B6 ♦ PULASKI CITIZEN ♦ November 11, 2014 www.pulaskicitizen.com

by Mark MizeSTAFF WRITER

The Giles County Youth Football Association is in its second year partnering with Martin Methodist College to help teach the local football players and cheerleaders of tomorrow not only how to be suc-cessful athletes but also how to be young men and women of character both on and off the fi eld.

“[MMC] welcomed the idea, and they’ve gotten together with us to in-corporate their character building program that they have with their col-lege students,” said coach Eric Williams. “They help us teach these children how to deal with being successful and not suc-cessful on the fi eld and off the field. So, we’re not just a football pro-gram, we’re providing life lessons for the boys and girls and parents, too, who have to learn to live with the success and failures of playing any sport.”

The teams, which for-merly operated as part of the Pop Warner pro-gram, now participate in the American Youth Football program and have adopted the “Red-Hawks” as their team name in partnering with MMC. Williams said the partnership was a natural fi t for both parties due to MMC not fielding a

football program and in attempting to avoid mascot names such as Bobcats or Raiders, which would have failed to be inclusive to players who hail from all parts of Giles County and the sur-rounding communities.

The RedHawks also partner with the Boys & Girls Club of Pulaski, and this year the program included more than 120 children between football and cheerleading. For football, the teams are split into three divisions, Pee Wee (K-2 grade), Ju-nior ( 3-4 grade) and Senior (5-6 grade). Both the K-2 and 5-6 grade teams are undefeated heading into a bowl game the RedHawks teams will attend Nov. 15-16 in LaVergne.

“We try to teach them the safe way to block, to tackle, to run the ball and also try to get them in a team environment so they can respect the game, respect the coaches and respect the players out on the fi eld, whether it’s their own team or the team they’re playing against,” Williams said.

The organization is en-tirely volunteer led, and all those wishing to do-nate their time or money are welcome to contact the program through its website, www.gcayf.com. Those working directly with the children must go through a background

check, and coaches are required to register with American Youth Football.

All proceeds and dona-tions the RedHawk pro-gram receives go directly toward buying and up-dating equipment, insur-ance for the players and any other expenses the program needs to grow, according to Williams.

T h e R e d H a w k s h a v e p l a y e d t e a m s f r o m L e w i s b u r g , Lawrenceburg, Unity, Blanche and Ardmore in 2014 and will take an all-star team to the bowl game in LaVergne. The program’s 3-4 grade team are the reigning champi-ons in LaVergne.

However, Williams was quick to note that the success on the field is secondary to the lessons the players learn both on and off the fi eld which they will be able to carry into their middle and high school careers.

“It’s more like a family once they all get together because they’re all on the fi eld a lot. We have these kids, potentially, from the time they’re 5 years old to the time they’re 12 years old. That’s more than any other organization...I be-lieve we have a really big impact on the way these kids look at the sport, how they perceive it, how they’re safe on the fi eld. It carries on to the next level,” Williams said.

GCYF Seeks to Build Character Both on, off the Field

Cheerleaders (from left, front row): Jordan Gilbert, Abby White, Ashlin Vandiver, Haylee Owens, (second row) assistant coach Jennifer Butler, Makinze Talley, Tonia Wilson, Amber Jenkins and head coach Danielle Vandiver represent the senior divison for the RedHawks. PHOTO COURTESY OF AOC PHOTOGRAPHY

The pee wee junior division cheerleaders (from left, front row) Jaycee, Lily, Kenzie, Kaylyn, Ciana, Addie Jo, (second row) Jaylynn, Kendra, Jannah, Kenadee, Lindsay, Abigail and Claire (last names not available) are part of more than 120 children who took part in football or cheerleading for the RedHawks this season. PHOTO COURTESY OF AOC PHOTOGRAPHY

