The North Ridgeville Parks and Recreation Department is getting new leadership for the upcoming 2025 season and beyond. This change is designed to expand opportunities for young athletes in the North Ridgeville community and help foster an appreciation for sports and teamwork. The new leadership team will oversee the Jr. Ranger Football & Cheer Program and combines two disparate leagues into one.
According to North Ridgeville parks and recreation director Kevin Fougerousse, the new program will be a fully comprehensive program that aligns with North Ridgeville High School coaching methods and joins the parks and recreation league, the North Ridgeville Football League, with the Ohio Youth Football League. The North Ridgeville Football League has been operating through the parks and recreation department for the past four decades, while the OYFL has been operating for the last five years.
“Both entities got together and agreed, ‘why don’t we just come underneath parks and recreation and just have one comprehensive football program finally in the City of North Ridgeville,’” Fougerousse explained. “This partnership represents a fantastic opportunity to expand our youth football offerings. We are excited to welcome players and families to the Jr. Rangers program and look forward to seeing our community’s young athletes thrive on and off the field.”
Fougerousse said he is particularly happy that North Ridgeville High School varsity head football coach Bryan Morgan is involved. The junior leagues wanted to instill the same type of nomenclature and methods used at the high school varsity level, and teaching the same type of philosophies. When these young athletes get to the middle or high school levels, should they continue their football journey, the methods, terminologies, and principles will be aligned and consistent.
“That way, Mr. Morgan does not have to hopefully reteach any of that, and it gives the young athletes a head start. That’s the goal and what a good chance to scout your future players,” Fougerousse said. “Coach Morgan has done a tremendous job with the program the last couple of years and he’s a tremendous coach and he’s great for the student athletes in North Ridgeville.”
The Jr. Rangers Football and Cheer Program will feature three divisions: Padded Flag (3rd and 4th grade), Rookie Tackle (5th grade), and Varsity Tackle (6th grade). In addition, sideline cheer for all divisions will be offered. These teams will proudly participate in the Lake Erie Youth Football League under the expert guidance of coaches Sean Kiminski, Rich Bewley, and Krissy Bowden.
Overall, the program is expected to field up to 20 flag football teams, 5 teams in each tackle division, and a total of 300 young athletes overall.
All registrations for the Jr. Rangers Football and Cheer Programs will be managed through the Parks and Recreation website, ensuring a seamless experience for families. North Ridgeville Parks and Recreation staff will handle all aspects of the registration process, making it easy for interested families to get involved.