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NEW MOVEMENT: Connecting the youth to football, Sikeston football's Treston Pulley puts together a flag football league
SIKESTON — “Together we can.”
That’s the motto that Sikeston assistant football coach Treston Pulley has for his brand new flag football league.
A league that began play on May 26, Pulley is eager to get younger kids into the game that he loves. Being from the area is a bonus as well, which Pulley talked about being one of the essential reasons for starting what he hopes will be a summer tradition.
“It just brings me more pride that I’m from Sikeston,” Pulley said. “I’m doing this for Sikeston and getting these kids going. Something that I try to preach to them is just never quit, never give up. Stay the course and believe together that we can do it. Our motto is “Together we can,” so I run with that motto and let them know that they aren’t alone. I’ve done some of the same stuff that they’re doing; I grew up in the same area. I played ball here; I grew up here. This is just mind-blowing how great it’s turned out, and that’s just what I preach to these kids. Stay together. Love each other.”
A standout on the gridiron, Pulley loves to teach younger individuals everything that he knows about the aspects of the game and moving forward working with them as they grow and move on to the next level.
Divided into six teams, the Summer Flag Football League is designed to teach everyone the fundamental techniques of the game and is for kids from the fourth to the sixth grade.
So far, Pulley said that he is incredibly proud of how the league has turned out and the interest from younger kids.
“The more help we get, the better it’s going to turn out for the kids,” Pulley said. “It’s all about the kids, so that’s all it is. Get these kids out in the summertime, they don’t have much to do, so just getting them out and playing ball. What I’ve seen so far are about 70 kids that came out and played. We have some good competition, and they’re really playing. They’re playing really hard, and it’s turning out pretty good. What I’m trying to accomplish out of it is really just getting kids to play football again — just getting them playing football and having fun and loving the game.
“Starting them off young is the way to go. This is the fourth grade, and then they’re going to transition to play Jaycee football in the fifth grade, so it’s the fourth, fifth, and sixth grade that are playing. So, they are going to transition from Jaycee-level football at fifth and sixth, and that will get them ready for junior high and then high school ball.”
Having the backing of various sponsors also helps with the league’s growth and where it can go in the future.
“I do plan on it being an annual thing,” Pulley said. “We got some great sponsors. The Neighborhood Choice was a great sponsor to us this year. U.S.A Football, they’re helping us out, because we got a camp on Father’s Day, at 5 p.m., weather permitting, and the next two weekends after that is going to be our tournament.”
Lincoln Park hosts all of the games, on Sundays.