The pee wee division (K-2 grade) (from left, front row): Monte Bryant, Braxton Williams, Levi Reedy, Randy Rosson, Casen Yokley, Cameron Walls, Jake Sands, Miles Fernandez, Wyatt Randolph, Jayden Bolton, Jordan Hamby, (second row) D.J. Gardner, Camden McNeese, Cillian Hanson, Jackson Stafford, Chase Thomason, Andrew Turner, Jackson Moss, Devon Wilburn, Aydan Burlison, Rhett Maxwell, Hunter Kimbrough, (back row) coaches Wil Sands, David Gardner, Derrick Wilburn, Roger Reedy and head coach Rob McNeese take home the fi rst place trophy in their division. PHOT COURTESY OF AOC PHOTOGRAPHY

The junior division (3-4 grade) (from left, front row): Elijah Phillips, Braden Adams, Kenton Bostater, Alex White, X-Zorian Randolph, Cayden Bolten, Carter Kelley, Bryce Miller, Bryson Gordon, Gavin White, Caleb Durham, Reed Calahan, (second row) Manny Fernandez III, Chandler Thomason, Layton Kincaid, Levi Travis, Ethan Dixon, Javion White, Christopher Staggs, Brady Rose, Landon Ballentine, Thomas Hyatt, Wesley McWilliams, Brayden Springer, Jesse Murray, (back row) coaches Ben Calahan,Chaz Bolton, Jason Durham, (not pictured) players Cameron Taylor, Christian Bennett, Max Beck, Ryan Jones, Shelby Jones, Steven Jones and head coach Mike Jones fi nish third in their division this season. PHOTO COURTESY OF AOC PHOTOGRAPHY

The senior division (5-6 grade) (from left, front row): Ryley Raymond, Jonathan Young, William Gordon, Jacob Durham, Jabari Dixon, Robert Siniard, Alex Oman, Jakari Randolph, Justin Johnson, Daniel Roberts, Gavin Boggs, (second row) James Douthit, Lane Evans, Sawyer Phillips, Jansen Bennett, Gage Gibson, Matthew Smotherman, Riley Young, Tyler Seals, Chaye McElroy, Jayson Rose, Jon Johnson, (third row row) Aiden Kelley, Tyrell Randolph, Andrew McCormack, Hunter Griggs, Braxton Langford, Brandon Adams, Andrew Griggs, James Hlubb, Dillian Rose, Houston Vickers, (back row) coaches David Kelley, Patrick McCormack, Jason Griggs, Eddie Douthit, Andy Griggs, head coach Frank Oman and Todd Gordon pose with their new trophy (not pictured) players Sam Galbraith, Clay Birdsong, Ben Teegarden, Karson Faulkner, Trey Walkington, Robert Turner and coach Shane Evans. PHOTO COURTESY OF AOC PHOTOGRAPHY

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Mettler was the next door neighbor of Tennes-see Titans’ tight end Craig Stevens. When Mettler told Stevens of his young Titan’s condition, Stevens and some of the Titans’ star players took it upon themselves to perform a random act of kindness for a family they had never met.

“Drew and I, we just busted out in tears when Brett Mettler brought the box in,” said Mann. “It’s just something that Ti-tan will cherish forever, and that they took the time out of their day to do that for Titan, it just really meant a lot to us. Especially, that Dr. Mettler would go out of his way to do that.”

Inside the box were several items signed by the players, including a signed game ball from quarterback Jake Locker from the Titans’ 20-16 preseason victory over the Packers, a signed hat from wide receiver Justin Hunt-er, an autographed glove from Stevens, a signed cleat by former receiver Marc Mariani and sev-eral cards signed by other players such as wide re-ceiver Kendall Wright and tight end Delanie Walker.

Titan, a happy, healthy 8-month-old, spends his time at home now with only a feeding tube as a reminder of all the child and family have been through. The family said they are especiallythankful for al l Met-tler and the Vanderbilt medica l team did to save their child’s life, but their favorite team’s random act of kindness will always hold a spe-

cial place in the family’shearts.

“It meant so much to Tedi Sue and Drew to have someone that doesn’t even know their child, to show them that kind of affection,” Johns said. “It was really a signifi-cant point for them to be cared about by someone that doesn’t even know them while they were going through such atough situation.”

Parents Tedi Sue Mann and Drew DeRidder proudly pose during a family outing with baby Titan. SUBMITTED

Titans Have a Heart for Child Struggling With His» HEART, B1