Orlando, FL– The nation’s largest youth football tournament is set to begin this weekend at Kissimee’s Austin Tindall Park hosted by American Youth Football, better known as AYF.
Teams coming in from all across the country will begin checking in at 9 AM at the Omni Resort’s Osceola Ballroom, later that evening, the coaches will meet to review rules and tournament schedules and brackets. Game play begins Sunday with most teams playing a “day on,” “day off” alternating schedule.
Beginning on Monday, athletes can take advantage of a free national combine presented by Sports Testing. Registration can be done online to reserve a spot for the large numbers of athletes expected to take advantage of this opportunity to test skill level and performance. The combine will test athletes performance on the 40-yard dash, pro agility shuttle, agility reaction and has a special AYF Gauntlet for all participants. It runs December 5 through December 6th from 8 AM- 5 PM each day. Top performers will earn prizes for each age group, so there’s plenty to compete for.
Preview of 14U All-American Division
Over the past two years, this is the age group that has boiled over with excitement. The anticipated battle of East vs. West has made the 14U All-American division of the AYF tournament truly a must see. Teams from all over the tournament’s 10 fields all flock to the main fields where 14U action is taking place. In 2014 it was the I.E. Ducks vs. the Virginia Mustangs. Last year the Ducks faced the Central Virginia Hurricanes. With the addition of a South Florida powerhouse, the Overtown Tornadoes, this year will be no different.
Returning are 14U reigning Pool B champions, the Central Virginia Hurricanes led by Coach Charles Scott.
The Hurricanes are a team with immense talent and experience. They return several players who fell just shy of the 2015 championship, literally on the last play of the game. This team is led by Aaron Willis, the 2021 linebacker and fullback that is one of the best players in the country in 8th grade. They’ll be balanced by several play makers like the shifty Jordan Cotman, a 2020 slot that provides play making ability along with Dominic Keel on defense.
Standing in their way and in their same pool grouping (Pool A) is their nemesis the I.E. Ducks. This is a new Ducks team coming all the way from 12U last year and jumping into 14U action. After a disappointing tournament last year, the Ducks are out for redemption in 2016.
Head coach Keefe Matheny coached the championship 14U team in 2014. After going down to 12U in 2015, he’s back to take another run at the biggest crown AYF awards. He’ll do it behind the power of his talented 2021 WR, Josh Lorick.
Matheny was the 2014 AYF coach of the year and has built his team into a national brand by attracting the best talent in Southern California with high school level coaching, flashy uniforms worth of their big brothers in Eugene and championship winning ways. Current Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, NV) starting QB Tate Martell is one of his former pupils.
A twist in this year’s bracket is the addition of a Southeastern power in Overtown from Miami, FL. This will mark the first time that a South Florida team is competing in this bracket in recent history. And head coach Shanton Crummie and his staff are as good as it gets when it comes to youth football pedigree.
Crummie lead his Overtown team in years past to two Pop Warner national championships. The most recent in 2013. He’s coached the likes of FSU starting linebacker, Matthew Thomas and former Florida Gators QB, Treon Harris to name a few. This year, his team has largely gone untested but because of their grouping in pool B, there may be a chance for the Tornadoes to warm up and get ready to face (should they win their bracket) the winner of the Hurricanes and Ducks on Friday.
It will be a must see championship.
All of the AYF National games can be seen on live stream video by logging on to Varsity Media. The cost is $25 per day for the featured fields or $100 for the entire week of action. Football Hotbed will be working around the clock to bring the best features, photos and action from the tournament.
It should be an excellent week in Central Florida for youth football.
Here are last year’s champions (2015)
National Division I: Pee Wee, Watkins Hornets (Atlantic)
National Division I: Jr. Pee Wee, Virginia Cavaliers (Atlantic)
National Division I: Jr. Midget, Watkins Hornets (Atlantic)
National Division I: Cadet, Marshall Height Bison
National Division II: Pee Wee, Michigan Warriors (Midwest)
National Division II: Jr. Pee Wee, Hunterdo N. Huskies (Big East)
National Division II: Jr. Midget, Hunterdon Huskies (Big East)
National Division II: Cadet, Dulles Patriots (Atlantic)
All American: 10 & Under, W. Valley Bandits (Desert Pacific)
All American: 11 & Under, Los Toros Bulls (Desert Pacific)
All American: 12 & Under, Shutdown Academy (Atlantic)
All American: 13 & Under, Naperville Patriots (Midwest)
Conference All Stars: 8th Grade pool A, New Jersey All Stars (Big East)
Conference All Stars: 8th Grade pool B, San Diego (Desert Pacific)
Conference All Stars: 12 & Under, Metro(Atlantic)
All American: 14 & Under, pool A, Inland Empire Ducks (Desert Pacific)
All American: 14 & Under, pool B, Central VA Hurricanes (Atlantic)
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