JANUARY 15, 2009 ISSUE
For the Love of the Game
Newland Resident Organizing Full-Contact Adult Football Team
Every weekend from late August until the Super Bowl in early February, football mania sweeps the nation as high school, college and NFL games draw millions of spectators to stadiums large and small, not to mention the millions of armchair quarterbacks watching at home.
More than a few of those spectators are former players who would gladly come down from the stands to get in on just one more play. And while plenty of adult leagues exist for baseball, softball, tennis, basketball and other sports, football players are left to relive the glory days during the occasional backyard touch game.
Football players of all ages, your wait is over. The day has come to grab a tube of Icy Hot, stretch out stiff joints and take the field. Newland resident Stephen Whittington is recruiting players for the Carolina Golden Knights, an adult full contact football team based in the High Country.
The 36-year-old Whittington has spent the last two years organizing the Golden Knights, who will participate in the eight-team Northern Division of the North South Amateur Football League (NSAFL) beginning this year.
“Any athlete that’s ever played the game always wants to play one more,” said Whittington.
The Newland resident’s statement has already proven true. According to Whittington, the team already has 42 players from all over the High Country including Avery, Mitchell, Yancey and Watauga counties and has room for up to nine more. There is a minimum age of 18 to participate.
“The oldest guy we’ve got is 42,” said Whittington. “The sad part is he’s probably in the best shape of any of us.”
According to Whittington, the Carolina Golden Knights, who begin indoor practice this month, will play 10 regular season games against opponents from cities such as Asheville, Monroe and Dunn before playing a bowl game against the Asheville squad. Whittington is working to secure Avery High School’s field as the site for the Golden Knight’s home games.
Players joining the squad are responsible for all their own gear and will have to help pay the team’s dues to the NSAFL. According to Whittington, money generated by ticket sales at Golden Knight home games will be donated to local charities.
“Basically these guys are paying $300 just to raise money for charity,” said Whittington. “We play for the love of the game, not money.”
To learn more about the Carolina Golden Knights, click to www.myspace.com/carolinagoldenknights. For questions about joining the team, call Whittington at 828-733-4771 or email carolinagoldenknights@yahoo.com.
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