December 11, 2011 in City

Doug Clark: Pint-size Bengals play hard for epic win

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The Spokane Valley Bengals football team won a national championship in Florida in November. The team posed for a photo during the regular season.
(Full-size photo)

We’ve all seen this sports movie before.

It’s the one about the lovable nobodies, the underdogs from Palookaville who rise to glory despite all the odds.

It’s “Bad New Bears.”

It’s “Hoosiers.”

It’s the story of the Spokane Valley Bengals, which is no Hollywood drama at all.

The Bengals are a real-deal team of 18 boys (ages 7-9) who play Pop Warner football in the Mitey-Mites division.

And what these lads accomplished deserves a loud and resounding cheer.

See, as sweet as all this sounds, these youngsters morph into their namesake beasts whenever they put on the helmets and pads and charge onto the field.

The homegrown Bengals became national champions last weekend by rolling over the higher-ranked Irondequoit Eagles of New York state, 28-6, at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in sunny Orlando, Fla.

“This is the day that’s gonna go down in history!” exclaimed one of the exuberant Bengals.

Well, then, allow me to spread the word.

You don’t have to follow football or know an outside linebacker from a tight end to appreciate the dedication it took to achieve this level of excellence.

To get the scoop on what made these Bengals so special, I met with head coach Ryan Anstrom and two of his assistants, Matt Schneider and Todd Carlson.

As I expected, these coaches all have sons who play on the team.

Listening to these guys took me back to the summer when my now-grown son, Ben, was a kid and I agreed to coach his park league baseball team.

We never came close to achieving a Bengal level of domination.

As I recall, we never came close to winning more than half our games.

We did, however, have a lot of fun, which began on our first day of practice when I talked the players into naming their team the “Fighting Croutons.”

That just doesn’t say national championship, huh?

These pop coaches are significantly more serious-minded than I was.

I deduced this from Coach Anstrom’s steely eyes and when he told me that his young team had memorized his playbook of – get this – 60-plus plays.

I had trouble remembering my own phone number when I was 9.

The Bengals were picked for the Florida championships thanks to a scout from the Pop Warner organization who came to Spokane and watched them play.

They were one of an elite eight Mitey-Mite teams selected from across the nation. The teams were then paired off for four games, with the four winners each being given a national title.

Here’s how they got there. The Bengals finished their season in late October by going undefeated in eight regular games and one local bowl game.

The following statistic will give you an idea of just how dominating these kids were.

In those nine games, teams playing against the Bengals scored a total of 18 points.

The Bengals racked up (are you kidding me?) 280 points.

All the moms and dads did their part, too. They raised $29,000 to make this dream trip possible.

“The parents just came together,” said Schneider. “They became a team of their own.”

Talk about commitment. With the season over, the Bengals continued practicing. When it got too cold, they struck a deal with the Spokane Shock to use the professional Arena Football League team’s indoor facilities twice a week.

In the end, these kids were more than ready to face a tough bunch of New Yorkers.

“Winning’s not everything to me,” said Anstrom of the preflight advice he gave his team. “But don’t ever take yourself out of it. I told them, ‘I’m going down there to win.’ ”

Carlson gave me a DVD of the game to watch. Dressed up in their black jerseys and orange stockings, these are the cutest little guys I’ve ever seen.

I especially loved one moment when Coach Schneider bent down to tie a player’s shoe.

On the flipside, these kids really do know how to execute plays.

According to the coaches, however, the high final score doesn’t tell the tale.

The big game was actually a nail-biter. With just five minutes left, the Bengals found themselves holding onto a scant 7-6 edge.

But the defense continued to play stingy while the offense added an amazing 21 points to the score.

And the Spokane Valley Bengals became national champs.

“We were shocked,” said Schneider. “It was so awesome.”

No, coach. It was historic.

Go Bengals!

Doug Clarkcan be reached at (509) 459-5432 or dougc@spokesman.com.

16 comments on this story so far. Add yours!

• 

  GSLFan on December 11 at 7:01 a.m.

  7 year old travel teams?

  God help this country.

• 

  WillyPeter on December 11 at 7:50 a.m.

  GSLFan - FYI, seven year old teams have been travelling for many decades. Our family has participated in hockey, football, and soccer.

  It’s going to be fun for the next ten years watching these boys grow and eventually play for one (?) valley HS.

  Oh my!

• 

  Jethro_toll on December 11 at 8:15 a.m.

  Ok so where did the Coach get a DVD of the game? Its because they pay local videographers $100 a game to go around and video (cough cough SPY on) the other teams games before they have to play them.

  $29,000 would have gone a long long way to pay for some 18 $1500 scholarships (probably $5000 scholarships amoritized for 12 years) and I would wager none of these kids live in Hilyard or Felony Flats.

