Officer puts plan in place for kids' football dreams
A nationwide youth league embraces the nine-team Unity Football Conference for players and cheerleaders.
By SHERRI DAY
Published July 15, 2005
Zontray Harris spent his free time last summer holed up at home doing math and science drills.
He would rather have been catching passes and tackling defenders. But there was no organized youth football league in his Central Park Village neighborhood.
This year, Tampa police Officer Orlando Gudes decided to fill the void by creating a football and cheerleading league for Zontray and hundreds of children in low-income neighborhoods across the city.
Next month, Zontray will take the field as part of the newly formed Unity Football Conference, a unit of the American Football League. The conference, which is based in Tampa, has nine teams.
Players include children from three public housing complexes: Robles Park Village, Central Park Village and Tampa Park Apartments. Four existing Boys and Girls Club teams also joined the Unity league along with players from East Tampa and Town 'N Country, Gudes said.
"This was a blessing," said Zontray's mother, Michelle Boldware. "We really don't have anything over here for these kids. It gives the kids something positive to do."
Gudes, a master patrol officer who works in District 3, decided to start the conference after he had difficulty last year getting an East Tampa team admitted to a local league. He formed the Unity Conference in January after meeting with the American Football League, which claims it is the nation's largest youth football program with teams in 49 states.
Gudes said he chose the American league because its leaders welcomed his players and were committed to serving children regardless of race, ethnicity or socioeconomic level. Would-be football players and cheerleaders in Tampa would also benefit from significantly lower registration fees, Gudes said.
"Our motto is that we're all-inclusive," said Gudes, 37. "We want to have a community-type program that's not just about football."
Joe Galat, the league's president, said Unity Conference was his organization's first league in Tampa.
"We're pleased that they've elected to join," Galat said. "It takes an awful lot of energy and time to organize the league. It's not an easy situation."
As the local conference's executive director, Gudes has spent the past six months trying to raise money to launch the program. Because the league is in its inaugural year, teams need uniforms and equipment. So far, American league teams nationwide have offered to chip in. Gudes got shoulder pads from a team in North Carolina. He is also expecting an equipment donation from an Arizona league.
In Tampa, local teams are also raising money on their own. Gudes said the conference will need $6,000 to purchase the equipment and uniforms each team needs to be ready for the start of practice on Aug. 1.
Area children are depending on conference leaders to make it happen. Many kids gather daily at neighborhood community centers to inquire about football and cheerleading practice.
Zontray joined several prospective members of the Central Tampa Ravens last week at the Central Park Village Community center for a pickup game of football. He waits anxiously for the season's start.
To donate to the conference, contact Orlando Gudes at (813) 842-0157. Or mail contributions to the Unity Youth Football Conference, P.O. Box 311681, Tampa, FL 33680.
