The Bucs kick off football season

Anderson McEnaney, of Charlotte, at a scrimmage at the Milton jamboree on Aug. 26. Photo by Pam Niarchos.

Chris Boffa is the president of the CSSU (now CVSD) Buccaneers this year after coaching for eight years. Both of his sons went through the program and are now on the CVU Redhawk team. “They got so much out of the program, along with their teammates, becoming well prepared to enjoy football at the high school level,” Boffa said. “The Bucs are what community youth sports are all about.”

The Bucs, as everyone calls them, are an all-volunteer-run, nonprofit organization that offers second through eighth graders the opportunity to learn and play football. No experience is necessary, and they outfit each and every player with the latest safety certified equipment, Boffa said. The organization does not receive any funding from the CVSD district towns (Charlotte, Hinesburg, Shelburne, Williston and St George) and is a part of the Northern Vermont Youth Football League.

“Safety is the number one focus of our program, along with a positive learning environment for the kids,” Boffa said. “We want the kids, both boys and girls, to get excited about playing this sport that so many of us in the program love. We feel it is the greatest team sport and teaches the kids so much about life.”

He added, “We are very fortunate to have the support of CVU head coach Michael Williams, who has given us countless hours of time in helping our coaches teach his football offense and defensive schemes, inviting our players to his summer workouts and hosting the winter flag football at the high school for our kids.”

Boffa wants to make sure that everyone knows the Buccaneers organization understands the concerns of injury and, of course, concussions. “We hope families who are trying to decide on having their children play reach out to us to get an understanding of how the game is so much safer,” he said. “The ways it is coached and played and the equipment are significantly advanced from years ago. Our coaches are all certified by USA Football.”

This includes the proper heads-up techniques of blocking and tackling that have proven to be dramatically safer, he said. “We are so proud of our Buccaneers and are excited to start the season at our Palmer Field in Hinesburg. Special thanks goes out to Tinker Palmer and his family for allowing us to use their field each season to run our program.”