NFLPunt, Pass and Kick youth contest returns

The National Football League is once again joining with several Buffalo Niagara branches of the YMCA to give area youths a chance to exhibit their football skills in the NFL/Pepsi Punt, Pass and Kick contests in August and September.

The free contests, open to boys and girls ages 8-15, allow participants to showcase their talents in punting, passing and placekicking, with scores based on distance and accuracy. Participants will compete in four ageand gender-specific categories in the three events.

The top scorers from each of the eight groups at the local competition will advance to the sectional competition. The sectional competition's winners will have their scores compared with other sectional champions, and the top five scorers from the sectional champions' pool will advance to the Buffalo Bills Team Championship, which will be held during the Bills versus Green Bay Packers game Nov. 5 at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Local competitions will be held

at 4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 25, at the Ken-Ton Family YMCA, 535 Belmont Ave. in Kenmore, at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 26, at Lincoln Park, 1200 Parker Boulevard in Tonawanda, at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 2, at the Southtowns Family YMCA, 1620 Southwestern Blvd. in West Seneca, and at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 16, at Como Park Elementary School, 1985 Como Park Blvd. in Lancaster.