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Boys And Girls, Are You Ready For Some Football?

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By DAREK SHARP

The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 17, 2008

PLANT CITY - Local youngsters interested in punting, passing and kicking their way onto the national stage need to mark Sept. 27 on their calendars.

That is the day of the Plant City competition in the Pepsi Punt, Pass & Kick program, a national skills contest for boys and girls 8 to 15.

Established in 1961, it is the oldest youth program sponsored by the National Football League.

The Plant City Recreation and Parks Department hosts the local competition with assistance from the Optimist Club of Plant City. It will be held at the Otis M. Andrews Sports Complex, 2402 E. Cherry St., just off Park Road.

The competition will go from 9 to 11 a.m. with winners announced at 11:30 a.m.

Winners in each age group advance to the sectional competition in Tampa in October. In addition, certain top competitors will get to take part in the team championships at a Tampa Bay Buccaneers game in November.

Rules require competitors to wear sneakers (no cleats, turf shoes or bare feet). Age verification is required, so participants must bring a copy of their birth certificates.

Also, a registration form must be completed; the form can be found at plantcitygov .com. There are no fees for competing.

The age groups that will compete are 8 and 9, 10 and 11, 12 and 13, and 14 and 15, with boys and girls separated into different groups.

For information, contact Danny Smith, the city's youth athletic coordinator, at dsmith@plantcitygov.com or (813) 659-4200, ext. 4313.

Reporter Darek Sharp can be reached at dsharp@tampatrib.com.

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