B Level — seventh grade — poses after winning the championship on Sunday, Nov. 22.
CLARK, NJ — Clark Youth Football recently completed its second season since returning to the communities of Clark and Garwood, and it was a huge success. This fall season, Clark Youth Football had three levels competing in the New Jersey Suburban Youth Football League. A Level — eighth grade; B Level — seventh grade; and C Level — sixth grade; all competed and had wonderful seasons.
Clark Youth Football is a member of the NJSYFL, which was founded Dec. 8, 1972, in Scotch Plains. The league was formed in an effort to provide additional opportunities for boys who may have been excluded from other programs — due to weight and age restrictions in existing programs — to participate in contact football.
Since its inception, the program has grown and matured significantly and now affords more than 4,500 boys and girls an opportunity to participate in youth football and cheerleading programs.
In only their second year participating, all three levels in the communities of Clark and Garwood made the NJSYFL playoffs. The C Level team defeated Bloomfield in a first-round playoff game before losing to a very tough Summit squad in the semifinals. The A Level team overcame many obstacles to make the playoffs, where it matched up against defending champion Bloomfield. Although it lost a very tough game, A Level battled to the end and has a bright future ahead as the players enter high school next year.
The B Level team entered the playoffs in first place in its division, at 6-0. After handling Perth Amboy in the NJSYFL semifinals, the team found itself in a rematch of a tough regular season game against rival West Orange. In the regular season, Clark B Level scored a last-minute touchdown to win. No such drama was needed in the championship game, as B Level raced out to a 26-0 lead, before winning by a final score of 26-12.
All three levels dedicated themselves to Clark Youth Football for the last three months, giving up evenings three to four times each week. More important than the wins and losses was the camaraderie formed among teammates and the values of hard work and sportsmanship that were taught throughout the season.
Registration for the third season of Clark Youth Football, in fall 2021, will be available on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 7, 2021.