Ingrid Mezo

Catoctin Youth Athletic (CYA) association President James Angerett recently asked town officials to allow the CYA to place a fence around their football field and to help fund the project.

Town officials agreed during a January 16 town meeting that the fence is needed and said they would look into funding the fence through an open space grant from the state if the CYA could come up with 25 percent of the funds. But, Mayor Martin Burns said he was not sure if they would be able to obtain the grant in time for the upcoming season.

Angerett said he would come back to the commissioners with three estimates for the cost of the fence.

"The fence would allow us to control access to the field," Angerett said. "Part of it is the development of the field. We wanted to develop it into a great atmosphere where people can come and enjoy the games. The fence is also a way of generating revenue for us through sponsorships [via advertisements placed by local companies]. It would also enable us to host our league Superbowl, because the league will not allow any teams without controlled field access to host the championship."

Now, there are parking areas directly behind where the CYA teams play, and a fence would make it a safer environment for CYA football players and cheerleaders.

"The biggest reason to do this is the atmosphere of the game," Angerett said. "When people go away, they can say, ‘Wow, that’s a really nice field,’ you know, kind of a showpiece."

The CYA has grown by leaps and bounds since it started 20 years ago, and last season 268 youths signed up to play football and cheer.

"Our football numbers have just been jumping and jumping," Angerett said. "We’re really actively trying to increase those cheerleading numbers too. We want to get out the good name of the organization to the people of the town, so they know we’re here, and know we are a quality organization."

The CYA starts 5- and 6-year-olds out playing flag football. At ages 7 and 8, they progress to a full uniform with helmet and pads, and a Division One and Division Two team. There are also two teams for 9- and 10-year-olds, and 11- and 12-year-olds. For the first time this year, there will be two divisions for 13 and 14-year-olds.

"We went to a second division so all the kids have a chance to participate," Angerett said. "Only 11 people can be on the field at one time. It makes the kids feel a lot better about themselves, and they get a lot of playing time."

For each of those levels, there is also a cheerleading squad. "They’ll eventually have enough [participants] where we’ll have two cheerleading squads for each level," he said.

The CYA is also performing very well, and fielded two of three teams in the playoff last year.

"The more children we have, the more successful we are, and that’s really showing," Angerett said.

The CYA plays against teams from Boonsboro, Brunswick, Damascus, Frederick, Middletown, Mount Airy, Poolesville, Taneytown, Walkersville, and Westminster.

Registration starts in March or April and concludes in June.

"Our organization is just busting at the seams," Angerett said. "The more, the better. We’ll just keep bringing them in. We’re never going to tell them no. Once we get them out there, I guarantee after one season they’ll love it." Girls are also welcome to play football, he said.

"The one girl I had on a team with my oldest son went all the way through, and was actually a very good football player," Angerett said. "If

they want to come out there, and go through it, they’re more than welcome."

And, with five to seven coaches for each team, the CYA takes all precautions to avoid injuries to its young athletes. "We don’t get a lot of kids hurt," Angerett said.

The coaches go through extensive training, and the CYA strongly encourages its coaches to attend a coaching clinic every season. Coaches generally start out as assistant coaches, then move up as they gain experience.

There are nine games in the season, some on the home field, some away, and practices start at the end of July and run through the end of October for the regular season. Playoffs are in mid-November.