The Evening provided a great showing!  Nearly 100 participants, friends and family attended the Annual Sports Banquet on February 17^th.  We dined under the exceptional hospitality of the Whitman Fire Dining Hall in Turnersville, NJ.  They provided a great entree with pasta, steak hoagies, chicken, greens and salad.  

     The night was filled with accomplishment and recognition.  Our guest speaker, Russell Angerstein, spoke to the athletes about his passion for football, what it means to be part of a team and how those lessons learned on the football field will serve them for the rest of their lives.  He also stated that Winslow High School spends a lot of money on their students and how it provides as good an education as anywhere else.  He also mentioned how impressed he is with the Winslow Eagle's Youth athletes.

     Kenny Smith gave a great speech to his 70lb team; mentioning how proud he was of their hard

 work and individual effort.  The players gave it all they could during the season and they should be proud of themselves.  He also provided great insight inot how WEYA has a history of good, championship football and how he would like to see it return to it's former glory.

          Al Morrison rallied his 105lb team one last time in the center of the banquet hall after they received their trophies and awards.  During his address he mentioned how this program would no longer have to worry about a child "cutting weight" in order to play with kids their own age.  This is due to the new decision of the program to join the Tri-County Midget Youth Football League (which is an unweighted organization).  Many players and parents went through unnecessary strain in order to maintain the weight standards of the South Jersey Elite (SJE).  As a part of the Tri-County this will no longer be an issue.

     AJ Morrison received a lifetime recognition award.  He played at all levels of the WEYA program, was a six time all-star, and won all-star MVP honors 3 out of those six appearances.  With today's culture, in which athletes change programs almost as much as they change their socks, it is a rare and honorable thing to see a young man commit to a community in the way young Morrison has done.

     John Brown and Ben Kirkley were able to honor their Junior High and 85lb teams respectively.  A Lineman of the Year Award was handed out to Jacob Dempsey and an MVP Award was given to Tae White, both of whom played on the playoff born Junior High program.  Coach Brown and Coach Kirkley both acknowledged how proud they were of their teams for the efforrt they gave, and what they accomplished during the season.  

     It was an outstanding night of food, beverage, fellowship and recognition!  If you didn't join us this year make sure you do so next time.  With our new board, new direction into the Tri-County and commitment to a uniform system of football we have a bright future ahead of us!