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Challenger football less about winning, more about grinning

Joey Huff, 14, runs the football while Andrew Curlin, 17, and Chris Vosberg, 17 (right), try to grab his flags during the Hamilton Little Blue Challenger league football game Wendesday, Sept. 30, in Hamilton. The challenger league is a flag football league for people with disabilities.

Staff photo by Nick Graham Joey Huff, 14, runs the football while Andrew Curlin, 17, and Chris Vosberg, 17 (right), try to grab his flags during the Hamilton Little Blue Challenger league football game Wendesday, Sept. 30, in Hamilton. The challenger league is a flag football league for people with disabilities.

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By Jay Morrison, Staff Writer 9:02 PM Friday, October 2, 2009

HAMILTON — The Hamilton Little Blue Challenger Football League offers a lot of the things you’ll find on a regular field — passing, running, scoring and cheering — and a few things you won’t.

“Sometimes when the music is going, a few of them are so busy dancing they forget they’re actually playing football,” said league founder Kenny Beaman.

But in this league, there are no penalties for excessive celebration.

In fact, it’s encouraged, because Wednesday nights at the Little Blue football field are less about winning and more about grinning as the Challenger League enters its fourth season of catering to players with cognitive or physical disabilities.

“All of these kids love their sports, and they can’t wait to get here each week,” said Ron Van Kirk, whose son Chad, 16, is in his third season with the league.

“They’re all getting exercise and great socialization skills because they’re out and about with other kids,” Van Kirk said. “All of these kids need structure. When that structure’s not there, things get kind of out of whack.”

The players, who can range in age from 6 to 25, wear belts that have flags hanging off each hip, and everyone gets a chance to run with the ball and take it into the end zone.

Each touchdown is tracked on the scoreboard, while the players’ favorite songs blare over the public address system.

“The look on their faces, it’s just amazing,” said Crisa Rogers, one of the league’s organizers. “They’re just so excited. It’s hard to put it into words.”

The league, which is still accepting registrations for the final five weeks of the season, costs $35 per player and is open to anyone in the Greater Cincinnati area. More information can be found on the league’s Web site at http://hamiltonlittleblue.org/Challenger Page.htm.

“The people who run this league are great,” Terry Huff said while watching her son, Joey, 14, play the game he loves. “They’re really dedicated to all of our kids.”

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