In 2021 San Luis Obispo Youth Football barely had enough athletes to form a league, but after a merging of leagues they've seen an increase in sign-ups.
"Our chapter Pacific Coast, used to be San Luis Obispo Youth football," head coach and board member Andrew Jones said. "We merged with Coast Youth Football and added the Morro Bay and Los Osos kids as well to make sure we were getting numbers every year and numbers are way back. We were up 50% last year. We're up another 50% this year."
Conditioning began this week at Laguna School and youth athletes are required to endure ten days of conditioning before putting the pads on.
"One week of conditioning this week with no pads or any equipment," Jones continued. "This weekend we give the kids their helmets and we'll do another week of conditioning to get them warmed up and ready. Then we start full-contact practice on the 7th of August."
With many parents hesitant to allow their child to participate in tackle football, safety protocols are a top priority for PCYFL and how the game is played.
"All the safety training the different ways of tackling now with it's more of a rugby style play now where the head isn't as involved, you actually more sweep with your head behind the the football player rather than having it in front," Jones explained. "A lot of things have changed. It's more of an arm tackle. It's not as these big collisions that it used to be."
Former players signed up for this season of PCYFL are enjoying being out on the field this upcoming football season.
"It's a fun experience," three-year player Clive Davidge said. "You get to meet new people. You get to bond with the team. It's fun to get out there and play football."
"Well when I first started I didn't know how I was going to be but then in the end I really liked it," two-year player Connor Baker said.
While safety protocols work on putting a limit to head injuries, it hasn't taken the competition out of the game for Connor Baker whose favorite part of starting practice in pads will be...
"Being able to go truck my brother," Baker said with a straight face.
"Football is back in San Luis for sure," Jones reiterated.
