WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE 28/WYOU 22 EYEWITNESS NEWS) — The game of football inspires teamwork, leadership and resilience. But for one local league, charity is an equally important team value.
“This is the first year that Bryson’s played flag football, and he’s loving it,” parent Amber Kettler said.
Kettler’s son Bryson plays for the Diamond City Youth Flag Football League. His Chargers team faced off against the Falcons in championship games on Saturday at Coal Street Park.
“When we started this youth league, we knew right away that we had to incorporate charity, especially for the young kids and get them to understand the importance of helping people out in need,” Diamond City Sports president Kevin Sickle said.
But this flag football fun had an even greater purpose. It’s the organization’s second annual NFL Flag Fundraiser. All money raised goes directly to a family within the league, in need of some help.
“They don’t know it yet, they may actually be here today supporting the cause and don’t know they’re supporting themselves. That’s kind of what we like to do, we like to keep it a little bit of a surprise,” Sickle said.
A team effort that goes a long way past the goal line. Judge Correale Stevens proudly cheered on his grandson from the sidelines.
“It teaches sportsmanship. And it’s just an exciting time. My grandson gets his game face on early in the morning and comes out and just slaps hands with teammates and plays his best,” Stevens said.
Playing with a purpose, both on and off the field.
Diamond City Sports has been involved in community outreach for 18 years, raising more than $20,000 for the Wilkes-Barre area.
The fundraising flag football event was held without the family receiving the funds being notified beforehand they were being helped in this way.
Travis Burnett
A pioneer in the flag football community, Travis helped co-found the Flag Football World Championship Tour, FlagSpin and USA Flag. Featuring 15+ years of content creation for the sport of flag football, creating and managing the largest flag football tournaments on the planet, coaching experience at the youth and adult level as well as an active player with National and World Championship level experience.
