FARMINGTON — RSU 9 directors unanimously voted Tuesday to authorize the high school athletic director and the president of the Mt. Blue Area Youth Football organization to work out details to re-establish a freshman football program.

The organization’s proposal is to pay all costs for a high school freshman football team and to use AYF’s Kemp Field in Farmington for the program.

The district eliminated its freshman football program about three years ago due to expense and a decreasing number of players. The board has allowed ninth-grade programs to go on through fundraising efforts, Superintendent Michael Cormier said.

“We felt it to be very important that freshmen have their own program,” AYF President Steve Haley said, rather than playing at a junior varsity level.

Logistically, the organization has not discussed the details of the program, he said.

Haley added that the organization would like to maintain it as a Mt. Blue AYF program.

Todd Demmons, athletic director at Mt. Blue High School, said they are willing to work with the organization.

He raised some concerns, including other freshmen having to raise funds to support the team and the team’s need to be accepted under the Maine Principals’ Association. The game schedule is provided by the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference, Demmons said.

“Somehow, we need to have it fall under the school program,” he said.

He said he understands the importance of keeping the program going. The Area Youth Football program only runs up to the eighth grade.

Cormier said he thinks it is important for it to be a school program. The district has the liability insurance, and students will need to meet grading requirements.

He said he would support a ninth-grade team and added that the district does not have a feeder program.

There really wasn’t anything stated that the organization would disagree with, Haley said.

They have tried to become involved with the schools, he said. Their coaches stress the importance of schoolwork and teamwork to players. He understands that the high school cannot give AYF the grades to make sure students maintain eligibility, he said.

The organization recently joined the Central Maine Football League, he said.

“Logistically, we have the coaches and we have been very successful,” Haley said. “If we sponsor a program, we would like to run the program.” 

“We need to figure out a way to make it work,” school Director Claire Andrews of Farmington said. “We have capable volunteers.”

She appreciates the organization’s offer to support the program for students, she said.

Background checks would need to be done, as is normal practice for anyone coaching in the district, Andrews said.

“I think it is a wonderful proposal,” Director Dr. Iris Silverstein said, especially considering these economic times.

dperry@sunjournal.com

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