Young athletes go head-to-head at Rank Up Youth Football Classic

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - It was a weekend full of football across the nation. In Mobile, youth football teams hit the field at Herndon-Sage Park for a good ol’ Labor Day weekend football classic.

Forty-three teams from across the region went head-to-head for the three-day Rank Up Youth Football Classic.

Players from as young as 5 to 14 put it all out on the gridiron.

Coaches were on the field and helped the players play-by-play, proud of what the young athletes can already do.

Nikki Anderson is the mother of number 22, the only girl on Big Bessemer Elite. She said she couldn’t be more proud.

“I’ve given the opportunity to choose what she wants to do and I can’t tell her no because her mama plays semi-pro football, so she sees me do it and she just wants to go do it and she’s a young, she just turned four so she enjoys it,” said Anderson.

Anderson also said she loves that her daughter wants to play a sport predominately played by males.

“I love it. You see the daddies and the little boys go up to their daddies at football games and stuff, but I got a daughter that comes to my football game on the sidelines and looking up like I’m going to hit like you mama, I’m going to do this like you mama. It’s exciting, it just overwhelms me sometimes because it just shocks me that I have a daughter that wants to play football just like her mama,” said Anderson.

Taylor agreed she wants to be just like her mom. She said her favorite part about football is running for the ball and tackling.

Over on another field, the Ravens took on the Jaguars. Many of the players seemed to love football for the same reason.

“I like hitting,” said one player.

“Because I like hitting, running the ball, and catching,” said another player.

These Ravens players have big dreams.

“Playing sports making it to the NFL. I would like to play for the Ravens,” said one player.

As the game clock ran out, win or lose, all the players got a chance to do what they love, play some football.

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