Disclaimer: Future For Football is an initiative of the National Football Foundation, created to highlight the lessons and values that football imparts. Get involved and sign up to play today by visiting Future for Football for resources, a League Locator tool, and much more.
A Bright Future with Youth Football
Friday night lights can be both blinding and thrilling for parents and children. With the opportunities football has to offer, those stadium lights seem to illuminate a path worth taking.
Take it from Jessica Travis. Her son, Jaymeson, started playing football as a sophomore at Osseo Senior High School in Minnesota and participated in the Indigenous Bowl where the top 75 Indigenous high school players throughout the country were selected for entry. He and his team, Frybread Bandits, even took the final victory!
Jessica says she’s always been supportive of her kids playing extracurricular activities, so when he stopped playing hockey and soccer to pursue football, she was on board.
Jaymeson says he wanted to start playing football because of the opportunities and friendships.
“I followed his lead and was ready to cheer him on in the stands,” she says. “Football was another opportunity to be on a team and hang out with peers. It also gave him another avenue to highlight his athletic abilities.”
Find resources and local leagues to get involved in football at Future for Football and the National Football Foundation.
Football Opens Doors
When he joined the team, the coaches placed Jaymeson in the tight end position due to his physique and athleticism. Years of playing soccer proved useful when Jaymeson showed his ability to kick a ball with accuracy and power.
His coaches saw his potential and pushed him to play at a high level. They provided mentorship off the field.
Jessica says her son found what he was looking for in youth football. He found community, friendship, guidance, and confidence. He learned to battle outside criticism by focusing on his own goals and letting go of negative talk.
Jaymeson saw the opportunities his older cousins were given from playing collegiate sports, so in the spring of his senior year of high school, he made a goal to play football on a collegiate level.
His dream would soon become a reality.
Jaymeson was recruited by the University of Minnesota Morris as a kicker/punter. Two weeks into his college football career, and he says his coaches push and support him in the same ways his high school coaches did. The community he felt in high school continues into college, with positive peer support and encouragement.
Football and Native American Culture Collide
Prior to leaving for college, Jaymeson was selected to play in the 7G Foundation’s Indigenous Bowl in December 2023. This signature event pulls the top Native American high school athletes from around the United States.
The event is more than a game. It’s a celebration of culture and tradition.
Athletes spend the week prior to the headlining game training and participating in cultural events.
The highlight for Jaymeson was “traveling to California and meeting other top Native athletes. It made me feel good.” Not only was he recognized as the Offensive MVP for his team, he was also awarded a scholarship.
In addition to being part of a team and having opportunities to travel, Jaymeson says his favorite thing about the game are the Friday night lights. “There’s so much joy, excitement, and rush of adrenaline from playing in front of the big crowds.”
From Wavering to Signing the Waiver
Jessica credits youth football with being able to nurture and maximize Jaymeson’s qualities and character. Playing football has helped her son tap into determination and grit.
It’s understandable for parents to waiver on letting their children play football. To them, Jessica says, “Learn about the football program and their coaching philosophy. Coaches influence how the athletes are taught about the game, how they build up confidence and how they navigate losses.”
To learn more about where and how to get your child to play football, Future for Football has all the resources parents and guardians need. The website lists all the leagues and places where children play in an easy-to-use league finder tool. From what equipment to use to safety questions and concerns, Future for Football has articles, tips and infographics for parents, players, and coaches.
