Youth from across the City of Lowell pose for a group photo at the Lowell Police Youth Services Flag Football League championship tournament on Sunday at Cawley Stadium. (Courtesy Lowell Police Department) Youth from the Highlands and Pawtucketville play a game at Cawley Stadium Sunday. (Courtesy Lowell Police Department) Youth from Pawtucketville and Belvidere play a game at Cawley Stadium on Sunday. (Courtesy Lowell Police Department) Youth from the Highlands gather in the end zone at Cawley Stadium on Sunday. (Courtesy Lowell Police Department) Youth sit on the field at Cawley Stadium during a presentation from Mayon Mitchell of the Merrimack Valley Flag Football League on Sunday. (Courtesy Lowell Police Department) Youth from the Pawtucketville and Acre teams talk to their volunteer coaches. (Courtesy Lowell Police Department) Youth from the Belvidere Fifth- and Sixth-grade team hold their medals after winning their age group on Sunday. (Courtesy Lowell Police Department)
LOWELL — Acting Superintendent Barry Golner is pleased to share that Lowell Police Youth Services and community partners held a flag football league for neighborhood youths from around Lowell, with a championship tournament concluding the league on Sunday.
Approximately 85 kids took part in the league throughout the month of October, as the four-week program offered practices in different neighborhoods around the City of Lowell twice a week.
The final tournament was held Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m., at Cawley Stadium, with about 70 youth in attendance. The round-robin tournament saw the Acre, Downtown and South Lowell team win in the seventh- and eighth-grade bracket, while the Belvidere team won the fifth- and sixth-grade bracket for bragging rights.
The program was supported by Lowell Police Department Officers, Lowell Recreation Department and volunteer coaches from the community, Merrimack Valley Flag Football, and the Afro American Community Collaborative.
The Officer Sean C. Collier Memorial Fund also contributed, paying for T-shirts for the youth who participated, and Hannaford, Market Basket and Digital Credit Union (DCU) donated food.
“I want to thank all of our community partners for helping bring this great program to each neighborhood of the city,” said Acting Superintendent Golner. “We were able to bring positive interactions with police officers, a fun activity, and a great chance to build physical fitness and confidence to each neighborhood, and we wrapped up with a terrific tournament on Sunday.”
“It was a pleasure working with Lowell Police Youth Services. They brought this idea to life and we’re honored to have helped bring flag football to Lowell’s youth,” said Merrimack Valley Flag Football League Commissioner Mayon Mitchell.
“These programs are an excellent way for our community to grow, as they provide our youth with a safe place to learn football skills and fundamentals while forming friendships with their peers,” said Rob Mitchell, of the Afro American Community Collaborative. “We’d like to thank all the coaches who volunteered their time to work with kids in our community last month. They were great with the kids and always kept things positive. With the community’s help, we created an experience that the kids will remember.”
About the Lowell Police Youth Services Program
The Lowell Police Youth Services Program seeks to create opportunities for all city youth to participate in free after-school activities, athletics, and other ventures that emphasize health and wellness, while also experiencing positive interactions with police officers. The Lowell Police Youth Services Program is open to partnering with all community stakeholders.
For more information on the Lowell Police Youth Services Program, email: LPDYouthServices@lowellma.gov. To make a donation to the Lowell Police Youth Services Program via the Greater Lowell Community Foundation, click here.
To follow the Lowell Police Youth Services Program on Instagram, click here.