but still safe.
The Chiefs’ first game will be this Saturday (August 19th) at home. against the Oshkosh Flyers.
The 5th-grade team plays at 9:00 a.m., 6th grade at 10:30 a.m., 7th grade at noon, and 8th grade at 1:30.
Admission is free at the Manitowoc Youth Football Complex located at 2301 Clay Pit Road and concessions will be available.
