SW Rec Hosts Youth NFL Competitionby Sandi Fahy
Photo by SANDI FAHY LARGO - The youngsters first had to punt the football as far as they could. Then they had to show how far they could kick the football off the tee. In the last event, it was their passing skills that counted. It was all part of the annual Pepsi NFL Punt, Pass & Kick Competition hosted by the City of Largo Recreation, Parks & Arts Department on Sepember 6. The athletic field at the Southwest Recreation Complex was filled with youngsters ages 8-13 who showed up ready to do their best in the local national skills competition. Participants were competing not only for the first, second and third place ribbons which would be awarded that day but also for the opportunity to advance to the sectional competition at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. Winners there will go on to a regional contest at another NFL stadium. Regional winners will face off in the finals of the national competition which will take place pre-game or half-time during the NFL playoffs. Former Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly was a winner of the national competition when he was a teen. In the boys ages 8-9 division, the winners were Zach Carter, first place; Daniel Perry, second place; and Michael Perry, third place. Damien Paulk took first place among boys 10-11. Quentin Kramer and Ricky Johnson came in second and third, respectively. Zachary Meyers was winner in the boys ages 12-13 division. Ben Robinson's scores merited second place. Richard Barber was third. Kelly Taylor placed first in the girls ages 12-13 division. All the first place winners--Zach, Damien, Zachary and Kelly--qualified for advancement and will go on to compete in the upcoming sectional competition. Chip Potts, athletics program manager for the City of Largo, was coordinator of the competition. For more information on the event, you may call 518-3022.
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