Playmakers supports youth with developmental differences and promote kindness and social inclusion. Photo courtesy of Playmakers

SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) - The Playmakers organization is a nonprofit that works with local youth to build character through free sports programs throughout the year.

By promoting kindness and social inclusion, Playmakers supports all youth and their families, with a particular focus on those with developmental differences and special needs. This year, for the first time, Playmakers founder Greg Roeszler (known as Coach Roz) is excited to announce an NFL FLAG football league for local youth.

The eight-game season will kick off on Sept. 28, running from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for eight consecutive Saturdays. The league will play at Mesa Verde High School’s new state-of-the-art stadium at 7501 Carriage Drive in Citrus Heights. Each day will begin with athletic practice and skills development, followed by a flag football game. The league will split into two groups, one for youth between the ages of 6 and 14, and the other with a more flexible age range for youth with special needs.

Playmakers’ coaches are volunteer student athletes from local high schools. Photo courtesy of Playmakers

The coaches are volunteer student athletes from local high schools, Mesa Verde and San Juan. These two rival schools will be “working together under the Playmakers’ umbrella on character building and inclusiveness,” Coach Roeszler said.

“There are a lot of families that can’t afford the fees to play flag football” or other organized sports, the coach said, which is why Playmakers programs are always completely free to kids and their families. The funding for this NFL FLAG football league comes from The Optimists of Country Club, a local civic group based out of Citrus Heights, and Verde Design, which built the new stadium at Mesa Verde.

Playmakers is facilitating the league, with Roeszler running the program and providing coaching training and inclusivity awareness to the student athletes.

Through sports, Playmakers aspires to make children feel included. Photo courtesy of Playmakers

Roeszler acknowledged the dedication of “two unbelievable volunteers who pulled this together,” Rick Johnson and Jim Szymanski, who worked so quickly to implement this new league: negotiating with the NFL for official inclusion as an NFL FLAG football league region (with all the associated uniforms, equipment, and gear), working with the San Juan Unified School District to secure the stadium location, and coordinating with the high schools to recruit student volunteers. 

“The fact that rival schools are working together for inclusiveness and character building is amazing. The administration is so supportive, and it can change the culture of a campus,” Roeszler said, “and our NFL players are extremely pleased that this is being done at the grassroots level.”

For the first time, Playmakers will participate in an NFL FLAG football league for local youth. Photo courtesy of Playmakers

He added that it was “incredible and so encouraging” to have local civic groups getting involved, because it is so important to provide opportunities for all kids to enjoy the benefits of sports and athletics, while having fun, learning to kind to each other, and striving to be the best they can be.”

Visit www.ThePlaymakers.org to sign up for this free event. For more information, call 916-220-1284 or email [email protected].