Flag Football Tourney Invites All Comers

October 14 , 2007
Melinda Morris
The Times Picayune

All fifth- through eighth-graders in Algiers, regardless of where they attend school, are invited to come out for the Algiers Charter School Association's first flag football tournament, Pursuing Victory with Honor, on Oct. 27 from noon to 4 p.m.

"We just thought this would be a good opportunity to get everyone in the Algiers community to participate," said organizer Alan Delery, who coordinates the Positive Behavior Support program for Algiers Charter School Association.

Delery said he was inspired to open the tournament to all Algiers youth by his son, a student at Alice Harte Elementary, a charter association school. His son formed a street football team with some neighborhood friends, who don't attend Algiers Charter School Association schools.

The tournament will be played in the field behind Village Aurora Shopping Center, 4100 Gen. de Gaulle Drive. The event features two divisions: grades five and six, and grades seven and eight. Teams can be all-boy, all-girl or mixed, Delery said.

He said he considered breaking down the tournament by boy, girl and mixed, but "I'm trying not to make it too complicated."

The cost is $5 per participant to help pay for awards, Delery said. Registration and parental consent forms are available online at www.algierscharter schools.org/acsa. Forms and fees made payable to ACSA are due to Delery at Algiers Technology Academy, 6501 Berkley Drive, New Orleans, LA 70131, by Friday.

The event is a part of the annual Character Fair, sponsored by the Algiers Charter School Association, that focuses on teaching children the character traits they need to be successful and productive. The traits are: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship. Delery said the fair, with tables and booths featuring children's activities that highlight the character traits, will run simultaneously with the football tournament.

"We want everyone to come out and have fun playing," he said. For more information, call Delery at (504) 330-0060.

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Melinda Morris can be reached at mmorris@timespicayune.com or (504) 826-3782.