Falcons 10-under youth gridders take pride in their efforts
The Fort Lauderdale Falcons 10-Under Division team recently concluded a very successful regular season in the Florida Youth Football League with a 6-4 record.
Head Coach Juan Cintron was very pleased with the play of his squad, which earned a berth in the postseason tournament.
The Falcons, one of five teams in the local program, play their home games at Holiday Park. The 10-under squad kicked off the season with 35 players, but lost some along the way and the current roster stands at 23.
There have been some great highlights and lessons to embrace for the young Falcons, who upset the cross-town rival Fort Lauderdale Hurricanes in a 12-0 outcome.
The Falcons have been led by quarterback Vila Jozma, running back and safety Michael Warren and running back and cornerback Oscar Sager. On the defensive side, nose tackle Kentavious Black, defensive tackle Dominic Garcia, linebacker Javier Frazier and defensive end Shawn Garcon were tough in the trenches.
Cintron has been coaching in the Falcons organization for six years. The Fort Lauderdale resident had realistic goals for the team and with a lot of hard work they have lived up to those expectations.
“We don’t have a powerhouse offense, but we have a powerhouse defense,” Cintron said. “We have multiple players leading this team. This season has been about learning how to finish a game and playing together and that takes discipline.”
While many leagues will go out and recruit players, the Falcons are comprised of all home-grown talent and will teach and train whoever signs up to play in the program. The team played the season with four sets of jerseys: home, away, tournament and pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October). There have been many challenges during the season, but the team has stuck together and persevered.
Cintron’s message to the players is that it takes a lot more to succeed in life than just excelling on the football field.
“Education is the key and without school you won’t get anywhere,” he said. “It’s all about competing and challenging yourself whether it’s reading a book, passing an exam or playing football. I’m proud of the kids for embracing that lesson.”
Futurevest@aol.com