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Local Sports

Local sports in the Panhandle are not just a game, they are a lifestyle. Our community eats, sleeps and breathes cheering on our local athletes.
News13 is On Your “Sidelines” bringing you more than the score.
News13’s Stephen Gunter is committed to giving you stories of the Panhandle’s top athletes, intriguing match-ups and unusual sports you may not even know exist.
sgunter@wmbb.com

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Another Football Filled Thanksgiving

PANAMA CITY BEACH- While most kids visit their relatives on Thanksgiving, and eat as much turkey as they can, others are strapping on helmets and putting on cleats for the longest running youth football tournament in the United States, the Snapper Bowl Classic.

“We have won three Gwinnett County (Ga.) championships, which is a huge deal, and we’re the bomb in Gwinnett County.  We are 39-0 at the moment and I don’t think anyone got a first down on us today which was nice.  Other than that, we rock,” said Dacula Falcons supporter Sonja Marsh.

The 39th Annual Snapper Bowl Classic at Pete Edwards Field in Panama City Beach is rocking this week with parents, coaches and players from youth football teams all over the country.

The classic started in 1968, and is a double elimination tournament with age groups from seven all the way up to 14 competing.

Snapper Bowl seems to be a blast for everyone involved.

“The most important thing about coaching these kids that I like is that they are a bunch of great kids. They are good in school. We are teaching discipline on this team and a lot of them come to us that don’t have discipline, so that is what we are teaching on this team,” said Milford Warriors coach Detrius McCall.

This is not only a learning experience for these kids; it’s also a time for them to enjoy something they love.

“It’s my favorite sport, and I like to get physical, and I knock out people and get touchdowns,” said Dacula running back Dylan Singleton.

“I like to hit people, and football is just a sport that I got in to,” said Springfield Panthers tight end Damion Franklin.

It may be Thanksgiving, but these kids don’t mind trading in the turkey and dressing for the uniform and pigskin.

“Its fun to come out here on a Thanksgiving Day because you celebrate Thanksgiving, and you also do what you love best, which is football,” said Franklin.

It seems like the parents love watching it as much as the kids love playing it.

“We actually have developed a football family, so we love rooting on all of our teams that come out of our park. We have five teams here and we love seeing the coaches develop these kids into athletes, and just developing teams that are successful and build confidence in these children,” Marsh said.

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