Polk County Youth Football and Cheer officials are hoping to see their teams take the field at least once more this season.
The Wolverine squads won’t do so in official games as part of Western North Carolina Youth Football and Cheer as that organization, with many of its member communities facing devastation in the wake of Hurricane Helene, opted to cancel the remainder of the 2024 season.
WNCYF’s executive committee noted how communities housing five of its member organizations – North Buncombe, Owen, Waynesville, Fairview and Canton – suffered immeasurable losses in the wake of Helene’s path through WNC on Sept. 27.
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“It makes us sad to end this season short and we understand the loss of revenue will hurt organizations and WNC but we must do the right thing believing that by putting humanity before football we will be provided for abundantly,” the committee said in a statement (reproduced in full below).
PCYF teams had played five games (save for the 11-12 team, which had a game at Reynolds postponed by weather). Organization President Clint Cantwell said that PCYF is talking with teams in areas less affected by Helene about playing some benefit games, hopefully in late October or early November.
The records of the four PCYF teams for the 2024 season:
- Migthy Mites (5-6 years): 4-1
- Termites (7-8 years): 0-5
- Mites (9-10): 2-3
- Midgets (11-12): 1-3
The complete statement from WNC Youth Football and Cheer on the ending of the 2024 season:
We hope each of you are safe and are coping with the catastrophic event that WNC has experienced. In considering the factors below we feel it best to end the 2024 season.
1) We as adults have suffered a traumatic event. We as adults have different coping skills than children . Children are resilient but they too have suffered. Numerous children throughout our organization are now homeless with very minimal belongings. Some have experienced the loss of loved ones. We must be respectful. If your organization has had no loss please pray for the others because many are suffering.
2) Communities within North Buncombe, Owen, Waynesville, Fairview and Canton have lost everything. If you cannot visualize what the reality is, go through Barnardsville, Fairview or Swannanoa to get the impact of the loss.
3) Buncombe County Schools and Asheville City Schools are out indefinitely. Organizations within these districts are not eligible to use their fields until water is restored. Canton, Waynesville, and Owen have lost their practice fields for an indefinite amount of time.
4) It would be impossible to reschedule all the games and if we were able to we would be three weeks behind for regular season and three weeks for playoffs putting us to almost Thanksgiving and overlapping with basketball and the holidays.
5) It seems unfair to us that many organizations have been able to hold practice while others have not. While we are very thankful for the ones of you that have continued and offered stability to your organizations, we must think of the others who have not been able to practice and were in the running for playoffs.
6) As you know referees are scarce on a good day and most likely would be even more so, adding another layer to the problem.
Lastly, we are a competitive league but we are one organization with one goal….teaching kids about how to be the best they can be for themselves, their family and friends as well as their community. We stand together and offer support when one organization is down. We take care of each other.
It makes us sad to end this season short and we understand the loss of revenue will hurt organizations and WNC but we must do the right thing believing that by putting humanity before football we will be provided for abundantly.
Thoughts and prayers for each of you. Thank you for keeping things in perspective and understanding what is really important.
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