Youth who can’t wait for the fall football action should make plans to attend the National Football League’s Punt, Pass & Kick competition in Florala next month.

“This is big,” said Newton Peters, Florala YES member. Florala Youth Education and Sports (YES) group, formerly known as the Tri-Cities Football League, is working to bring all youth sports to the area. “I can say we have a tentative agreement with the NFL to let us be a local host site for the competition.”

The group hopes to raise at least $3,500 for new football shoulder pads by selling concessions, he said.

The event will be held June 28 at the Florala High School stadium and in conjunction with the city’s annual June 24th Masonic Celebration.

“We want to push this event really hard,” Peters said. “Whoever wins here will have the opportunity to compete at the next level, and maybe, if they win, a chance to compete at the national championship at the Super Bowl.”

The NFL Punt, Pass & Kick (PPK) program is a national skills competition for boys and girls between the ages of 6 and 15 to compete separately against their peers. Established in 1961, the PPK program is the oldest NFL Youth Football program.

Girls and boys in five separate age divisions (6-7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13, and 14-15) compete against each other in punting, passing and place kicking in a fun and engaging forum.  The PPK program is free – both to organizers who host a local competition and to every youngster who wants to participate.

Peters said the NFL would provide all the equipment for the event.

With more than three million boys and girls from around the country taking part in PPK competitions every year, it is one of the world’s largest youth sports participation programs.

More information will be released closer to the competition date.