Pop Warner and the Boys & Girls clubs of Albany and Lebanon are joining forces to operate a single youth football program this fall.

Brian Hovelsrud, the president of Pop Warner for Linn and Benton counties, and Ryan Graves, the executive director of the Boys & Girls Club of Albany, said Monday that cooperating makes sense for both organizations.

"Each of us bring good things to the table. We're taking advantage of the Boys & Girls clubs' strengths and they're taking advantage of ours," Hovelsrud said.

Graves said the move makes financial sense. Instead of the two groups soliciting donors for the same cause - youth football - they can work together to raise funds to maintain, and perhaps build, good-quality fields.

In addition, Graves said consolidating programs will make for stronger teams, since the players won't be separated .

"The reality is we were competing for the same players," he said. "Is it better to have two teams of 15 players each, or one team of 30 players? It's really hard to coach a team that has only 15 players."

Graves also said that high school coaches encouraged the change, because it will be easier for them to offer youth clinics in conjunction with a combined program.

Graves said the cooperation with Pop Warner will be very similar to the current arrangement the Albany club has with Junior Baseball of Oregon.

"We offer a baseball program under the auspices of Junior Baseball of Oregon. This will be the same. We're offering football through Pop Warner," Graves said.

Pop Warner operates youth football - with contact - for kids from age 5 up through eighth grade in various levels of competition.

Hovelsrud said one advantage for returning Pop Warner players and their parents is that they should have to travel less than in the past.

National Pop Warner rules prohibit its teams from playing against youth teams from other programs. With more mid-valley youth expected to play Pop Warner this fall, more teams should be formed and more competition should be held locally.

There will still be the opportunity to play some road games and playoff teams may get the chance to play games at Reser and Autzen stadiums.

By Les Gehrett

Albany Democrat-Herald