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Photos by Tim Stephens.
Players from the Spain Park first- and second-grade Jaguars prepare for the 2025 season of the Jefferson-Shelby Youth Football League. The competitive league, which features teams in grades 1-6 from 12 area parks, concludes each season with playoffs and a championship in every grade.
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Photos by Tim Stephens.
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Photos by Malia Riggs.
Cheerleaders for the Spain Park teams in the Jefferson-Shelby Youth Football League cheer during the community pep rally for all Spain Park sports teams from first grade through high school. The competitive league, which features teams in grades 1-6 from 12 area parks, concludes each season with playoffs and a championship in every grade.
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Photos by Malia Riggs.
In the late summer heat, Spain Park’s first- and second-grade Jaguars ran through plays without pads, their focus sharp as they prepared for the upcoming youth football season. Later that day, the boys and girls joined Spain Park’s community pep rally, sharing the spotlight with the state-ranked varsity Jaguars, the marching band and cheerleaders.
It’s all part of the excitement surrounding the Jefferson-Shelby Youth Football League (JSYFL), which includes teams from 12 area parks — Spain Park, Hoover, Oak Mountain, Chelsea, Cahaba Valley (Briarwood), Homewood, Helena, Gardendale, Pelham, Thompson, Trussville and Vestavia Hills. The league features football players and cheerleaders in divisions from first through sixth grade.
Operating under 2025 bylaws and governed by a Board of Directors with each park holding a vote, the JSYF season offers regular games, playoffs and a championship to crown grade-level winners in each division.
The league represents more than competition — it’s a community tradition that builds skills, friendships and school pride. Across the region, youth teams of all ages were putting in the work to be ready for a fall filled with touchdowns, teamwork and hometown spirit.
