KING GEORGE, Virginia (STPNS) -- King George Supervisors gave Parks & Recreation Director Tim Smith direction to eliminate the county?s fall youth tackle football program run by the county Parks & Recreation Department.  The directive took place earlier this month at a meeting on March 6.

A letter is to go out to last season?s participants stating the decision to drop the program.  

It will likely mention that a private football group is starting up, though County Attorney Matt Britton advised that no endorsement of the new association should be given due to liability issues.



The county?s tackle football program is being dropped because Supervisors think it will no longer be viable, now that a private organization has announced plans to compete in the same league.  

o     KGYAA TO FIELD TEAMS    At a meeting last month, Supervisors heard from Jim Sherman, representing the King George Youth Athletic Association (KGYAA), who provided a proposal to take over the county?s youth football program.  

Sherman told Supervisors at a February meeting that he, George Estes and James L. Salyers are forming the new association with the primary mission of managing youth tackle football within the county.  

The group is in the process of seeking non-profit status as a Federal 501(C)3 group, and establishing an official charter with governing by-laws, officers and the committees necessary for organizational oversight.

Sherman said the KGYAA was prepared to assume all responsibility for program oversight and development, while retaining a collaborative relationship with P&R for scheduling and maintenance of fields.

At the February presentation Supervisors refused to hand the program over to the KGYAA and instead told Sherman they would consider the proposal in the future, but only after the group is legally established with incorporation and bylaws.

During his presentation, Sherman asked Supervisors to consider an agreement with the KGYAA regarding the initial leasing of football equipment owned by the county, to include eventual purchase.

There was mention again of leasing equipment to the new football group at the March 6 meeting, but it was unclear whether it would proceed.

Supervisors had asked for more information from KGYAA on participation guidelines to make sure that county kids would not be cut out of the program because of skill level.  Supervisors also asked to see a fee schedule.

County Administrator Bryan David brought the issue back at the March 6 meeting, asking Supervisors to provide direction on how the upcoming fall football season should be handled by the department.

Smith provided a report saying the KGYAA was going forward with its own football program for the next season, saying the group would send notice out to team members they coached last season, asking them to register by March 31.

That information sparked speculation that the KGYAA might be fielding a select team of more competitive players rather than providing open registrations.

KGYAA is planning to a team in each division to compete in the Northern Neck Youth Football League, which is currently composed of three local parks & recreation departments, including King George, Caroline and Fredericksburg, and four private associations.

Supervisors took Smith?s recommendation and gave him the go-ahead to announce the deletion of the tackle youth football program and permission to note that KGYAA was starting up a similar program.  

Supervisors made it clear to Smith not to in any way endorse the private program offering tackle football, but to simply provide it as an information item to parents.