Barry Stokes Youth Football
PRESS RELEASE
Parents, Players and Coaches;
Barry Stokes and Barry Stokes Youth Football (BSYF) are excited to announce that for the 2012 Season, operations for the league will be assumed by the Ray Garman Foundation for Youth Sports (RGFYS), an IRS 501c.3 non-profit organization based in Davison. This foundation will be headed by Davison businessman Dan Garman, co-owner of Crossroads Consulting, Inc. and Rewards for Recycling, L.L.C. Garman brings vast experience to the league, having played football, as well as coaching at the varsity level. “Football is a great teacher of life lessons, and a game that brings out essential skills like teamwork, cooperation, dedication and hard work. The game has taught me many valuable lessons, and I am excited to be able to take the reins of an organization like BSYF, where I can make an impact on so many kids.”
While plans are still in progress, Garman hopes to take the organization to the next level when it comes to organization and opportunity for the participants. “Running an organization like BSYF takes a major effort, hard work, and a lot of hours. I hope to be able to add more resources to streamline the process and make some changes to help with organization and communication. “ Garman also hopes to bring some fresh blood into the organization as it progresses as well. “Volunteers are the lifeblood of any successful organization, and I am hoping to find people who bring fresh ideas and a new perspective on the way we do things. The League was built on a great foundation, and is the best youth football league in the area, and I hope to take it to the next level. “
With the new organization, will come changes. Chief among them will be a name change. For the past eight seasons, the league has been named for Davison High School Alum, and NFL player, Barry Stokes. With the transfer, BSYF will be incorporated into the RGFYS’s Genesee County Youth Football League which will be based in Davison. Says Stokes, “It’s been an honor to be affiliated with such a great league for the past eight seasons. It’s been great seeing the kids and watching them develop as players and as people. I am thankful to all of the great volunteers that we have had, and I am excited that we are going to be able to take this league to the next level. Dan is a former teammate of mine, and I am excited to know that the league will continue to grow and develop. The most important thing is providing an opportunity for the kids to learn to love the game, and this transition will make a great league even better. ” Other changes will include an expansion of the program to include flag football, off-season camps and a spring 7 on 7 passing league. Garman also plans to tweak the structure of the league to provide both the current developmental league as it has been operated in the past, (The Big “G” Conference) as well as a more competitive division (The GCFL). Also in the plans will be The Barry Stokes Championship Trophy, presented to the winner of the GCFL each season.
In addition, the Ray Garman Foundation for Youth Sports plans to create scholarship programs for student athletes who demonstrate leadership, commitment and exceptional levels of sportsmanship. Says Garman, “My love of sports, and of coaching was instilled in me from the beginning by my father, Ray Garman. I hope to use the league and the foundation to continue to provide that same kind of support and motivation to the next generation of athletes.”
While there will be changes, One thing will remain the same - the league will continue to bring forward the philosophy that youth football is about teaching kids the basics of the game, giving them an opportunity to work on the fundamentals, and most importantly, having fun. Stay tuned for more exciting announcements about the future in the upcoming months.
For more information on Ray Garman Foundation for Youth Sports, and its programming, please visit www.theGCFL.com or www.thebigGfootball.com.
