Seventh-grade football program to debut

By Cameron Rasmusson
Reader Staff

Football has been a defining school experience for innumerable students. Now local seventh graders can count themselves among them.

Local sports volunteers Mose Dunkel and Owen Rust are organizing a new seventh-grade tackle football team to compete in the Coeur d’Alene junior tackle league. Parents and students can meet the coaches and learn more information 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 12, at Great Northern Field in Sandpoint.

“We are starting this team as a affordable alternative to help Sandpoint families who want a quality football experience for their son or daughter,” Dunkel said. “Our hope is to field one seventh-grade team this season and to expand to more age groups next season.”

The new team will play four home games and four games in the Coeur d’Alene area. Practices start Aug. 22 and will be held 6-8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. After school begins, times adjust to 5-7 p.m. The first game is Sept. 10. The $125 registration fee includes a jersey and safety equipment and will cover an eight-game season. Registration is open for the next two weeks. While individuals can register until Sept. 9, a $10 late fee is added after the two-week period.

The program board holds regular open meetings. Their plans and accounting are available online at cdajrtackle.org. The coaching team, meanwhile, brings a combined 20 years of experience and is trained in the latest concussion awareness standards.

“We are excited about the opportunity to get more young people involved in a positive structured activity,” Dunkel said.

Call Dunkel at 290-1888 or email him at modunkel@hotmail.com with any questions.