Summer is moving by quickly and soon enough fall sports will take over, and the first step toward that is ongoing with registration for fall sports now open.
Noc-Pal Area Athletics and the Ponte Vedra Athletic Association each have a slew of fall sports that are currently in the process of gathering players and coaches through sign-ups for the upcoming season.
Football is known as a traditional fall sport at all levels and that includes at the youngest of levels, as both associations are looking for their next crop of children interested in taking part in youth tackle football this season.
The PVAA will have three leagues this fall divided up based on age groups, with Commander Blue for 6-, 7- and 8-year-olds, as well as Captain Blue for ages nine and 10 and Admiral Blue for players 11 and 12 years old.
The league age is determined by the age the specific player will be on July 31.
According to the North Florida Youth Football Conference website, there is a waiting list for players in the Commander Blue and Captain Blue leagues, while Admiral Blue is still accepting players.
The NPAA tackle football teams, also known as the “Big Catz,” play in the Pop Warner First Coast Conference.
Four teams make up the association’s football squads with 8-under, 10-under, 11-under and 12-under teams taking part.
Both associations play various other youth programs around the Greater Jacksonville and St. Johns County areas.
The NPAA promises that each player will get a minimum number of plays they are involved in during each game and have the ability to compete for specific positions and additional playing time based on their effort, attitude and performance during practices.
Cheerleading will also be offered during the fall to accompany football and the NPAA is also looking to try something new by offering a wrestling program this fall.
The program will be open to boys and girls ages 7 to 18 and the sessions will be held at Nease High Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6 to 7 p.m. from Aug. 13 to Oct. 31.
Both PVAA and NPAA are nonprofits and are therefore “non-school” programs that do not have any affiliation with Ponte Vedra High or Nease High.