  Reinforcing violent behavior without responsibility is abberant. Are these kids covered by medical insurance in the event of a brain injury? Who is the Team Dr? Most of my H.S. star football player are now in walkers and wearing braces.

  Sadly this is not for the kids whom should be participating in Boy Scouts or other personality developing agencys, but its all for the parents whom sit in their motorhomes high fiving over beers because 7 year old little Johnny just clotheslined some other kid.

  The $29,000 parents are probably the same ones who vote against the levies that would put/have kept these sports in the grade schools. Where are the Joan Benoit Ramsey cheerleaders or dont girls get to play either?

• 

  mkries2 on December 11 at 11:45 a.m.

  Jethro, I can say confidently that the boy scout troop from my youth produced a greater percentage of screw-ups than my youth football (and other sports) teams. And as an adult, I remember my youth sports teams with far greater fondness and pride than my time in the boy scouts. Doesn’t mean there isn’t value in scouting, just diff’rent strokes for diff’rent folks.

• 

  WillyPeter on December 11 at 11:58 a.m.

  Jethro - I got to tell you that your post makes little sense. Each paragraph is, well, goofy. So I’ll be interested to see if anyone will waste their time with intelligent responses. Really.

  I’ll just say this. These are involved families spending THEIR money for activities that millions of Americans have, and still do, approve of and enjoy.

  And I suspect that they’ll fund their sons’ college educations too.

  Normally I’d say, don’t worry they’ve kept government out of it…but after reading your comments a couple of times, I think that’s a lot of what bothers you….:-)

• 

  throws40140 on December 11 at 12:06 p.m.

  I don’t think that those who disagree with this fine article understand what the parents did for their children. And I also don’t think they understand the commitment the boys made to be champs.

  What I think you need to understand is that these boys have come out, put 110% into their sport, and have learned great lessons while working hard to achieve something they have dreamed about. Do you have a problem with parents helping their children achieve one of their dreams? What little boy who plays football doesn’t dream of having a chance to play for a big championship?!
  
  And yes, while that might have been a lot of money to be put out for an experience like this, you need to understand that parents try not to put a price on their child’s dream. Parents will do anything to help their kids. My parents did anything they could for me while i was in grade school to make sure that my dreams could be matched. And guess what, I’m still able to pay for college! It’s life, get over it. Money comes and goes, but chances like that do not.
  
  WAY TO GO BENGALS ON YOUR BIG WIN!

• 

  SisterSparkleShine on December 11 at 6:57 p.m.

  let me just say this…As parents of these boys, we are accused of NOT living in Felony Flats or Hillyard? Of living a privileged life. Of spoiling our sons in an effort to live vicariously through their success. Let me just say this: “Hey! You assume a lot. I grew up in the ‘hood in Portland…an orphaned daughter due to the death of my father. We subsisted on Social Security as long as I was a child at home. I went to 3 junior colleges prior to earning a decent academic scholarship to Gonzaga (at 25…where I then proceeded to work 42 hours a week to pay my bills…). I’m sorry for your unfortunate place in life and your bitterness to those who’ve found success and joy…but you’ve made your choice to be where you are in life. I recommend you take a different attitude toward your circumstances and appreciate where you live. In a country that WILL support you if you ask. Never assume you know ANYTHING about another person…take your hate out with your garbage, my friend. Some of us take a much more positive outlook on the success of our offspring…” and, by the way, we spent 100’s of hours on our fundraisers to earn these boys their way to Orlando…with less than 2.5 months we earned MORE than we ever thought possible. Jealousy isn’t called the “green monster” for nothing…it’s VERY unflattering.

• 

  SisterSparkleShine on December 11 at 7:07 p.m.

  oh…and Jethro…THE VIDEOGRAPHER WAS HIRED THROUGH POP WARNER! We paid $25 for a COPY of the video. Thank you very much. (…you might want to learn a little bit…just a TAD…more about what you choose to rant on…cuz, like it’s already been said…your ignorance just makes you look like an idiot…)

• 

  Jethro_toll on December 11 at 9:38 p.m.

  Over-indulgent parents begat spoiled kids. Living their humble insignificant lives through their prodigy. Your daughters dressing up like Joan Benoit Ramsey also?

  A bit dog barks the loudest.

  It was fun to see more self induced arrogance of parents whom are attempting to make their lackluster kids members of the priviledged class.

  and there Sister Sparkle.. I got paid $100/game under the table by the coaches spying on the other coaches teams and sold copies for $10 a piece. Anything to get an advantage. See ya on the sidelines

  Sure glad all that money was wasted when it could have gone to the recently defunded Chase Youth Commision where it could have benefited ALL the children.

  I’ll lay $20 that half those kids drop out before graduation. On the other hand thats a safe bet since thats less than the District 81 dropout rate anyway.

• 

  momabr7 on December 11 at 11:39 p.m.

