Guyasuta youth football organization prioritizes fun, learning the game this season

By: George Guido
Saturday, October 29, 2022 | 11:01 AM

Victories were at a premium this season for the Guyasuta youth football organization, but fun and learning the game proved to be a positive experience.

One example was the flag football program, known as the “Little Hawks.” The team serves as a feeder system for the Tomahawks team that plays conventional football in the Allegheny Valley Youth League.

Mike Lemon returned to the Guyasuta coaching ranks this season for the flag team and saw his players improve from day one to the end of the season.

“Our first game, we lost 42-6,” Lemon said. “But by the end of the season, we were winning games, like, 41-34 and the last game we lost, 13-12.”

Lemon, with four children ranging in age from 4-8, had the three oldest on the cheerleading team and wanted to step back into coaching.

“Our league is a little different than most flag leagues,” Lemon said. “We have 11 on 11, similar to tackle football. Usually, flag teams are 7 on 7 with three offensive lineman and four running backs.”

Some do double duty, also playing for the Tomahawks in the 8-and under group.

Those in the medical field and a number of parents have supported the idea of flag football for those starting out in the sport in an effort to prevent head injuries.

“We want to keep them all safe and learn the game,” Lemon said. “We focus on heads-up football. Players learning to keep their heads up can prioritize kids’ safety.”

Players wear a plastic belt with flag attached. Instead of tackling, the opponent pulls the flag from the ballcarrier’s belt, ending the play.

An offensive series begins at the 40-yard line, A team needs 20 yards to gain a first down. Plays accumulating 40 yards in eight plays accounts for a touchdown.

The Braves 10-and under team had severe numbers problems and was down to 11 players at one point in a winless season. The oldest team, the 12-and under Warriors, was 3-5 on the season.

Guyasuta played its home games at Shady Side Academy’s Michael J. Farrell Stadium

After age 12, players then move on to the Dorseyville Middle School program.

Association President Barb McBriar said the players enjoyed a pizza party at the end of the season to finish things on an upbeat note.