NATCHEZ — Hundreds of parents filled Tom F. Williams Memorial Stadium Saturday to watch their kids compete in youth football.

The Natchez Falcons played host to the Vicksburg Packers in a three-squad competition. The Falcons, a member team of the Mississippi Youth Sports Association, are divided up into three teams based on the age of the players.

The A team consists of 11- and 12-year-olds and the B team is made up of 9- and 10-year-olds. The C team is for ages 6 – 8, and will also take what B team head coach Eddie Hawkins calls “mature 5-year-olds.”

Hawkins, whose team fell to the B team Packers 7-6, said the Natchez squad has been in existence for two years and strives to make a difference in the city’s youth.

“We teach the kids that, not only are sports a part of everyday life, but so are good grades and teamwork,” Hawkins said.

“For most of these kids, this is their first time to play football. We have on our team maybe five to seven kids that have played before. The kids have to maintain a C-average in school to be able to play.”

Hawkins said the parents are also heavily involved.

“A lot of parents and coaches volunteer their time for this,” Hawkins said. “It’s something for the people to give back to the community. A lot of parents supported us last week by driving up to Jackson to watch our teams play.”

Jamal McCullen, the C team head coach and overseer of all three Falcons squads, said instilling important values into the youth is the overall vision of what they do.

“We teach things like leadership, organization and character,” McCullen said. “We tell them that a lot of what they learn on the football field carries over into life.”

McCullen’s C team defeated the C team Packers 14-0, and he said there were several kids on the squad that stood out.

“Jakarious Custon scored two touchdowns and a 2-point conversion,” McCullen said. “On defense, it was really a team effort, but some individuals who stepped up were Cedric Green Jr., Robert White Jr. and Rico Carr.”

The Falcons will play the St. Joseph Cowboys next Saturday, Sept. 5. in Jackson.