Local NFL “Punt, Pass & Kick” competitors, 8-15, urged to sign up

August 1, 2009 @ 8:04 pm

Can your kid punt like Ray Guy?  Maybe your daughter has an arm like Brett Favre.

Then you might want to consider entering them—free of charge—in the annual National Football League’s “Punt, Pass & Kick” competition at El Centro’s McGee Park on September 26.

The El Centro Parks and Recreation Department is now accepting registrations for the competition that puts both boys and girls age 8-15 from the entire Imperial Valley—not just El Centro—in the spotlight and gives them a chance to advance to the regional competition in October and then the national competition next year.

Pat Urena, the city’s recreation supervisor, said they’re trying to drum up even more interest this year in the local PPK by encouraging  girls to compete.

“We have excellent female athletes in the Imperial Valley,” said Urena, who also organizes NFL flag football locally.  “I’d like to see more girls from all over the valley come out for this competition on September 26^th.”

Kendra Wecker, the famous Women’s National Basketball Association player, brought immense interest to the PPK in 1992 when, at the age of 10, she won her age group and went on nationally to compete equally against boys.

The PPK is the NFL’s oldest youth football program—a national skills competition established in 1961. Winners are determined in age groups:

• 8-9
• 10-11
• 12-13
• 14-15

Total distance of their punts, passes, and kicks determines their ranking and their final scoring.

Competition rules can be viewed here, and Urena is accepting registrations from anywhere in the Imperial Valley at 760-337-4556.