There might not be any high school football this fall, but the Northern Lights YMCA has been running an annual camp all week in preparation for another flag football season.

The purpose of the camp is to give kids the ability to run, pass and catch a football in a fun, safe environment.

“We have ran this camp for as long as I can remember, and it’s really just about getting them ready for going on to tackle football or flag football here with us,” YMCA Youth Sports Coordinator Boston Hood said. “It’s just getting them ready for the season that they’re going to start in a couple weeks.”

The camp saw its numbers drop off this year, with just four youngsters around the age of eight showing up — Levi Kenneally, Jackson Goodman, Liam Steinhauer and Brody Steinhauer.

Austin Hemmingson | Daily Press Levi Kenneally (right) tries to elude Liam Steinhauer in a drill during the Northern Lights YMCA football camp Wednesday at the YMCA.

“This is about 50% participation from what we normally see for this camp,” Hood explained. “I think a lot of people have just been waiting and seeing, just to see what’s going on (due to COVID-19). There are some people that are going to hold their kids out from stuff, and that’s fine, too. We’re all in this together.”

Hood is in his third year as Youth Sports Coordinator and fifth year as a coach for the flag football league, which is for kids age 4 through sixth grade. He said he’s seen tremendous growth, noting there were around 100 kids when he took over three years ago and 220 last season. The YMCA also had 50 to 60 show up for its indoor program late last fall.

This year will be different, however, as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer isn’t allowing any organized football games to be played. Hood noted changes will made be made from the traditional 8-on-8 format, but he still believes they will have a way to make it fun and competitive.

“This year is going to be a totally revamped year. Instead of traditional 8-on-8 games, we’re going to focus more on what we’re going to call competitions,” he said. “Every Saturday we’re going to have a competition day where we’re going to have four main agility drills and then four main football specific drills — farthest throw, accuracy and stuff in that line; passing one week, catching the next week and then so on.

“We’re still going to have teams. We’re hoping to have about 100 kids and we’re going to have about two practices a week, and it should still be a lot of fun.”

The season starts Sept. 12 with an assessment day, where Hood and other coaches will assess the players’ skills in order to pick fair teams.

Safety guidelines and precautions will have to be in place, including requiring kids to wear masks for some contact drills.

“Just like the football camp, we’re going to have it the same for our football league where we’re going to have some drills in some weeks where masks are required,” Hood said. “For other drills, they’re going to be separated because we’re not playing traditional 8-on-8. There’s not going to be as much contact, and it’s not going to be as much face-to-face as it has been in the past.”

Hood noted the league was on track to see its biggest number of participants this year before the coronavirus pandemic hit.

“This was going to be our biggest year,” he said. “Unfortunately with COVID, we’re going to see a significant hit. We’re hoping we’re going to get players that wouldn’t necessarily come out for traditional 8-on-8 football, but players that want to work on their skills and get a little better at that. We’re hoping to get more kids in that aspect of it.”

Hood also offered a message to parents with any questions.

“If you have any questions about how we’re going to operate, the best thing is just to call (789-0005),” he said. “If you have any questions about how we’re going to deal with COVID and how we’re going to operate, just give us a call. … I think we’re going to have a fun year.”