The old adage “Defense wins championships” still rings true, even at the earliest level.
Consisting of 7-9 year olds, the Redondo Beach Mitey Mite White Team finished an undefeated season with 11 wins while allowing only one touchdown during the regular season.
The team claimed the Pop Warner Los Angeles County Conference championship with a 16-12 win over Carson.
Head Coach Brian Aldridge credited his coaching staff of Terrance Beasley, Mike Grimsley, John Minix, John Field, George Wilson, Lorraine Cromer and Lenka Ude for much of the team’s success. He also acknowledged the returning players for stepping up and becoming leaders on and off the field.
“Throughout the season, all the players practiced really hard and gave it all they had,” Aldridge said. “It really paid off come game time. Going through the season we tried to instill discipline and lifelong lessons of team building efforts that should sustain these kids to become great student athletes because we are not just out there teaching football.
“It really came down to the kids on that field. As the year progressed, the kids got closer and closer and really became friends. The biggest part was they all had a lot of fun, learned football well and stay disciplined on the field and off the field. I hope to have made as big an impression on each player’s life as those kids have made on mine.”
