Beginning this week, Five Town Football is posting a series of stories profiling the program, its players and coaches to help demystify youth football in the Midcoast, and introduce a great way for children to have fun, get exercise, and build self-confidence and sportsmanship through the game of football.

This year, Five Town Football is celebrating its 10th anniversary of providing football coaching and mentoring to girls and boys in the towns of Hope, Appleton, Lincolnville, Camden and Rockport. Each year, FTF creates an opportunity for more than 100 girls and boys to have up to 16 weeks of a fun physical activity with coaches focused on teaching team-building and promoting self-confidence, while teaching the fundamentals of football.

"It's fun because it gets you going and the relationship with your teammates, it builds character," said fifth-grader Ryan Clifford, reflecting on his years playing with FTF. Ryan is going into his fourth year with the program this year.

The FTF program offers three sessions to get involved. There are two no-contact programs in the summer and winter for children in kindergarten through eighth-grade. The fall session offers a flag program for kindergarteners and first- and second-graders, and a contact program for a junior varsity third- and fourth-grade team, a varsity fifth- and sixth-grade team, and the middle school team for seventh- and eighth-graders.

This year's summer camp runs in the evenings from July 14 through 16, and is a great introduction to the fundamentals of the game. The fall session begins in August. Registration is available now for both the summer camp and the fall session and information can be found online here.

"I learned a lot. It's really fun and I got to meet a lot of new people. I didn't know one play last year and I know a lot now. This year I'm always happy after a game," said fourth-grader Cas Lavoie, when talking about joining the fall program in 2014 after moving from Belfast.

For the summer and winter sessions, students need only regular sneakers and weather appropriate clothing. In the fall, the uniform, pads and helmet are issued following registration for third- through eighth-grades, and must be returned at the end of the session. Students must provide their own cleats, though the team has many pairs available from past sessions.

Vice President of Football Operations Kenny Johndro said, "FTF stays informed to the latest technological developments and advances in the gear a player wears in order to remain safe while having fun playing the game they love."

"In addition to the safety precautions associated with equipment maintenance, FTF makes sure coaching techniques put the safety and health of the students first," said coach Carl Chadwick. Coaches have attended numerous football coaching clinics and training. Several coaches maintain CPR and first aid certification. Most importantly, the culture of safety is passed on to kids in the youth program through regular practice and reinforcement of safe techniques.

"The coaching staff as a whole is exceptional at making sure the kids have all the skills they need. The drills that are done religiously give our kids plenty of knowledge of how to tackle and get tackled, what to do and what not to do." said Steve Stinson, a parent in the FTF program.

Five Town Football President Joseph Russillo described the organization this way: "We are a family. We are kids from all different walks of life and family situations. We are coaches who put in tremendous effort to ensure that our players have a safe and fun experience. We are parents who rely on one another for support, and who cheer just as loud for other FTF players as we do for our own. We are volunteers that put the words of the organization into action."

Five Town Football’s mission is to promote healthy, successful kids and support families in the communities of Hope, Appleton, Lincolnville, Camden and Rockport by providing a fun team sport experience that connects players to leadership, sportsmanship, teamwork and community. Trained coaching staffs are committed to serving as reliable role models and creating a positive atmosphere for players nurtured by quality interaction with their peers. FMI: fivetownfootball.com.