In Plant City, youth football almost never stops.
The latest example is about to happen over the next week, as the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World will host the United Youth Football League National Championships for the fifth consecutive year. The tournament, held at the Otis M. Andrews Sports Complex, will bring in over 100 of the best youth football teams from across the country.
This year’s edition of the UYFL tournament will start Saturday, Dec. 5; games begin Sunday, Dec. 6 and run through Saturday, Dec. 12.
A lot of football action will be brought to the table, and there are surely many Plant City residents out there interested in catching some of it. For football fans looking to get their fix, there are a few things to know before heading to the sidelines.
PARKING
The UYFL tournament is bringing over 100 teams into town for the week, which means there will be many more people than usual at the sports complex. That also means there will be many more vehicles parked there, which could make things difficult.
As always, planning to get there early is a good idea. The UYFL will work with the park to ensure that extra vehicles can be accommodated, but those spots will still fill up quickly. Fortunately, parking is free.
TICKETS
Although this is a large-scale tournament, it’s possible to catch some games on the cheap.
The UYFL website currently has ticket prices on its website, UnitedYFL.com/championships/event-tickets, and they do offer online purchases.
Adults (older than 15) can catch a day’s worth of action for $10, and kids ages 7 to 15 cost $5. For those who want to check out several days of action, the full-week pass is a good look: $25 (or $12 for kids) will cover the cost to attend every single game, every single day.
The UYFL will also host a family night Thursday, Dec. 10, and tickets for that are running at $35.
On Saturday, Dec. 12, the UYFL will host its cheerleading championships in Tampa. Adult tickets are $15, while kids’ tickets are $10.
UPON ARRIVAL
The UYFL sets up seven fields at a time and will have information for each game available on-site and online. But be wary — although most game dates and times won’t change, some things have to be shifted around every so often to make up for events out of the UYFL’s control.
The games start as early as 8 a.m. and go through the rest of the day. There will also be vendors, food kiosks and other things for families to check out, including a Punt, Pass & Kick contest.
WHO TO WATCH
Area football fans can pick just about any game to go to and know that they’ll be watching some of the top talent in the country.
But those who want something home-grown to cheer for should know that all five Plant City Dolphins teams will be competing, according to the organization. Because they UYFL’s divisions are drawn up differently than the TCYFCC’s, some players may find themselves playing in another classification because of their ages.
Last year’s Dolphins teams took on the Mighty Mite, Junior Pee-Wee, Junior Midget and All-Star divisions.
Fans will remember that the Mighty Mite Dolphins made an impressive run to a championship, knocking off four teams that had gone undefeated in regular-season play and pulling off a fourth-quarter comeback in the championship game to win the trophy.
Speaking of the hardware, the trophy presentations take place after each game on Dec. 11.
Last year, kids got to be featured on the UYFL’s jumbotron while hoisting a trophy modeled after the NFL’s Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Contact Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver.com.