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Barnwell County’s first county-wide recreation football league was a success, according to organizers.
The Barnwell County Youth Football League wrapped up its inaugural season in November. This included teams from Barnwell, Blackville, and Williston.
“This was the first time we had a county league and we all felt it turned out very good. We are in hopes of being able to add more teams to the league in the future,” said Tykesha Jenkins, recreation director for the Town of Blackville.
Kevin Roberts, parks, recreation and tourism director for the City of Barnwell, said he’s excited about the growth of tackle football, which doubled in size for both the 9-10 year olds and 11-12 year olds. Barnwell had over 80 kids participating in tackle football, not to mention flag football and cheer.
“We’ve had a really good year with the kids learning the fundamentals of the game and seeing their individual growth and how much fun they are having. We are also proud of the steps we have taken as a city in providing upgraded equipment, including college-style jerseys,” said Roberts.
Between volleyball, tackle football, flag football and cheer, Blackville had a total of 52 kids. Though they didn’t have enough to register for 9 to 10-year-old tackle football, they were able to incorporate flag football into the program this year for the first time. Jenkins said they were also excited to allow the younger age group of 5 to 7 to be able to participate this year.
In Williston, the town had 51 kids participate between tackle football, flag football, and cheer. Ronnie Tobin, Williston’s recreation director, said their numbers were down from the previous year, partly due to another program that started in town. However, he said they still had a successful season and enjoyed being able to work with neighboring towns to provide athletic opportunities for kids. Williston’s 9- to 10-year-old tackle football team went undefeated.
“We are hoping to expand the league into other towns next season and make our league one of the best in South Carolina,” said Roberts.
The county-wide league included just tackle football this year, though Blackville and Williston did compete against each other in flag football. Tobin said he hopes they can add Barnwell in for flag football next year.
With football season over, the towns are now looking forward to basketball season.
“Our basketball season is on its way and Blackville is looking to collaborate with Barnwell and Williston again. We are planning on beginning the season towards the end of January,” said Jenkins.
She thanks local businesses and residents for their ongoing support of sponsorships, including Heavenly Angels Daycare who was a gold sponsor for football season. “Without the volunteer coaches, our parents, our district that allow us to use their facilities, none of this would be possible,” said Jenkins.
While registration for basketball and cheer in Blackville is over, the City of Barnwell and Town of Williston extended registration until Thursday, Jan. 4.
“I encourage parents to let their kids participate. There’s so much that kids can learn from being part of a sport, such as team building, leadership, and discipline. It’s not just about winning and losing, but about teaching them to be the best they can be,” said Tobin.
In Williston, Tobin said they are hoping to have enough participation to have a girls basketball team, in addition to teams for boys and co-eds.
Games will be played on Saturdays, which is a change from past years. However, it’s one that was made after gaining feedback from many parents.
Registration for the City of Barnwell can be done at Barnwell City Hall Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For the Town of Williston, stop by Tobin’s office at Williston Town Hall Monday through Friday from 4-6 p.m.
