CINCINNATI — Gunfire sacked a series of youth football games in the West End Sunday. One day later, one coach blew the whistle on challenges forcing kids to play in harm's way.
"Don't judge us," said Tommy Harris, a coach and leader with Ohio Premier Youth Football Association. "This (has) nothing to do with little league football. This is the area we (are) in and we're playing in war zones."
Around the West End, the narrative tires: gunfire wounded a man and damaged an SUV and pick-up truck on Clark Street near Stargel Stadium. It was the community's 20th shooting since June, according to city records. That is more than any other neighborhood in Cincinnati.
The most recent violence forced families inside the stadium watching OPYFA championship games to duck for cover.
"We (got) all the kids down," Harris said.
Harris said the league's eight teams need safer places to play.
"Our greatest challenge is trying to get help from high schools," Harris said. "I know I emailed UC literally trying to get our games out of these war zone areas where situations like this happen."
In October, bullets fired near the College Hill Recreation Center killed Trojans Black coach Jermaine Knox after practice in front of players. His loss drew plenty of tears and sympathy but no fields of refuge.
Harris, a friend and fellow coach with Knox, said the two men previously called several high schools for help.
"We've definitely been told no," Harris said.
He believes stereotypes are in the way.
"They look at us as ghetto, ratchet. They look at us like we might destroy stuff," Harris said. "A lot of people try to say it's little league football, it has little league connection. None of this is connected, but the fact that we get stuck in war zones, then we got to play football. We gotta go to parks. We got to go here, and schools basically don't even pay no attention. The first time they pay us attention is when they see a 17-year-old who came from this situation that can help them win a state championship. Now we want to reach our hand out."
The weekend shooting ended one game early and postponed four others, Harris said. The league wants to reschedule if they can find the right field and if parents still want their children on it.
While the league would love someone to step up and help, Harris said they will not give up because of what football means to the players.
"It helps the kids build character," Harris said. "Not even just the kids, (It's also) the coaches, even the parents. Discipline is big because we all know without discipline and you (are) going in the streets, they're waiting for you."
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