Sports
Southwest Youth Football Players and Cheerleaders Prep for Football Preview: Photo Gallery
More than 100 North Canton-area kids have been practicing six times a week for football and twice weekly for cheerleading in anticipation of the Aug. 20 event
The 64th Annual All-Ends Football Preview is coming up on Aug. 20, and more than 100 kids are busy preparing their moves. Nearly 60 boys are participating in football and more than 45 girls from grades 3 to 7 are participating as cheerleaders. The Southwest Youth Football practice consists of children from , and the .
The football and cheerleading squads are broken up into three groups by age, named A for sixth and seventh grade, B for fourth and fifth grade and the flag squad for third-graders. Coach Kevin Wood heads the A football team, while the B team is led by Robert Lee. Each coach makes sure the students are properly warmed up before each practice and motivated during drills with the help of several assistants. Lee said while they are practicing full plays at this time, he is still deciding which students are the best fit at each position.
The cheerleaders are led by a pair of cheer advisers for each group. Pat Davis and Janelle Spach direct the A team, Nicki Wells and Tanya Adorisio are in charge of the B team, while the flag squad is headed by Lisa Ramblundt and Effie Valos. Davis said the the cheers and chants are taught to the kids by sophmore Maddie Nutt, a former member of the Southwest cheer team. They are also learning a welcome cheer and dance routine for the Fall Preview, which begins at 6 p.m. Aug. 20.