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There are very few South Florida youth football programs that can boast about being a National Champion, but one team can, it’s the Richmond Giants. Last year, their Junior Midget team advanced from the Miami Pop Warner Championships and they won.
Giant Aspirations
Another Ring and a Chance to Redeem
Richmond Giants Midget and Junior Midget Teams
By Brandon A. Odoi
South Miami is home to some really competitive youth football. There are a number of quality programs nestled in between neighborhoods that are in a 10-20 mile radius of each other. The names are all familiar to avid fans: South Miami, West Kendall, Palmetto, Kendall Hammocks, Florida City, Kendall Boys & Girls Club, Palmetto Bay and the list goes on.
Even so, there are very few South Florida youth football programs that can boast about being a National Champion, but one team can, it’s the Richmond Giants. Last year, their Junior Midget (135 lb.) team advanced from the Miami Pop Warner Championships all the way to the National Championship and they won. “We just clicked during that time of the season going into the playoffs and we won it all,” said Head Coach Eddie Alford, Jr.
His Richmond Giant team was outstanding during last season’s championship run. They won every game and never trailed in any contest they played in. Prior to arriving in Orlando to play for the championship, no one had ever heard of the Giants. “Somebody asked us if we were from Richmond, VA,” Coach Alford said while laughing. Reaching the highest level and coming out on top is an accomplishment that Coach Alford will not soon forget. “The experience of the National Championship was priceless for me. To see the kids and the look on their faces, especially the ones that had never been able to travel to Disney World, it was priceless.”
“It was great because some people had never left Dade County before. It taught me a lot, to be a great football player and keep your head up, said Timothy Irvin, Richmond Giant Midget Running Back.
But with all his success, Alford and his coaching staff are not resting on what they have done in the past. They know they have lofty aspirations and are pursuing another ring this season. So far they are off to a good start fueled by their undefeated status heading into week eight, two weeks shy of playoff football.
“I don’t even wear my national championship ring anymore, symbolizing that it’s over with and we have to move on,” Coach Alford says. “Kids have got to realize, the first day of practice August 1, 2009 and we’re 0-0.”
Much of the reason Coach Alford wiped his slate clean from last season is because he knew that this year’s challenge would be to forget about their past success and prepare for every team gearing up for them this season. “You get a lot of respect, but you do bring the target on your back. Everybody just keeps their eye on you and you’re everybody’s game of the year from the worst to the best.”
And getting everyone’s best shot week in and week out is a difficult task for a group of 13 and 14-year olds because of focus. “Especially getting up to these older weights, the kids are getting older and getting into girls and things and they’re dealing with real issues,” says Jr. Midget Head Coach Chris Laidler.
Richmond has a unique program in that both of their oldest age groups house their most successful teams. Only a few other programs throughout South Florida can lay claim to this accomplishment. Most programs begin to taper off as their kids increase in age, losing kids to high school, other sports or lack of interest. This year at Richmond, a championship team has fueled interest and has inspired the team playing in the weight class just below them to excel.
“Our main goal is to get to the Pop Warner Bowl and to win it this year, because it’s eluded us the past few years,” says Coach Laidler. The past few years his team has been a few steps away from advancing to the regional tournament and then to the national championship. “Every kid has said they want to do what [Coach Alford’s team] did last year but I feel you cannot look ahead.”
Laidler’s teams have been close to a breakthrough the past two seasons. Last year on the Pee Wees (120 lb) his team went (8-1) in the regular season and lost in overtime 14-8 in the Sean Taylor Classic (Pop Warner Super Bowl) to Florida City. A year prior, his Junior Pee Wee (105 lb) team completed the regular season with a 9-0 mark only to lose in the semi-finals of the Miami Pop Warner Championship to, guess who? Florida City.
This year Coach Laidler has already downed Florida City 12-6, but not without an all out effort by his team. They rallied back from a 6-0 fourth quarter deficit. With a new attitude, now his team is looking for redemption and chasing their first championship ring.
Based on what’s happened in the past, a lot of teams lose their composure and Laidler’s team has not done that this year. “The difference from this year and the past years, we’ve had a stout regular season but we come up empty in the big games. This year’s team has character. If we get down early, the kids are still up beat.”
When asked why he thought his 2009 team had more character than past teams Laidler attributed much of that to maturity and new faces on his squad. “I think it’s the kids, and some of the new ones we’ve gotten. We hope that the kids are maturing up under us [after three years]. And some of the new kids brining a positive attitude and remain positive. They’ve wanted to step up and play just like the kids who’ve been here in the past.”
