The Brookhaven Southern Wildcats football program is celebrating an inaugural season that saw its three teams achieve much success.

     Stacey Fells Jr., Brookhaven program president, said the youth football program had 65 children from Brookhaven and Lincoln County participate in the 2012 season that ran from August until November.

     The league had three teams that participated in the TNT Youth Football League: a 6-8 age group, 9-10 and 11-12. All advanced to the second round of the playoffs.

     Fells said the idea to start a football program came to him after running a flag football league for several years.

     “We wanted to do a tackle league to teach the kids more about what football is about,” he said. “We wanted to teach them sportsmanship and more techniques about playing the game.”

     The Southern Wildcats traveled around south Mississippi and south Louisiana for their games, something Fells thought the children enjoyed.

     “We thought the kids were excited to travel around and play different teams,” he said.

     Fells plans to bring the program back next year and make it better than it was this year.

     “We’ll try to get more people in the community involved and allow them to see what the kids are doing,” said Fells. “We had support this year, but we’d like to get even more support.”

     Fells said the league would not be possible without the help of sponsors and volunteer coaches.

     “We had about eight volunteers who dedicated their time to coaching,” he said. “Some local business donated to help. Without them and Mr. Bill Sones of Bank of Brookhaven, we would not have been successful.”