Kingston’s youth football teams are off and running in their inaugural season.

Three teams, comprised of some 70 players under age 13, began play in September as an extension of the North Kitsap Pee Wee (NKPW) program. Competing in the Kitsap County Pee Wee league, the teams practice and play locally, with home games taking place on Saturdays at the new Kingston High School field.

The idea for forming Kingston teams sprung from concerns that many youths would be hard-pressed or unable to practice at the NKPW’s facilities in Poulsbo, and from community support for adding a Kingston flavor to youth football.

Encouraged by enthusiastic responses to surveys, a group a local parents sought and received approval from the NKPW board to add Kingston-based teams at the Flag (ages 5-6), ‘C’ (ages 9-10), and ‘B’ (ages 11-12) levels.

Well over half the players at the B and C levels did not play football last year, and almost all of the Flag players are new. Local organizers hope to see a greater expansion next year, including a ‘D’ Level (ages 7-8) squad.

All three teams will be playing at Kingston High School on both Oct. 4 and 11, with special activities scheduled for families of the players at the Oct. 4 games. The Flag team plays at 10 a.m. on both dates, while the C team plays at noon and 2 p.m. respectively, and the B team plays at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. respectively.

Following the games of Sept. 20 – where the C team defeated Warren Avenue 22-6 and the B team lost a dramatic 13-12 game after rallying from a 13-0 halftime deficit – both C and B had identical 1-1 records.

This year’s head coaches are Jeff Rouser (B), Dave Winn (C) and Jason Baze (Flag).