The difference on the field has been clear. The Richmond Junior Midgets are off to a 7-0 start and have played several close games that have made them feel like they are battle tested. The attitude of the players is to do whatever it takes to win. “You’ve got a kid that’s been playing linebacker and he comes to us and says put me on the line, run behind me coach,” says Laidler. His message is sinking in and the timing couldn’t be better as playoff time is only weeks away.
DISCIPLINE LEADS TO SUCCESS
For both of these talented coaches, instilling discipline is the number one key to the success they have experienced on the field. For Coach Alford, no detail is too small, “everything is done uniformly,” he says. “Every time we come together we say:1-2-3 Discipline.”
Coach Alford and Coach Laidler along with their coaching staffs preach discipline from the beginning of the season all the way through. They both realize that it can be the difference between wins and losses.
“You got a lot of kids who are going around doing what they want to do, everybody has to be on the same page, kids and coaches,” Laidler says. “So many teams probably have more talent than we have, but their kids go out and call their own plays and operate on their own program. We don’t always have the best talent, but we probably have the better team, with coaches and kids.”
And for Laidler and Alford, discipline is not limited to the field. Both coaches extend the discipline to off the field matters, namely academics. “It’s not just all about football. You have to get the school work done. If you get in trouble in school, you cannot play on the field. There are disciplinary measures for kids who do not meet the standards set,” Laidler says.
And academics are a real concern, not just conversation. Coach Alford ensures his players perform well by randomly showing up at school and checking in with teachers.
Tough love is something Alford’s no stranger to in his own right. A few players on his teams have had to leave because they did not want to accept the disciplinary standards the Giants practice. “The kids really were surprised when (one of our best players) was cut from the team.” “Our motto is, Get right or get left!”
However hard both teams work, they are always aware that the game of football is fun and their primary objective is to learn to play better as a team and to enjoy doing it. “We work hard, but you always have to take that time and laugh because in the end, when we did win last year, I shed tears. You come to love these kids. I wouldn’t trade them anything in the world.”
AN ADDED FACTOR
In addition to discipline, Alford employs a unique strategy rarely seen on the youth level of coaching that has paid off great dividends. As the coach of the offensive and defensive lines, he ensures that those players are valued above the skill position players on his teams. “Every game the offensive line is the captain. It’s a way for his coaching staff to put the value on the guys who are relied upon the most but get the least amount of notoriety on the average team.
Alford understands that by motivating his players on both the offensive and defensive lines, he improves his ability to win games because he ensures his entire roster of players feels like they are playing an integral part in the team’s success. Richmond Giant Midget Offensive linemen Mikal Smith agrees. “Nobody really thinks about the offensive line, people think about the skill position players. [Getting recognition] makes me want to do my best.”
And both teams are motivated to win it all. The Midgets will be looking to return to Orlando to earn their second straight national title and the Junior Midgets will be looking to advance past the Miami Super Bowl and play for their first championship. Midget running back Jaquan Johnson is confident they can pull it off. “I think we can do it again because we have better athletes in addition to the same guys we had from last year.”
For both teams, the aspirations don’t end with making the playoffs. They are much larger that that, these two teams want rings.
MIDGETS
Team Capsule
Head Coach
Eddie Alford, Jr.
Professionally
Works with a community development construction firm.
Coaching History
Has been coaching on and off since 1998.
Football Background
Played optimist football at Richmond and went on to play running back at
Miami Killian and played wide out for The University of Akron with current Miami Dolphin, Jason Taylor his former roommate.
Composition of the Team
14 out of 25 kids came back this year from the National Championship team. “Most of our kids are from the Richmond Heights, Perrine and Greater Gould’s area. We have a few kids from Homestead, which is 20 minutes away, people call it recruiting, I call it marketing. You sell your program, you market your program,” says Alford. What attracts players to his Team: “Parents are looking at how you treat the kids, are they being taught, how the organization is run and what is the quality of the equipment used.”
JR. MIDGETS
Team Capsule
Head Coach
Chris Laidler
Coaching History
Has 12 years of youth football coaching experience. He coached at Northwest Boys and Girls Club before heading to Richmond.
Football Background
Played cornerback at Monsignor Pace High School and running back at Clarion University of Pennsylvania, a Football Championship Series (Division 2) school.
Composition of the Team
“We’ve been with this team since the Jr. Pee Wee (105 lb.). We have about 10-12 kids that have been with us for three seasons.”
Core Group of Coaches
Curtis Wiggins III, Derrick McPhee, Doug Hill, Earnest Hall, Alonzo Kendrick, Alfonso Stevens as well as new coach Santrais Lee.
Offensive philosophy
“We’re pretty much a run oriented team. Power-I and I-formation sets.”
Defensive philosophy
“We try to be an aggressive team by putting pressure on teams and have them do things they aren’t comfortable with.”
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YALL DID GOOD WE COMING BACK NEXT YEAR