NL to honor its youth football program with a parade on Sunday
The City of New London will celebrate the success of its youth football and cheerleading teams with a parade and rally on Sunday.
The young Whalers made history last Saturday by placing all four football teams in the Southern New England Youth Football Conference Super Bowl games at Waterford. Three of them — the Pee Wee, Micro and Senior Divisions — won championships while the Pee Wee and Micro cheerleading teams won their championship competitions and the Juniors took second.
All of those teams will participate in Sunday's parade along with the New London Fire Department and city and state representatives. The parade will take place on State Street starting at 1 p.m. on Washington Street and will conclude on Bank Street before a rally will follow at Parade Plaza.
During the rally, league officials will accept the first Mayor's Cup from New London mayor Mike Passero. The award has been created to celebrate athletic excellence with New London's youth sports teams. "I couldn't be more proud of these kids," New London youth football director Chris Silva said in a release. "We had some truly extraordinary games this weekend and our cheerleaders had flawless performances.
"Our city should be proud of what our teams accomplished. We saw some truly exceptional athleticism this weekend."
In addition to celebrating the football and cheerleading teams, the city will honor Michael Ladson for his 20 years of support and service to youth sports in New London.
"I am so amazed by all of our little lady Whalers' performances this weekend,'' added cheerleading director Dawnn Harkness. "Every year the SNEYFC competition gets harder and harder yet every year these girls and their coaches rise to the challenge. I couldn't be any prouder of these little ladies and the New London Youth Football League football teams."
New London officials said State Street will be closed to vehicle traffic and parking from Washington Street to Bank Street on Sunday from noon-2 p.m.