Davison native gives back to youth football

By Michael Selecky
INDEX Sports Writer

DAVISON — With the June 2004 donation of $10,000 by Home Depot and with support from Central Michigan Construction and many others, the Barry Stokes Youth Football Youth Football League (BSYFL) completed work on a storage building and workshop, helping spur the league into a 34-team organization designed for boys and girls ages 7-14, each of which has its own cheerleading squad.

Currently, the league, which was named after Stokes in 2004, provides athletic opportunities for more than 900 Davison-area youths in the areas of teamwork, perseverance and determination. Children must have turned age seven by Jan. 1, 2009 and not be older than 14 before Jan. 1, 2009. Children in grades nine or higher are ineligible for the BSYFL regardless of age.

Those wishing to register for the 2008 season will need to pay a $25 late registration fee and attend an equipment-fitting day, with the next scheduled date of July 19. The event will occur in conjunction with a coach’s clinic. Location and time are yet to be determined.
Cost for participation is $150 for football players and $135 for cheerleaders. Team requests for those who’ve registered are pending. BSYFL will not honor any team requests for late registrants. Players will be placed on teams as needed to balance roster size and athletic physicals are required.

Upcoming events for the BSYFL include a Meet the Coaches night on Sept. 3 at Davison High School. Practice begins Sept. 4, equipment is issued Sept. 6 and Sept. 20 is opening day. Contests occurring Nov. 1 and 2 are stadium games. Details: E-mail barrystokesfoundation@charter.net or go to www.bsyf.org.

Policy changes for 2008 include all games to be played on Saturdays during regularly scheduled times. Make-up contests only scheduled when dictated by weather or field conditions. Also, coaches and players will be the only people allowed on the sidelines during games and parents wishing to take photographs must do so from the stands.

The BSYFL currently has football and cheer coaching openings, as well as a need for volunteers for committees, concessions and game days. Details: Call 810-397-2151 (football) or 810-423-9353 (cheer).

All coaches are required to submit to a background check.

As a Davison native, Stokes created a scholarship fund at Davison High School that awards student-athletes who show a spirit of dedication, determination and academic excellence. The goal is to create an endowment to fund these scholarships in future years.
Other charities supported by the Barry Stokes Foundation include the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan and Locks of Love.

After starting his football career with the Davison Steelers, Stokes went on to play offensive tackle for Eastern Michigan University from 1992-95. In 1996, Stokes spent time with the Detroit Lions and Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent before making his National Football League debut in 1998 with the Miami Dolphins. In 2007 the former Eagle was a member of both the Atlanta Falcons and Dolphins.

After splitting 1999 between the Green Bay Packers and Oakland Raiders, Stokes had two consecutive two-year stints, hooking on with Green Bay from 2000-01 and the Cleveland Browns from 2002-03. In 2004 the EMU grad was a New York Giant and in 2005 he returned to the Falcons before re-joining the Lions in 2006.

Past awards Stokes has received for his charitable efforts include the 2006 Detroit Lions Man of the Year and a 2006 Hometown Heroes awards. Stokes was also nominated for the National Football League Player Association’s 2006 Byron White Award for Community Service.