BILL SPARKES/Acorn Newspapers FOOTBALL FRENZY—Jack Kenny, left, practices tackling on Griffin Mazur as the boys participate in drills for the recently created Moorpark Saints of the Pacific Youth Football League (PYFL). The Saints were created after the Packers decided to leave the PYFL over a concern about a change in weight and age classes. The team holds its practices at Moorpark College. After a brief examination, most sports medicine doctors would have to concur—the city of Moorpark has come down with football fever.

Whether it’s a reflection of the national trend (professional pigskin is the country’s No. 1 mostwatched sport, just ahead of NASCAR) or simply the byproduct of successful local programs at the collegiate, high school and youth levels, the community seems as excited as ever about the upcoming season on the gridiron.

As evidence, this fall will mark the first time in history that not one, but two, youth football programs will call Moorpark home.

Moorpark—say hello to the Saints.

Started by a collection of former Packer coaches not happy about that organization’s decision to break its 13-year affiliation with the Pacific Youth Football League, the Saints will field four teams this season under the PYFL’s recently reworked age and weight requirements.

“We don’t like the idea of us being a new chapter, because we’re not new,” said Gene DiFabritis, who helped form the Saints along with Robert Lerma and Scott Reinhardt. “We feel like we’re the same Packers of the PYFL, only we have a new name.”

According to Reinhardt, a former Packer coach and board member, the organization was started so that local youngsters could have a choice between staying in the PYFL or making the move to the newly formed Gold Coast Youth Football League, where the Packers will play.

“Moorpark and the PYFL have a long history together and we didn’t want to see that end over a rule change,” Reinhardt said. “My disappointment with the Packers and their decision to start a new league is they should have given the PYFL a chance. I have full confidence in the PYFL that if they make a mistake they would make amends. They didn’t make a rule to hurt anybody.”

In all, a little over 90 youngsters will begin the season as members of the Saints—many of them first-time players. Combine those numbers with the over 150 kids in the Packers organization, and the result is that more kids are playing youth football in Moorpark than ever before.

“The real positive to come out of all of this is that there are a whole lot of kids playing youth football,” Reinhardt said. “And that’s what this is all about—getting kids off the streets and getting more kids ready to compete one day at the high school level. Whether you choose the Packers or the Saints, it’s a good thing for the city of Moorpark that so many kids are getting involved.”

Scrambling in the offseason to find a new home for their program, Saint organizers came upon what they felt was a gold mine when the Moorpark College Raiders invited the group to share its practice facilities.

Now, the two programs practice nearly side-by-side on the campus facilities, a situation Lerma said couldn’t have worked out better.

“At first we were concerned about getting in their way, but they said ‘Hey, this is your guys’ home field too,’” said Lerma, the Saints’ president. “Not only have they taken us in, but they’ve welcomed us with open arms. During practices some of the college guys will come over and give our guys some direction, give them high-fives. The kids love it.”

Saints’ coach Steve Paredes, a former All-American line

backer at Moorpark College, said he’s very grateful for how the Raiders have welcomed them in.

“It’s a community thing,” Paredes said. “This is a community college and we’re part of the community. They want us here. They want us to call this our home field.”

The first games of the season will be played Sept. 10, the same day the GCYFL begins its games.

Much like in Moorpark, Simi Valley has also seen a split in their youth football program over the move away from the PYFL. This year Simi will be home not only to the Vikings of the GCYFL, but the newly created Patriots as well.

“For some, I think there was a lot of loyalty still to the PYFL, I mean, (the Packers) were one of the charter members,” Reinhardt said. “Say what you will about the PYFL, it’s still 130 teams and going strong.”

Although some bad blood boiled up in the offseason between members of the Packers and Saints over the split, it seems many of those negative feelings were put aside once practice began.

“We had a feeling that would happen,” DiFabritis said. “Now that the season has started for both programs and the kids are out on the field playing and the coaches are coaching, things have gotten better. We’re trying to do our thing and they’re trying to do theirs. We’re just happy the focus is back on football and not on other things.”

Still, Reinhardt admitted, some friendships hurt by the short feud will take time to heal.

“My hope is that one day we may be able to play under the same flag again, but for now, there are some bitter feelings,” Reinhardt said. “We were definitely on two sides of the fence and there were a lot of hurt feelings.

“I think the parents are going to have to make a decision over the next one or two years which program serves them better,” he added. “But that’s OK, at least they have a choice. I think both leagues offer something different.”

Lerma, who coaches the Saints Senior Division team (ages 1314), might have put it best.

“Regardless of anything that went on between the adults, the fact remains that kids are playing football this fall that might not have had it not been for the creation of the Saints,” Lerma said. “That’s a very good thing.”