Published: August 23, 2008 12:55 pm            

Mighty Mights are heavy hitters

They’re hard hitting athletes, who average 60 pounds and are just over 6 years old.

They are the Mighty Mights, a first grade football team from Locust Grove.

The team will open its season Saturday at 9 a.m., in front of a home crowd and for all 13 players of the 8-man team, this will be their first official game.

“They’re rough and tough little rascals,” said Donna Crow, who has four grandsons playing in the Locust Grove league. Two of her grandsons, Colton Hoggatt and Jordyn Dempsey play on the first grade team. “They sweat just like them big ones do and they work just as hard.”

Like many communities, Locust Grove offers a football league for first through fifth grade that begins in August and ends in October. The players have nine games in 10 weeks taking one week off for Labor Day. The Locust Grove football league is part of a larger organization called Indian Nation Youth Football.

First grade coach Mark Hoggatt has two sons involved in the Locust Grove league and feels it’s a great way to keep his kids active.

“It’s fun. Every kid learns something,” Hoggatt said. “I’m a firm believer in keeping my kids active in sports. I think it’s a good thing to keep them active but at the same time, I don’t force my kids to do it.”

One of the things Hoggatt likes about the league is the way it has been set up to be fair to all of the first time players.

“Everyone gets an equal amount of playing time,” Hoggatt said. “Everyone who plays has to play a consistent eight minutes on both sides of the ball.”

He admits sometimes that can be tough on coaches if they have a large bench.

The first graders also have a smaller playing field. Hoggatt said they use the entire 100 yards but the field is from the side line to the hash mark.

“It brings them in closer and gives them a fair advantage,” Hoggatt said.

Part of being the first grade coach is getting to teach a group of 13 6-year-olds the game of football.

“It’s harder to get their concentration more than anything,” Hoggatt said. “You need a group of kids who want to play. We have a good group of kids.”

The team has only been practicing for a few weeks and in that time Hoggatt has worked on teaching each player one position at a time.

“Mainly it’s about fundamentals. You break it down to one thing,” Hoggatt said.

Another way they keep it simple is by learning only one formation.

“Every team has to run the same formation,” Hoggatt said on a rule made by the INYF. “They try to make it as simple as they can get it.”

Coaching is also difficult because Hoggatt said you have to be tough on them but not too tough.

“In football ... you have to be a little hard because if this guy doesn’t do his job someone could get hurt,” Hoggatt said. “Our main goal is to make sure all our coaches make it fun for the kids. If you don’t keep their attention and put them in a position they want to play, you’ll lose their attention.”

For parents it’s also important that their kids have fun and be safe. Football mom, Kim Hood, is excited for the season to start. Her son, Ezra, is playing football for the first time. “I think it’s exciting. It is a little bit scary,” Hood said. “We ask him every time if he had fun and he says yes.”

Hood said she feels allowing Ezra to play football is good for him.

“He’s kind of shy. This a way for him to step out of his box,” Hood said.

The mother of three said she also feels good about the coaching staff and knows they are taking care of the players. When the temperatures were near 100 degrees, the team practiced. The practice location provided lots of shade and Hood said the coaches had the boys take water breaks every 15 minutes or so.

Practicing three times a week has not stopped Hood or any other parents from attending practice. Despite the high price of gas and groceries, Hoggatt said the turn out for youth football is up. Hood said she and her husband Kenny may have to make some small sacrifices for Ezra to play, but it’s well worth it.

“We might sacrifice going out to eat for him to do this,” Hood said. “It’s worth it.”

To keep costs down for families and encourage participation, the league provides each player with all of their equipment except for cleats. Cleats must be provided by the family. The main expense of playing is the initial sign-up fee of $100.

“Our league fees are the cheapest in Oklahoma,” Hoggatt said.

Once a player is signed up there are some age and size requirements. To play on the first grade team a player must be 6 years old and the child must be weighed before every game. To keep the game fair, there are weight requirements in place. For instance, a player that carries the ball must be under 65 pounds. While a player who weighs 65-85 can play anywhere on the field as long as they don’t carry the ball. Players who are between 85-105 pounds can only play as down lineman. The maximum weight for first grade football is 105 pounds. If a child is over that weight, he must play on the next grade level.

Hoggatt’s wife, Tina, loves watching her sons play football. She said her son looked forward to playing this year.

“He wanted to play. He has the same number as his (older) brother,” Tina said. She also encourages other parents to get their kids involved. “It’s exciting. They should let their kids try it. It’s a good experience.”



 

        

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