BY KEN MORSE
CITIZEN’S NEWS
The Naugatuck Hounds are ready for some football. The Southern Connecticut Pop Warner Association welcomed the new board of directors for the Naugatuck Pop Warner football program, led by Bob Mezzo as president of the board with Pete Bosco as vice president of football operations.
Tammy Posila is the vice president of cheer, Steve Lawrence is the treasurer and Jen Stone is the secretary. Mezzo was also quick to point out the many volunteers who have stepped forward to ensure that the Naugatuck Hounds will take the field this fall.
“I want to thank the community orientated people who have stepped up to make this happen,” said Mezzo. “I have coached in the league for 11 years but have never served on the board. But we are all here for the same purpose and that is the betterment of the kids.”
The 14-team Southern Connecticut Pop Warner organization is split into four age-based divisions with a flag football division for the younger players. The Hounds will compete with a 9U team coached by Chris Van Dyke, an 11U coached by Mezzo and a 13U coached by Luis Datil. The flag football team is coached by Ron Larocque.
Last season, the Hounds 10-U team won the division by defeating Milford. They come back this season under Mezzo looking to continue what they started. Naugatuck will again be competing in Division 2 against the Stratford Renegades, Hamden Hurricanes, West Haven Seahawks and the Milford Eagles.
“Tammy has two cheerleading groups and a small practice squad of the younger five-year old group,” said Mezzo. “As far as football the Pop Warner Association has gone away from the weight classes and it’s now nationwide where they are just age-based divisions.
“It was a challenge coming in with a new board just six weeks before the season. Now we have 80-90 kids playing on three age division teams and Tammy has done a remarkable job rebuilding the entire cheer program.”
Naugatuck will play an eight-game schedule with home games slated for Veterans Field on Sunday afternoons. The regular season is set to kick off on Sept. 3. There will be a preseason jamboree that will be held on Aug. 26 in preparation for the season.
“We are excited for the season,” added Mezzo. “The kids are working hard as well as the coaching staffs. The Southern Connecticut Pop Warner is still working on finalizing the schedule.
“We are looking forward to some good crowds on a Sunday afternoons supporting these young Hounds. We won’t be opening the concession stand with full service because of the limited volunteers that we have. We will sell water, soda and pre-packaged snacks but Todd Henry from Naugatuck has offered to bring his food truck business On The Flip Side to serve hot food.”
Mezzo continued: “Thanks to my wife who talked me into accepting this role and to the countless people who stepped up asking if they can help in anyway. The best part of all this is seeing the kids out there having fun and making friends with their teammates. That’s what we are all here for.”
