“I would like to see the youth program grow because your best athletes at 10u and 8u may not be your best at 16,” said Richmond Senior High School head football coach Bryan Till in May of 2021. “Kids’ physical development happens at all ages so learning and providing a positive experience for the most kids possible will benefit our high school programs the most. I truly believe our youth coaches are striving for that.”
Photos courtesy of John Carter
Photos courtesy of John Carter
The Raiders Elite Youth Football team has new uniforms this season.
ROCKINGHAM — The Raider Elite Youth Football Team is seeking more athletes, specifically for their 8U and 12U teams.
“That age range has been really hard to get in the past few years,” said Raiders Elite Organizer John Carter about the 12U program.
When the pandemic struck in the spring of 2020, Carter said their program of 6U through 12U teams had about 120 athletes. Now, they only have about 50 athletes with less teams.
“COVID really hurt us,” Carter said. “If I knew [how to get kids back into the program], I would try to solve it.”
Last season, both the 8U and 12U teams finished with winning records and played competitively in the playoffs. The 8U team competed in a national competition in Florida.
“Football is one of the best sports to learn life skills,” Carter said. “Hard work, team work and discipline.”
Raiders Elite, a registered non-profit, emerged from the combination of two previous programs in Richmond County — Warriors Elite and the Raider Youth Football Association. Carter merged the two programs about two years ago.
The upcoming Raider Elite season doesn’t begin until August, although they will resume practice at Raider Stadium next week with some upcoming tournament showcases taking place this summer. There’s a $175 fee for an athlete to join, although Carter said they have sponsor opportunities available.
Carter said that football is a great avenue for youth to get out of the house and improve themselves mentally and physically. For more information about the program, contact Carter at 910-995-0385.
“If a kids wants to play, we fill find a way for them to play,” Carter said. “We’ve been around doing everything ourselves. It would be good to have some outside help from the community. With more help, the more we can do for these kids.”
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Reach Matthew Sasser at 910-817-2671 or [email protected]. To suggest a correction, email [email protected] or call 910-817-2673.
