By Robert Hudson

The Selma Times-Journal

While high school football practices are already underway, the little guys are preparing to get in on the action.

Signup for the Selma Parks and Recreation department youth football league began on Monday and will end on Thursday, Aug. 25.

There will be 5-and-6-year-old, 7-and-8-year-old, 9-and-10-year-old and 11-and-12-year-old leagues.

“All the parents have to do is bring their son, who has to be weighed, the birth certificate and a $10 registration fee,” said Elton Reece, director of Selma Parks and Recreation.

Reece said the parents will have to provide their son with a helmet and pants, but parks and recreation will provide game jerseys and shoulder pads.

Reece said the season would run from mid-September to the first week of November with teams playing on Saturday nights at Memorial Stadium when it is not in use by high school teams.

“Normally, we’ll play our games on Mondays, Thursday nights and all day on Saturday if the stadium is not being used,” Reece said. “We try to limit it to one game per week for each team.”

Reece said there usually is about 30 players minimum on each team. He said it’s important for parents to register their child before the Aug. 25 deadline.

“Once we get our registration numbers in, we divide the teams by age and by weight,” Reece said. “Usually, we’ll lose some because school starts and they might not be doing well in school. Usually, we’ll just go with the ones that sign up on time because we don’t take anyone who’s late.”