Throughout the month of August, Newtown Youth Football players were hard at work practicing and preparing for the regular season which kicks off with games Labor Day Weekend. Things are looking up for the program as practices give way to games.

“Our enrollment is rising which is great news,” program President Kevin Kuzma, who also is an assistant coach with the sixth grade team, said during practice at Treadwell Park in mid August.

Kuzma noted that the third- through eighth-grade tackle participation numbers are up to around 160, from approximately 140 last year. That, combined with the kindergarten through second grade flag football numbers, means more than 220 youth gridiron battlers will be taking snaps, making tackles, scoring touchdowns, and cheering on their teammates for the town program this fall.

But it is about so much more than points on the scoreboard and X’s and O’s. Kuzma points out that football is hard and the sport translates to everyday life as the program’s instructors strive to develop not only stronger, better players, but the best possible people when all is said and done — long after their youth playing days.

“Overcoming adversity is a trait that will benefit these kids in all aspects of their lives. It will help them become better fathers, better spouses, better friends, better employees, and better business owners,” he said.

Kuzma said the goal for this program, and what he believes should be an objective for all youth sports leagues, is to get children on the high school team for all that high school sports teaches youth-turning-young adult athletes.

“Being on the high school sports teams gives them an identity, peer groups, time management, and teaches them to be part of something that’s bigger than themselves,” Kuzma explained.

The program has implemented the motto DAWG, an acronym for discipline, attitude, will, and grit. Players wore practice shirts which spelled out this mantra as a reminder of how they should practice and compete on the field.

“I think it fits because we’re trying to instill that mentality,” said Kuzma, adding that the players need to apply each of these traits no matter what the score — whether the team is ahead by 30 points or trailing by 30.

In addition to all of the life lessons that coincide with football, as well as the skill set development that will benefit these young athletes as they advance in their football careers, the players will be working toward winning ways between the lines as they aim to make postseason runs in the Shoreline Youth Football Conference and at the state level.

Games begin just before the calendar flips to September and Newtown’s running backs, linebackers, and linemen alike will square off with counterparts from neighboring and nearby towns such as Monroe and Shelton, as well as some far-away squads from the likes of Southington, Berlin, Madison, and Wallingford.

With each hard-earned yard gained, loss suffered, and win achieved these players will gain experiences that will carry them for years to come.

“We’re looking forward to it,” Kuzma said.

Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.