MISHAWAKA, Ind. (WNDU) – It’s always exciting to hear new ways the community is coming together to impact the youth, and this is a perfect example: a new travel football program has arrived here in the area.

Meet the Midwest Elite Football Factory. This is a program to help develop all levels of skill from the recreational level to the competitive level.

The Midwest Elite Football Factory offers 7v7 and spring tackle leagues. On Sunday, there were tryouts for each age group where Corey Washington, the vice president of the Midwest Elite Football Factory, and his crew worked on building each skill level.

“We are ecstatic at the fact we got a good turnout all over the place from northern Indiana,” Washington said. “There’s kids from Fort Wayne all the way to Merrillville to Portage to Hobart. We’ve had everyone come through these doors to get developed, which is going to allow everyone to elevate.”

The overall goal is to develop football in this area and give these kids a chance to compete with the rest of nation, whether that be at the high school level or further.

“It is to create an environment for the kids to come out and have fun, number one,” said President Gerald McNeal. “We want a safe environment, number two, and number three, we just want to have the kids continue to grow and keep them involved and keep them engaged.”

“What we are going to do in the state is unlike anything you have seen before,” added Coach Zee Rainey. “We are taking things you see at IMG Academy, Pop Warner. We blend it all in one to get the kids in different types of training to 7v7 to 7-on-5 to spring to fall to travel. We are getting ready to put the Michiana area on the map.”

To learn more about the Midwest Elite Football Factory, you can visit the organization’s Facebook page.

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