I-70 Football League: Welcome
Competition has been shown to be useful up to a certain point and no further, but cooperation, which is the thing we must strive for today, begins where competition leaves off.
Franklin D. Roosevelt
The I-70 League was started a decade ago to fill several needs not recognized by local youth football leagues.
First is the need for every child to have access to youth activities. A decade ago the MVYAL and the CCFL both catered to their first string tier, and left many children overlooked. We opened our arms to those children, vowing to hold dear not only the next generation of football greats, but to also value the next generation of football fans, police officers, doctors, .fathers. Team sports have valuable life lessons to offer all people, and I-70 valued all of them.
Since our founding, our neighboring leagues started including venues for children who are not first string.
The MVYAL began a Division II. That venue left a little to be desired as its participants really only serve as a practice squad for Division I, but we honor the fact that these children can now enjoy some participation.
The CCFL did much better by creating a second division where children can enjoy ownership of their team and have the support of a must-play rule. The CCFLs move for inclusion was improved with its merger into the MMYFCL (2007) where three divisions are provided and a must-play rule exists at all levels. Were very excited that another league now exists where every child is truly valued!
The second niche I-70 has filled is the need for larger children to play amongst their piers. A decade ago larger children were forced to play up with older children. This was a simplistic approach to making football safer, but served only to make the game less safe. As studies by USA Football (the NFLs philanthropically organization) has indicated, the play-up paradigm is less safe and places larger children at a disadvantage (and in danger).
Only in our area does the play up paradigm exist. In nearly every other part of the United States bigger children play with children their own age, just in a restricted role. Only in our area are children not starved, pressured to loose weight or ridiculed for being too large. I-70 honored these children, and allowed them to play a safe game of football free of anxiety.
The MVYAL now includes larger children (up to 20 pounds). They no longer have a venue for inclusion of smaller children, but their new format now includes *some* of the bigger kids.
The MMYFCL chose to add a new division made just for the larger children I-70 served, while not affecting their existing venues.
The deficiencies that precipitated the I-70 League no longer exist. We do not claim any credit for the changes in other leagues, but we tend to believe that the existence of our alternative to other leagues did help to cause change. The existence of I-70 has been a great success.
Recognizing that the existential needs for the I-70 League no longer exist, the I-70 executive board moved unanimously to lend our league to the assistance of a neighboring league that supports our common goals. We chose to merge with the MMYFCL, as that league shares the most in common with our own. We chose to help the MMYFCL with the creation of their new division.
On May 28th 2008, the MMYFCL overwhelmingly voted to accept our help. The I-70 League will now form the core of the new MMYFCL division for large kids.
We bring our decade of experience and dedication with us to the MMYFCL. The new division will have the same great quality that made I-70 so compelling.
The new venues is now made available to the over 22 MMYFCL clubs, which serves to improve the competition and associations for former I-70 clubs. Also, former I-70 clubs will now have access to the other venues offered by the MMYFCL.
The I-70 League now ends its successful decade of providing a compelling venue for our area youth. We have achieved our goals. We have served our children well.
The MMYFCL now serves ALL of our area youth, and is by far the areas most compelling youth football league.
Visit the MMYFCL web site to find the club in your area that participates in the areas premier football league.
While I am saddened to bid farewell to a very successful era, I also look forward to meeting my former I-70 comrades on the field in the MMYFCL. I pray that we never forget the great accomplishment I-70 archived in the name of our children.
Chaz Shrodes
President, I-70 Football League