By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–The Union City Middle School football program is set to grow by leaps and bounds.
The addition of sixth graders to the Tornado middle school team is expected to bring the total number of players next season to between 80 and 90, according to head coach Cole Clanton.
UCMS will join the Northwest Middle School Athletic Association in football this fall after competing in the league in basketball this past season. The Purple and Gold will play a jayvee schedule against other sixth-grade teams in the conference.
The NWMSAA will feature a pair of postseason bowl games and a preseason jamboree.
Other members of the conference include Trenton, Crockett County, Milan, Dyersburg and South Gibson County. The Tornadoes’ future schedule also has the flexibility to add at least two non-conference opponents.
Previously, Union City sixth graders were part of the Jr. Tornado Football League. Difficulty in scheduling games vs. other area teams that were beginning to make the same transition to include that age group in their middle school ranks was part of the decision for UC Schools officials to join that line of thinking.
New equipment is on order and Riddell representatives were recently on hand at UCMS to measure more than 35 prospective players who will be sixth graders next year for helmets. Returning players who’ll be seventh and/or eighth graders next year are expected to number more than 50.
Some coaches are expected to be added to the Tornado staff to accommodate the roster’s growing number.
Clanton, who doubles as the offensive coordinator for the high school program, is excited about the growth of the middle school ranks and the prospects for its future.
“I do believe this is a good time to make this transition to include the sixth grade and the benefits are many,” he said. “It’ll allow our young players to play a full schedule against teams they’ll build natural rivalries with over the next several years. They’ll still be playing against kids their own age, and it’ll give us a chance to start building relationships with them while also beginning the process of teaching them the fundamentals they’ll use now and down the road.
“We’re excited to get kids in a program a year earlier and hope to emphasize the ‘Tornado for Life’ motto as we pair together our middle school and high school programs. We want everyone to feel like they’re a part of what we have and the changing culture with Union City football.”
Sixth graders are already a part of all other sports at UCMS.