June 11, 2009
NEWS-SUN STAFF REPORT

One youth football program in Zion is winding down, and another is starting up.
Coming to an end is Zion's Youth Flag Football League, which has its final week of the season this Saturday.
Since late April, teams of youngsters age 5-14 and been learning the fundamentals of football through the program which is held each Saturday a the home of the Zion-Benton Junior Zee-Bees youth football team (23rd St./Bethesda Blvd.).

Training Camp will begin on Monday, July 27th at 6:00pm with our Annual "Parent/Athlete Meeting". The meeting will discuss and outline the details for our 2009 season and should only last about 45 minutes. After the meeting all athletes will be directed to their individual teams for a short workout.

All football players will practice Monday through Friday until the end of August. After our first game, everyone will practice 3 days a week. Cheerleaders will practice 3 days a week for the enitre season.

As the true feeder program to Zion Benton Township High School. The Jr. Zee Bees and ZBTHS Varsity Head Football Coach Robert Strickland have scheduled a "Future Zee Bee Football Camp" for July 13th - 17th at the High School for all football players entering grades 5th through 8th in the fall.

To insure a successful camp, Coach Strickland is asking that all campers be pre registered by July 6, 2009. Flyers with the registration form are available in our downloads section.

If you have quesitons, please contact:

Athletic Office 847-731-9361
Coach Strickland 847-731-9405

Register for the 2009 Jr. Zee Bee football season! Our next registration for the fall is Saturday, July 11, 2009 from 10:00am - 12:00 noon for football players and cheerleaders ages 7-14.

The cost is $250.00. We will be at our Jr. Zee Bees Field at Pearce Campus on 23rd Street and Bethesda Blvd.

A copy of the player’s birth certificate is needed at the time of registration. Included in the registration fees are the equipment deposit, mandatory fundraising pancake breakfast tickets, a picture package, participation trophy and game jersey.

For 2009, the Jr. Zee Bees are offering an incentive to all returning players from our exciting 2008 season. Every athlete returning from 2008 can earn $25 off their registration fee for every new athlete they bring to the Bees.

Bring your friends, neighbors, cousins, brother or sister. If you bring 6 new athletes, that’s $150 off your registration fees. If you bring friends in after you have registered, you can earn “Bee Bucks”!!!

The Zion Benton Jr. Zee Bees are excited to announce changes coming for the 2009 Football season.

The Jr. Zee Bees have decided to move our membership to a more stable, competitive and family oriented League, The Chicagoland Youth Football League (TCYFL). This is the Largest Independent Youth Football League in America!!!

We are very happy to announce that on Tuesday January 20th, 2009 the TCYFL welcomed us, as well as 3 other teams in our area into there governing league.

What this means for our program is;

Youth sports are supposed to be about kids and giving them the opportunity to try different activities and have fun. Youth Sports are supposed to be about adults working within the structure of long-established leagues to provide the best possible opportunities for the kids. Nothing more. Nothing less.