LOYAL. LOCAL. COMPLETE.
Paris bleeds football. Adrenaline and pride for the sport runs through the veins of the community. To prepare for a high school football career, young boys go through the Paris Tigers Youth Football Program.
On Oct. 12, following the end of an impactful season, awards were presented to several players. The teams, as a whole, were also recognized for their valiant efforts and dedication to the sport.
“This is probably the most improved group that we’ve ever had. From the first game to the last game, we were out of the championship game by just a couple touchdowns, and that’s a big deal. When we started, we were very, very inexperienced, and we thought, man, we’ve really got a work cut out for it this year. And the way it ended, I could not be more proud of our seventh and eighth-grade team and our fifth and sixth-grade team.” Coach Jeff Arp said.
Several fifth through eighth-grade players were recognized for their efforts with the Tiger Award.
“We focus on our character. Character things like attitude, effort and leadership. I use the word camaraderie, and they look at me like, What? What does that mean? Like being a good teammate, right? So attitude, effort, leadership and being a good teammate. That’s what the Tiger Award is about,” Arp said.
The fifth and sixth-grade Tiger Award winners are Ryder Burris, Hudson Gilbert, Leo Smith, Syrus Osborne, Sam Pitts, Chanse Pitts, Kaysen McManus and Becher Blair.
Seventh and eighth graders presented the Tiger Award were Holden Moore, Drake Quinn, Zion Howard, Marcus Hutchings, Gentry Simpson, Hudson Phipps and Gage Englum.
Along with the Tiger Award, one player from both teams is chosen as the Tom Tuttle Award recipient. Players recognized will receive a plaque and their name will be added to the list of recipients displayed at the John P. Allen Field concession stand.
“If you just look at the two games that we kind of struggled the most against; teams that we probably should have handled. It was our first game of the year down at Newton, and then when we played Lawrenceville here. We were clearly a better football team than they were, but without the two guys that were the Tuttle Award winners, it kind of threw us in a funk. And that’s what the Tuttle Award signifies. It’s the guys that kind of lead the team, not only with their athletic talents, but when we come on the field, everybody’s better. When they’re here, the team’s better. We function better,” Coach Chip Keys said.
This year, unlike previous award winners, the coaches chose two recipients from each team rather than one. The Tom Tuttle Award winners are Hudson Gilbert and Syrus Osborne, fifth and sixth-grade team, as well as Marcus Hutchings and Gentry Simpson of the seventh and eighth-grade team.
Coach Arp left the players with a reminder of their team rules and to apply them to daily life.
“Be early. This applies to life. Don’t show up to a Delta flight five minutes after it takes off. Listen. You go two ears and one mouth to listen. You need to work hard. Whether it’s sports, work or whatever, you got to work hard,” he said.