National Football League’s Punt, Pass and Kick Program comes to Springville

SPRINGVILLE –– Fifty Springville youths gathered to participate in the National Football League’s Punt, Pass and Kick Program at Springville-Griffith Institute High School on Aug. 11.

The NFL has encouraged youths across the country to exercise for 60 minutes every day and kids at PP&K did just that, as they worked together to learn football fundamentals.

Children ages 6 – 15 practiced field skills, competing against one another in the PP&K Program, the oldest grassroots initiative in the NFL.

Children learned fundamental skills like punting, passing and kicking, all while engaged in physical activity.

Kelly Zifra said that this provided a great opportunity to her son Bradley, who is the new quarterback for the Springville Pee Wee Colts and no stranger to football fundamentals.

“A friend called him up and told him about this,” Zifra said. “I’m just glad it’s back. The kids really enjoy it.”

Shortly before the competition, a group of boys and one girl practiced their punting, digging and driving. One of the girls said that she wasn’t intimidated by the number of boys at the event and even liked that she was outnumbered.

“I don’t mind. I can kick it far, too,” she said. “I’ve been playing since I was about 5 years old.”

A similar program was held in Springville for a few years before the organizers left, but it was returned to Western New York, this year.

By the end of the day, eight winners were chosen and will advance to the sectional competition on Nov. 11 at the Buffalo Bills Field House, according to Kelly Baker, an organizer for Saturday’s event and secretary for Springville Little League Football.

The winners of that competition could qualify for the Team Championship Competition, which will be held at Ralph Wilson Stadium, in conjunction with a Buffalo Bills home game in late November or early December.

The following young people, all residents of Springville earned first place honors in their respective age groups:

Girls division, ages 6 – 7: Nora Ryan, with 61 feet, 2 inches.

Girls division, ages 10 – 11: Autumn Parisien, with 101 feet, 4 inches.

Girls division, ages 12 – 13: Faith Jablonski, with 156 feet, 3 inches.

Boys division, ages 6 – 7: Nathan Embs with 68 feet, 2 inches.

Boys division, ages 8 – 9: Keaton Wnuk, with 144 feet, 1 inch.

Boys division, ages 10 – 11: Bryson Black, with 198 feet, 8 inches.

Boys division, ages 14 – 15: Hunter Louth, with 295 feet, 6 inches.