The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Raging Raptors learn about football, hard work
Raging Raptors learn about football, cheering, hard work
The Lorain County Raging Raptors learn the rules of the game and the best ways to encourage their teammates.
Boys and girls join the Lorain County Raging Raptors to play football and cheer.
They learn the rules of the game and the best ways to encourage their teammates.
And they learn a lot about the foundations of success in life.
“We want to be recognized by wins, which has not been the case this year,” said William Jordan, league co-commissioner and head coach for the junior varsity team. “But we want to be recognized for wins and for our kids being active in school.
“Teaching discipline is one of our biggest things that we try to teach our kids, and hard work on and off the field,” he said. “That’s what we want to be recognized as: a great program that’s trying to instill in these kids what being good people is all about.”
The program started play in 2015. This fall there are 65 boys ages 5 to 11.
The cheer program has grown from 11 girls in 2015 to 32 girls now, ranging from age 6 to 13.
This year, the team hosted three home games at George Daniel Field.
But most evenings in late
summer and early fall, the youths, their parents and their coaches gather at the Raging Raptors’ home field, Gen. Johnnie Wilson Park in South Lorain.
Building community
On Oct. 2, the start of practice involved warm-ups to stretch their muscles and
some talks to build community.
The cheerleaders and the football players assembled for a presentation by the coaches.
Cheer adviser Leota Jordan led the players in a balloon release in honor of Raging Raptors founding board secretary Yolanda Rosario, who died of breast cancer in
2015, the year the league began play.
Pink balloons and pink clothes have become an annual tradition for the team in October, which also is breast cancer awareness month, Leota Jordan said. Purple balloons symbolized pancreatic cancer, lupus and Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
“In October we like to say think pink, because a lot of people, breast cancer is something that affects everybody,” Leota Jordan said. “And we have people on our team that are affected by different forms of cancer.”
It was unclear if the youngest players understood the significance of the diseases, but they did their part for the team.
On the count of three, the players and cheerleaders shouted “Raptors!” and let the balloons fly.
The boys lined up to get helmet stickers that said “Yolie 7-8-2015,” in honor of Rosario, and the girls lined up to hug Leota Jordan.
Then they moved to their respective formations.
Like a family
The program, now a tax-exempt nonprofit, was started to create an organization that is financially accountable, Leota Jordan said.
It feels like there is a level of family accountability as well.
Leota and William Jordan’s son, Chazz, 8, plays in
the league, led by Commissioner Evelisse Atkinson. Her father, Anthony Atkinson, and brothers, Anthony Jr., Xavier and Marcus all coach.
The Raging Raptors have a basketball season that runs from January to March.
“We did basketball just because, what we’re trying to do is just reach the community,” Leota Jordan said. “We feel like if we keep the kids involved in activity, then they’re less likely to be in trouble, their grades are better, they have friends that they can see on a regular basis, they don’t have to worry about making friends.
“And it teaches them discipline,” Leota Jordan said.
The adults would like to add track and wrestling. “We try to keep them engaged year-round, keep them off the streets,” said Xavier Atkinson, a coach for the varsity team.
Some of the older boys have been with the program for several years, making the group more and more like a family, Leota Jordan said.
“So they’re like our kids,” she said. “It’s usually a family affair. It’s a family affair and we all become family and support each other.”
“To me it’s definitely not about football,” said Corey Armelin, first year defensive coach of the junior varsity team. “It’s about getting them to the next level and getting them to actually grow and to not just love the sport of football, but just love themselves and understand what they can do as kids. To me that’s the most important thing.
“Like I tell the kids all the time: You ain’t got to be a great football player. As long as you’re a great kid, that’s all I care about. That’s all I care about,” Armelin said.
On the field
On the field, the groups split up to run and practice drills on offense and defense. The girls, lined up in ranks and files, perform their cheers and calls for each play.
The junior varsity dropped to do pushups and William Jordan advised them to keep their heads up. “You should always be able to see your opponent,” he said.
Coaches are USA Football certified to learn proper tackling technique so the boys stay safe.
They play in the North Coast Youth Football Conference against teams from Cuyahoga and Lake counties, “a very, very hard and competitive league.” Leota Jordan said. This year the team traveled to Bedford, Cleveland Heights and South Euclid for games.
For the varsity team, coaches Anthony and Xavier Atkinson lead the boys through contact drills.
“Nothing comes without hard work,” Anthony Atkinson said. “We have to outwork our opponent because I’m telling you right now, that’s what they’re doing. They’re going to try to outwork you. Let’s put the time in, let’s put the work in.”
“It all starts in practice,” said Xavier Atkinson, who also is a linebacker for the Lorain County Nightmares football team. “Work on the technique. If you don’t do it in practice, you’re not going to do it in a game. If you do it in practice, you’re going to have it in a game.”
The field is not lighted, so practice must come to a close as the sun sets.
Anthony Atkinson calls the boys to huddle in for a team talk - about schoolwork.
“All those guys that you see playing college ball, all those guys you see playing pro ball … they went to school, they got their schoolwork,” he told the team. “You cannot play football if you don’t have the grades to play. You will not set your foot on a football field if you don’t have the grades. That means you’ve got to buckle down and get your schoolwork.”
As the practice ended, the coaches and players raised their voices to finish the session pumped up for the next one.
“Who are we?” Anthony Atkinson said.
“Raptors!” the players shouted. “Are we gonna win?” “Yes sir!”