Windsor Locks looks to help youth football, cheer squads

Matthew Knox, Journal Inquirer, Manchester, Conn.
·2 min read

Mar. 27—WINDSOR LOCKS — It may soon be more affordable for children in town to participate in youth football and cheerleading.

The Board of Selectmen recently advanced a grant application for the Bearcats Youth Football and Cheer that could result in many children being able to participate for little to no cost.

The selectmen have sent the application for American Rescue Plan Act funds to the Board of Finance, and it will eventually have to be voted on at a town meeting.

That decision was made after a brief presentation to the Board of Selectmen last week by David Nolan, vice president of the organization that was part of the Windsor Locks Jets.

Children from the towns of Windsor Locks, Suffield, East Granby, and Granby are accepted into the program. But last year only six kids from Windsor Locks participated. Nolan said cost is the biggest reason for that.

To play tackle football, families must pay $250 per child. It costs $215 to take part in cheerleading, while registration for flag football costs $50.

Nolan said he couldn't estimate how many more athletes would join with lower costs, but he knows of at least six who aren't participating because it's too expensive. Ideally, the total number of local participants would double or quadruple, he said.

The lack of participation means that when many Windsor Locks children want to play at the high school level, they don't have any experience.

The Bearcats are requesting $5,000 to give scholarships for athletes from Windsor Locks and about $20,000 for equipment purchases.

Nolan said the organization doesn't want to reduce the cost for this year, only to end up with low participation again in the future because the price goes back up.

That can be avoided by purchasing equipment now that will last for years. Helmets, pads, uniforms and other training equipment make up a majority of the registration fees, he said.

According to the application, the funds could be used to purchase uniforms and football equipment, cheer mats, a tackling sled, tackling dummies, an automated external defibrillator, and an end zone camera.

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