Hometown News and Views

By Phyllis J. Neuberger

Pompano Beach - “We scored a touchdown all right,” beams Charles Lee who has been a volunteer coach to the Pompano Cowboys for 13 years. “There are no words to express how proud I am of my Cowboys.  These seven, eight and nine-year-old boys played hard to  become Super Bowl Champs of the South Florida Youth League, and they are as thrilled as I am to put a trophy on the shelf at McNair Park Clubhouse, our home. After 13 years of volunteering, this is a first big win for me and my team.”

Lee is a truck driver who loves football. He says, “I played football back more years than I care to remember, and I never lost my love for the game. I started to coach in 1999 because I wanted to give back and I also wanted to help keep the kids off the streets. A lot of my boys have gone on to college.  I see them now and then and am proud of these grown men.  We talk a little bit and move on.”

“The boys sign up at the park. Sure, some of them are more talented than others, but they all get to play and cheer each other on as a team. Learning how to be a team player is the best lesson we can teach them. They have to be dedicated, and so do their parents.”

One of those dedicated parents is Keisha Williams who says, “As a single parent who is also new in town, I felt my son, Austin, needed  to be around a man and sports. He’s just seven, but he was eager to sign on with the Cowboys and he loved it.   He’s floating on air like all the boys, but he knows his team will not always be champions. Coach Lee is tough, but caring. He’s been a great male role model for Austin. As for Austin, I must say he’s learned how to be part of a team and to survive vigorous training.”

Training for the 19 members of the Cowboys begins at summer camp which starts in March and runs through July. The kids train three to four times a week.  Competition begins in August and practice from 5:30 to 8 p.m. happens five days a week until December.  During the regular season The Pompano Cowboys beat the best, racking up the following wins:

Lauderhill Lions 7 -0; East Boynton Wildcats 7 – 6; Western Tigers 12 – 0; Deerfield Rattlers 6 – 0; Pompano Chiefs 6 – 0;