Raiders Elite fostering next generation of Richmond football players

ROCKINGHAM — A local youth football program is working to train and coach the next generation of Richmond Raider football players.

The Raiders Elite Youth Football program currently has two teams, an 8-and-under team and a 10-and-under team. The 8u squad is undefeated at 5-0 and the 10u squad is now 4-1 after suffering its first loss on Saturday. Both teams have earned first-round byes and are set to play in their respective championship games on May 22 in Fayetteville.

“LaRon Ellerbe, Derrick Watkins, Joey English and Octavius Harris are the 8u coaches — they have done a really good job of getting guys together and prepared this season,” said Raiders Elite organizer John Carter. “Mike Littles, Chris Covington, Brynt Moore and Braxton Smith – those guys have done a good job with the 10u team this season. This has been one of our best seasons ever.”

Richmond County used to have two youth football programs — Warriors Elite and the Raider Youth Football Association. But, last spring after Errol Hood, who ran the Raider Youth Football Association, decided to step down to spend more time with his family, Carter merged the two programs to form Raiders Elite.

“We decided to change our name from Warriors Elite to Raiders Elite and change our colors and pretty much be the official team in the county and bring all the talent together on one team and be a feeder program for the high school,” Carter said.

During this spring season, the program adopted the same COVID guidelines that the state implemented for high school football: parents weren’t allowed to be at practices outside their vehicles, kids had to bring their own water bottles and masks had to be worn.

But, during the pandemic, participation in youth football has been down.

“We had daily check-ins, daily temperature checks, but it’s been hard getting kids out there,” Carter said. “Right now we have probably over about 60 kids in the program, but normally we’re close to 100. I’m assuming parents were a little scared to bring their kids out, but hopefully with the vaccines going out, parents will be a little less scared to bring their kids out to play in the fall.”

Richmond head coach Bryan Till has long been a positive advocate for youth football and the benefits it can offer for kids. He said he thinks youth sports are integral to the fabric of any community.

“They have the opportunity to provide fun and development for young kids and their families,” Till said. “This is especially true in youth football since the teams require so many numbers. It’s also a very important place for kids to learn the fundamentals so that the game continues to be safe as they grow older.”

Carter said after the end of the current season, the Richmond coaches will be offering a coaching clinic to the Raiders Elite coaches to help teach them the schemes and principles that they use at the high school level so that they can start teaching the kids.

Till added that a higher understanding of the game and how to play it means that the kids have a higher likelihood of success and going further at the high school level because they already have that foundation.

“I would like to see the youth program grow because your best athletes at 10u and 8u may not be your best at 16,” Till said. “Kids’ physical development happens at all ages so learning and providing a positive experience for the most kids possible will benefit our high school programs the most. I truly believe our youth coaches are striving for that.”

In addition to helping kids with football, the program also helps kids in the classroom. Carter said they have two in-house teachers that provide tutoring to the kids that need it once per week.

The program also selected current Richmond senior receiver Tremel Jones as the recipient of the Gary Lovin Sr. Youth Scholarship for $1,000, which goes to any senior who played youth football. Applicants had to write a 250-word essay on how football has positively affected their life.

Jones’ development and success on the field and off is a testament to the benefits that participating in youth football, and youth sports in general, can provide.

He played youth football for Lovin’s AAU teams that practiced at East Rockingham football field when he was 9-11 years old. He said playing football that young taught him a lot and really “tied him to the game.” Now, after finishing his senior season at Richmond, Jones is headed to play for Wingate on scholarship in the fall.

“All our practices were fun and everybody wanted to be out there,” Jones said. “Kids would just brag about how they were on the team. That made me and my teammates stay on top of our work because we didn’t want to miss one practice or a game due to our grades. Learning how to be a team player and how to encourage my teammates at a young age helped me excel in the classroom because I used my communication skills from football in school.

“We were supported by many adults and we weren’t even a high school team,” he continued. “That made me realize how passionate the people in this county are about football. We were always told by our coaches that this is what you have to do to be a Raider. We trained hard and pushed ourselves just because we wanted to be in that green and gold on Friday nights. Some of my AAU teammates and I would go to the Raiders’ home games and play football on the hill. We couldn’t wait to get our moment and be a part of something that big.”

While the 8u and 10u teams look set for the fall season, Carter said they are looking for more interested kids to participate so they can field a 12u team, as well.

“We’re just trying to build on (this success) for the fall,” Carter said. “Eleven and 12-year-olds are our main focus for the fall because this season, we didn’t have a (12u team).”

Carter added that they’re also looking for additional coaches, who are qualified and have the background and dedication necessary to help with each of their teams.

But, on top of that, Carter said Raider Elite is looking for sponsors to help with buying things like more equipment and new uniforms.

“Sponsors, 12u and coaches are the main thing for the fall,” Carter said. “Everything we’ve done so far has been done internally with pretty much no outside sponsorship.”

Carter said those interested in playing or coaching and those interested in being a sponsor for the program can contact him at 910-995-0385 or [email protected].