  I have a son who played pop warner until middle school and I have a 7yr old who plays on a team in the division below this team. What I can recall from this season with this team is being at 1 of my son’s games where my 4yr old daughter pointed out one of these boys urinating on a tree near the parking lot. I personally have heard them insulting their opposing teams and making fun of opposing teams individual players. There’s no doubt that this team is constructed of some very skilled players and coaches, but I certainly hope these boys will learn the most important point of any team sport and that is good sportsmanship. That is what my many years of being with Pop Warner has taught my boys, which is a skill they will use both on and OFF the field. Good job Bengals on your win, it’s time to work on sportsmanship, then you’ll really be winners!

• 

  broncolover13 on December 12 at 9:19 p.m.

  Hey Jethro,

  You must be completely uneducated with all your spelling and grammar errors. Please learn how to write.

  2nd of all Chase Youth Comission is not even an established Comission. I am on the Liberty Lake Comission and Chase is always asking how to do stuff because they don’t know jack. They can’t help kids with anything. Let me guess your child is on it? Oh wait you don’t have kids. So please SHUT YOUR MOUTH AND GET OVER THIS BECAUSE YOU NEED TO GET A LIFE AND LET THESE BOYS HAVE THEIR FAME!
  thanks :]

• 

  WillyPeter on December 13 at 6:42 a.m.

  Jethro - Some of your stuff gets pretty sick, Jethro. So I’m not going to waste the time with reasonable responses.

  But what I will do is call your bet…and raise you $9,980, that “half” those kids DON’T drop out before graduation. I’m serious. Walk your talk. If you’ll call my raise, we can get our attorneys to draw up a legal contract.

  After half of these boys have graduated, from HS, the $10,000 will go to offset college costs incurred by these boys…..:-)

  Doug will have no trouble ‘gittin’ us together.’ Give him a call.

• 

  pix4321 on December 13 at 4:40 p.m.

  I am from the Scream n Eagles and was in Florida for this game. My son is the head coach. First let me say that was a great game played by both teams. With that said let me explain a few things about Pop Warner Mighty mite division. This division is a learning division when we won our coin toss to go we were told this was for fun we would most likely play on a 50 yard field with no score kept. We started this season with 33 kids, due to some parents not wanting to send their children to Disney for what was a exhibition we ended up with 21. My son and his coach’s then put together a offense and defense utilizing the remaining 21. Not by what would win the game but hopefully getting equal playing time for all. Yes the game was very close, but with around 7 minutes to play the coach’s got together and realized some of the kids were short plays not by rule but because they wanted this to be equal. (this was my proudest moment of all) They inserted all the kids with less play even having some run the ball for the first time. Yes they did get scored on yes they did loose the game however, in the end while your coach left all his starters in, ALL our kids were having the time of there young lives. Just a note, look at the rule book you will find there are no playoffs, no records kept, no scores kept and no national titles for mighty mites

• 

  broncolover13 on December 13 at 6:25 p.m.

  Jethro-

  what about a horse end?

  You don’t even have that kind of money. so shut up. Seriously, these boys are no where near the kind of kids that drop out of highschool. These boys are very mature and will probably get farther in life than you ever will.

  Back off, and take your misjudgements and go harass some other article.

  thanks.

• 

  momabr7 on December 15 at 12:07 p.m.

  Can I just say that it’s obvious by some of these threads that this game is taken way too seriously for some parents. Playing sports, coming from good homes, who cares? A person can come from Hillyard and never play sports and still graduate. This is some pretty petty bickering by the Bengals parents, in my opinion. You coached your kids, you supported them to a great win, now please lead by example and show your kids what being a good person is all about. Long after they leave the football field, this is what they should take with them. Good luck.

• 

  Legion on December 16 at 10:27 a.m.

  @Pix- Most of your post is untrue.Espn doesn’t even have 50 yrd fields and they never said you would be playing half a field.
  The reason you put your kids in that hadn’t played was because you had too. IT IS THE RULES according to POP Warner.

  You put your team together to win, end of story. You wouldn’t have been invited to the Superbowl if you had a looseing season would you? You are sorta correct in saying Pop warner at this level isn’t suppose to keep score. But we all know thats not true. They keep standings and scores on there website. And I will repeat it again, you would have not been invited if your team didn’t win.

  You lie gain, by saying we left our starters in, I have the Video, You never took your big 3 out. And by the RULES of POP Warner you have to play each player atleast 10 plays. I could upload the Video and make you look foolish but I wont go there.

  It was a great game by your kids and ours. Leave it at that. But don’t spout lies.

  @Moma All our parents of the Bengals were outstanding. So don’t spout lies or distort the truth. If you have truth please post a video or link so we can watch and hear it for ourselves.
  And please a 7-9 year old at practice where there are no bathrooms, found a tree to urniate on. Wow don’t go camping much I see. Don’t post again. Unless you have proof thanks.