BELMONT CITIZEN HERALD (August 2014)

It’s a simple case of quality over quantity.
As Jamie MacIsaac talks about the Eastern Mass. Middle School Football League that Belmont is hoping to be a part of, he doesn’t shy away from the parts of the league that might raise a few eyebrows of tradition football connoisseurs.

"If you want to win championships and go to Disney, this probably isn’t for you," said MacIsaac, who spent the last eight seasons on the Belmont High football coaching staff (the last two as junior varsity coach) and will be the head coach and president of the new organization. "Winning isn’t the number one priority. The main goal is provide an opportunity [for kids] to do something they enjoy and emphasize teamwork, friendship and leadership."

"One is an apple and one is an orange," said Winchester’s Paul Manganaro, who is involved with middle school football in that community, said of Pop Warner and middle school football. "The biggest benefit of middle school football is the school pride it builds and the pride in playing for your hometown. We have seen a lot of benefits outside of football for 12 and 13-year-old boys and girls, football is just a vehicle for the rest of it. I am sure the same thing will happen in Belmont."

The league is open to seventh and eighth graders in Belmont and there will no players cut for any reason such as ability or weight. While popular throughout the country, Pop Warner Football has strict weight limits that often exclude larger players from participating at all or force younger, heavier athletes to compete against much older opponents.

Middle school games will start in late August and will be Wednesday nights through the end of November. The league has no standings or playoffs, although games are officiated by licensed referees and linesmen.

"Playoffs get everyone crazy and we lose perspective," Manganaro said. "The middle school league is about self-esteem and academics. These kids have enough pressure from outside sources."

Other teams in the league include neighboring communities such as fellow new recruits like Arlington and Woburn. Woburn will start with a seventh-grade only squad, known as JV by the Eastern Mass. league.

The plan, according to MacIsaac, is to model Belmont’s middle school team after the high school team, running the same offense and defense as the program that will be put in place by new coach Yann Kumin.

While MacIsaac knows that every middle school player won’t come to the BHS program, he admits that the middle school team will make the transition to high school much easier for the boys that do continue.

In recent years, Belmont High football has struggled for victories and MacIsaac points to playing experience as one of the obvious reasons why. "Of 18 new players last year, only one of them played football before," said MacIsaac. "Every mainstream sport is available to kids in Belmont except football. We don’t expect hockey, baseball or basketball players to play their sport for the first time in high school, why do we expect football players to?"

Belmont has combined with Watertown’s Pop Warner football program in the past. In fact, MacIsaac’s own son played Watertown/Belmont Pop Warner for four years, but with Watertown’s recent move to a new organization (USA Football), the timing for a change in Belmont seems ideal.

"We’re excited about it," he said. "These kids are going to have good coaches and they’re going to learn the game of football. Safety is a top priority." MacIsaac insists that proper tackling techniques will be a focal point and hitting will be limited at practices. MacIsaac knows plenty about safety, he’s the assistant chief of police in Belmont.

"Having a person like Jamie involved in this league is just great," Manganaro said. "The kids will see him in his coaching gear and then they could see him later in the day in town in his uniform."
MacIsaac said the middle school team is the first of its kind in Belmont in almost three decades.

"I’m going to do everything I can to help," said Kumin. "I think it’s really important to create a youth football environment in a town and I think I needs to be a unique, Belmont-specific football environment."

MacIsaac is open to having as many players involved as possible. "I’d love to have varsity (seventh and eight graders) and JV (seventh grade only) teams," he said. "We want this program to last."

It’s lasting so far in Winchester, who has both a Pop Warner program for players in grades one through six and the middle school league for the older players. Manganaro said the middle school program in Winchester has implemented valuable extras including a study hall period after school for players to use before practicing and an academic achievement program.

There is a Facebook page called Belmont Middle School Junior Marauder Football. The program would like to announce that Kumin and a representative from Riddell Football Equipment will join the Junior Marauder Football staff at a March 27 registration and information session in the Community Room at the Chenery School from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Current 6th and 7th grade students who plan on playing Junior Marauder Foot...ball in the fall are encouraged to attend. This is a great opportunity for parents and players to meet the Coaches and have the opportunity to ask questions. Information and Registration forms are available on the Town’s Recreation website at the link or by emailing jrmarauderfootball@gmail.com.