RED BAY-In the league there is a mini midget team which is 5 through 8 years olds, midgets which is 9 through 10 year olds, and peewee which is 11 through 12. the championship games will be played at Red Bay this Saturday, November 8th starting at 12:30 with the mini midgets, 1:30 is midgets, 2:30 is peewee. In the peewee game it will be Red Bay VS Phil Campbell. The midgets will be also Red Bay VS Phil Campbell. Mini midgets will be Phil Campbell VS Cherokee.
I am the head coach of Cherokee and I guess you can say we are the odd bunch. We aren’t suppose to be here according to some people. Red Bay is suppose to be here in the mini midget game also and again that’s according to other people. So I guess you can say we are the underdog.
I’ve been a head coach for four years and I have been coaching a lot of these kids since they were four years old. I started coaching when my son became interested in playing. So for four years I have had a chance to groom and mold theses kids into football players and I knew this year could be our year to win it all even though know one gave us a chance. Since Cherokee has had a youth football league it has only had two championships won and they where both won by the peewee. So we have a chance to do something great in our league also by being the first mini midget team to ever win a championship in Cherokee. Over the years I have taught them to hit hard, play aggressive, never give up, play with speed and that we are a team and we win and lose as a team.
We started the season with a win and when we played our second against Red Bay we lost 26 to 6. I took a lot of the blame cause I didn’t have them ready but I knew we play them again and that we would be ready. Red Bay had a great team with no one scoring on them during the regular season except our 6 points we scored when we played them. We ended up with 7 wins and 1 lose to Red Bay. And so then the playoffs began. We one the first round against Belmont and then it was on to the second round against the mighty Red Bay team. Only this time we where better prepared for them. it was probably the best game we played as a team all season even though we only lost one game. And let me tell you it was a battle. And you remember how I said know one scored against them all season except us and that it was only 6 points? Well on this day we put up 32 points. We won 32 to 26. They were shocked along with everyone there except my team and I and our fans. The atmosphere was great. Just like a high school game. Our fans and parents was awesome that day. That win was the best win I have had since I have been coaching cause so many people didn’t believe we could do it.
The other teams playing Saturday have been here before and we haven’t. That’s why I think we should get a story done on us. The underdog team from Cherokee.. If you are still interested let me know if you need more info. Again im Joey Patrick the head coach. My assistant coaches are Nick Thompson and Mike Goodloe.
MEDIA RELEASE/JOEY PATRICK,HEAD COACH FOR CHEROKEE
photos courtesy of Joey Patrick
