Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2007
Nine-year-old Delonte Freeman scored the only touchdown in the Clarksburg Sports Association tackle football team’s recent victory, but scoring points is not why he likes being on the team.
‘‘My favorite part is I get to see all of my friends,” said Delonte, of Clarksburg, who plays running back and linebacker. ‘‘We get to hang out with each other.”
Scoring a touchdown and helping his team defeat St. Mary’s, 7-0, at Dogwood Park in Rockville on Sept. 15 was an incredible feeling, he said. It was the team’s second victory in as many games this season. Last Saturday, the Clarksburg team played the D.C. Police tackle football team in a scoreless tie at Dogwood Park.
The Clarksburg Sports Association added fall sports this year, which includes football, cheerleading and poms.
The football program has a tackle football team with 21 players ages 8-10 and two flag football teams with a combined 30 players. The poms squad boasts 31 girls and the cheer squad features 28.
The association was created 18 months ago to meet the demands of a growing Clarksburg community. The league was founded in the summer of 2006 with a recreation basketball team. It added a baseball program in the spring that started with six teams for children ages 8-14.
The sports association draws members from the Germantown and Damascus communities.
More than 60 spectators turned out to watch the Clarksburg team play Sept. 15. Youngsters played with reckless abandon on the field, wearing blue jerseys, white pants and light blue knee socks.
The crowd exploded when the team scored a touchdown at the beginning of the game and recovered a fumble late in the game. Parents were impressed with the coach’s offensive game plan and the team’s execution.
Steve Forsythe, offensive coordinator for Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville, is the head coach for the Clarksburg team, which is playing in the Rockville Football League, a City of Rockville recreation league.
‘‘The success is a direct result of our experienced coaches and volunteers,” said Kevin Hutto, executive director of the Clarksburg Sports Association. ‘‘Families are enjoying a successful first season for all of our fall programs.”
On the sideline, the cheerleading squad energized the crowd with its synchronized moves. They wore light blue shirts to show their spirit.
Mya Borda, 7, of Clarksburg, a member of the squad, said it is always fun and exciting to cheer.
‘‘We get to yell,” Mya said. ‘‘We don’t have to be so quiet.”
Anastasia Kurtz of Clarksburg stood on the sidelines watching her son, who played right guard for the Clarksburg team. The football program has brought Clarksburg residents together, she said.
‘‘We are new in the neighborhood,” Kurtz said. ‘‘It is a great way to bond and meet other kids in the area.”
Damascus resident Steve Lucase watched his son Steve Lucase II, 10, play tailback. He said his son has enjoyed his first year playing football.
‘‘He loves it,” Steve Lucase said. ‘‘All he talks about is he can’t wait to get in there and bang some heads into the ground.”
Bakari Jones of Montgomery Village said his daughter Kayle Dorsey, 10, joined the cheerleading squad because she wanted to gain some experience and continue to cheer in high school.
‘‘It gives the kids something to do after school,” Jones said. ‘‘It gets them away from video games. We need to get kids more involved in athletics.”
