DETROIT (WXYZ) — A flag football league built by Detroit Community Violence Intervention groups wrapped up its championship games Friday at the Chandler Park Field House.
The league, which started a few months ago, is led by CVI groups including Force Detroit. Organizers say the mission is to keep kids engaged and out of trouble.
Watch Tiarra Braddock's video report below:
The championship came about a week after a "teen takeover" downtown, where large groups of teenagers gathered on a Sunday, fights broke out and a shooting left a 14-year-old injured.
Previous report: Detroit teen recovering at hospital after being shot during teen takeover event
LaDavion Mills, a participant in the league, said he was downtown when the violence started and chose to leave.
"Like come on. It's time to leave. It's time to go. We shouldn't be here. They're causing trouble down here," Mills said.
Mills said the league gives him and his peers a better option.
"I'm here to keep me out of trouble like stay out the way," Mills said. "Everybody coming together, no violence, everybody's playing football, no fighting, none of that."
Previous report: Detroit youth flag football league launched by Community Violence Intervention groups
Fellow participant Jekaiden Moore agrees.
"Just stick to sports. If you know it's something you can do with your life other than playing with guns, then just stick to sports," Moore said.
One parent, Jasmine McBride, said she enrolled her son in the league to give him something to do and to keep him from going downtown unsupervised.
"The kids run wild. It's like it's no control over the kids. It's the younger kids doing most of the crime and it's because the parents. They don't know where their kids are or the kids are saying they're one place and they're in another," McBride said.
Latina Mack with Force Detroit, who lost her son to gun violence in 2023, said seeing teens safely enjoying themselves brings her peace of mind.
"These young men and young ladies have made the decision to just actively be involved. They want to do something different and we're just giving them an opportunity to do that," Mack said.
As the flag football season ends, Force Detroit is already planning its next program. Ciera Renee, director of programs at Force Detroit, said a basketball league will launch June 27.
"That starts up June 27th, so same concept. We'll do it at a different recreational center, at Coleman A. Young. They've already solidified that we'll be able to be there… and that's what we'll be doing over the summer for the next 10 weeks on Saturdays at 9 a.m.," Renee said.
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