Youth football league pipeline for resurgent varsity squad

GREENFIELD — The Greenfield-Central varsity football team will aim for its third straight winning season this fall; a feat not accomplished by the program since 1973-75.

The Greenfield Youth Football League began offering a full slate of competition for kids in kindergarten through sixth grade in 2000.

Darryck Dorman believes it’s more than a coincidence that this year’s G-C seniors were among the first players to go through the GYFL pipeline.

“We have a close interaction with the high school staff,” Dorman said of the Cougars’ coaches, including head coach Roger Dodson, now in his seventh season. “They help set up what defense we run, what offense we run.

“We’ve all got the same goal, that’s to feed a better high school program. I think you can see the results.”

While the GYFL, which began with a few teams in 1997, is open to tiny tacklers from all over Hancock County, most players are future Cougars, as New Palestine and Mt. Vernon host their own local youth leagues.

And it’s the Greenfield-Central varsity players and coaches who interact with the GYFL youngsters each summer and fall.

The league, which includes flag football for grades K-2 and tackle for the older kids, opened its two-month season on Saturday, but camps were held throughout July with the help of Dodson, his staff and players.

According to Canyen Palmer’s mother, the camps are one of his favorite parts of the GYFL. The Cougars are idols of the Maxwell Intermediate sixth grader.

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