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Academics Above Football For Palmetto Bay Youth Team

PALMETTO BAY (CBS4) - Plenty of kids dream of playing professional football, but one youth football program in South Florida is preparing kids for the future. Not just on the field, but in the classroom.

The Palmetto Bay Broncos 80 pound team is headed for the playoffs, but that's not the team's biggest accomplishment this season. The coaches say every football player is on the honor roll.

"Right now our kids are focused on one thing and that's their academics," said Willie Cannon, one of the team's coaches.

Cannon's a retired teacher and taught his son Darriel the importance of getting good grades.

Darriel, known as "Coach D.C" to the kids, says he's passing on those lessons to his team.

He explained, "I make them bring their progress reports here to practice and I make them address the whole team and the parents, so if they have a 'C' I get them in front of everyone and tell them they have to bring it up bring it up to a 'B'."

The players are getting the message.  Quarterback Jose Corbo said he's bringing in good grades because, "they only want us to get 'A's and 'B's if we get 'C's or something like that we're not able to play on the team."

Teammate Edgerrie Gavies said he loves the team because, "it teaches me how to be disciplined and teaches me how to be a good football player and teaches me how to be excellent in school."

Parents appreciate the attention to the classroom as well.

"I want them to win but I want them to do well in school first.," said Jose's mom Jennifer Corbo.

Clyde Dozier, whose son is on the team, says it's important for kids to learn discipline.

"If they learn the importance of education, they have something they can build on for the rest of their life.  Sports is only short term so you have to fill that gap education's going to fill that gap," he said.

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