Lancaster Gales football and the power of one
LANCASTER, Ohio — There is no talk of past accolades, battles won, or battles lost. There is no discussion of winning the next football game. Instead, there is only one message, and the message is clear – Unity. One mission, one program, one jersey, one heartbeat, one family, Lancaster Gales Football, and admission to its hallowed halls is paid only in sweat.
“My dream is to put a Lancaster jersey on any kid who dreams of stepping onto Fulton Field on Friday nights. I want them to be able to interact with their heroes on the field. To be connected with the legends who walked on it before them. I want them to know what it’s like to be a part of Gales football from the first time they strap on a cleat.” As the intensity of the words fills the empty chambers of the locker room as if to awaken anyone past or present who has ever worn a Lancaster uniform, Bryan Schoonover’s compassion for his program falls to the floor, heard only by me.
His vision is not his alone, and it is not for him; it is for the kids in the Lancaster community. So in the trenches, where words mean little and love means everything, coach Schoonover leaned on the right person -coach Cliff Reynolds. A retired Marine, knowing a thing or two about building men and sending them into unsafe situations, as a former drill instructor, coach Reynolds founded the Lancaster Gales Youth Football Association (LGYF) with safety in mind in 2018. “We scoured the country looking at the most successful and safest practices to play youth football,” says Reynolds. In the league’s pursuits, they found USA Football. Among their slogans, “game types for everybody,” and their motto is supported by three different playing types: non-contact, limited contact, and contact.
“Football is a contact sport. There is no denying that. But there is research and data, coaching development, and other factors that make it inherently safer if taught correctly. That is the goal of the league. To improve performance on the field, but to do it as safely as possible. But, again, that comes from coaching and education.” As one may suspect from a former Marine, their other mission is to leave no Gale behind. Last year, they gave out ninety-seven scholarships to kids who may not have been able to afford to play football otherwise. “We are not a group of elites. We are not a group. We are a family, and that is the message we want to send to the kids. We love you, we care about your safety, and we want you to be a part of Gales Football.”
USA Football now rates its programs based on the expectations set up by the organization. The compliance standards ensure safety, quality of coaching, quality of play, and a host of other factors to ensure children get the most from their football experience. And as is the Gales way, they were the “Golden Standard” before there was a Golden Standard. As with family, it is all-inclusive. Coaching will trickle down from the top. All of the coaches in the league will have direct access to the head coach, attend seminars and coaching clinics, and other professional development. Not only to ensure that they adhere to the standards of USA Football but also to adhere to the standards of Lancaster Football.
But the mission of the league extends far beyond that of football. “LGYF will foster confidence and a sense of self-worth in players that extend beyond the gridiron and into the school, family, and community. To prepare youngsters to face the future with sportsmanship, teamwork, honesty, responsibility, self-discipline, positive aspirations, academic preparedness, and confidence. If we teach them positive lessons, such as playing by the rules, our young athletes will learn to live by the rules.” Reynolds goes on to explain that “the majority of our athletes will go on to be professionals in something beyond football, and the league has dedicated itself to the development of character and life lessons that will stay with our kids well beyond their years of playing football.”
LGYF has playing opportunities for most school-aged children. For more information about LGYF, visit their website at https://tshq.bluesombrero.com/lgyfaoh or send an email to [email protected]. For more information on USA Football, check out their website at www.usafootball.com.
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