Red & Black. Pride & Community. 1st Grade through 6th Grade.
The latest from Red & Black Nation
Sign-ups for the 2026 Winchester Youth Football season are officially live! All three divisions are open — The Titans, 1st & 2nd grade, The Crusaders, 3rd and 4th grade, and finally the Spartans, 5th and 6th grade. Registration closes June 15, 2026, so be sure to register quickly!
Dates have not been announced yet — details to follow. All registered players must attend one equipment fitting session. Helmets, shoulder pads, and game uniforms will be distributed. Players must bring their medical release form to receive equipment.
We're always looking for enthusiastic parent volunteers to help coach. No prior coaching experience required — just a passion for youth development. All volunteers must complete a background check and the American Youth Football Coach Certification program before the first practice.
Our Spring Clinic is May 30th - 12:30-2:00. Community kickoff event at Skillings Field (Next to High School). Meet coaches, high school players, teammates, and fun for the whole family.
More than football — a Winchester tradition
American Youth Football certifies that coaches ensure proper tackling and blocking technique. Every player is professionally fitted for equipment before their first practice.
Winchester Youth Football requires academic eligibility every season. We partner with Winchester schools to support student-athletes in the classroom as much as on the field.
Teamwork, discipline, respect, and resilience — the values we coach every day at practice become lifelong habits your child carries well beyond football.
Regular season league games, playoffs, and championship tournaments give every player a chance to compete at their best under real game conditions.
The Red & Black are a tight-knit Winchester family. Parents volunteer, cheer, and build lasting friendships while watching their children grow into confident young athletes.
WYF has no cuts and every player plays in every game. We're committed to giving every child the chance to participate, develop, and contribute to the team.
Football is an amazing game that generations of youth players have loved playing. Give your player the opportunity to fall in love with the game!
Being active outdoors brings lasting physical and emotional health benefits. Our players grow stronger and more confident as they build friendships, develop character, and have a blast.
Youth football helps players develop important athletic skills and understand the game at an early age — a foundation that pays off whether they continue with football or carry those skills into other sports.
Registration for 2026 closes June 15th so don't miss out.
Mark your calendar — Red & Black all season long
All three divisions open for registration at winchesteryouthfootball.com. First-come, first-served for limited spots.
Dates have not been announced yet — details to follow. Medical release forms required. Uniforms and pads distributed.
Community kickoff event at Skillings Field, 12:30-2:00 PM. Meet coaches, high school players, teammates, and fun for the whole family.
All forms, medical clearances, and fees due. Late registration considered only if roster spots remain.
The season kicks off with team practices at Lynch Field. Fundamentals, conditioning, and team building.
The exact start date has not been announced yet — details to follow once the league schedule is released. Home opener at Knowlton Stadium. All families encouraged to come out and cheer!
Dates have not been announced yet — details to follow once the league schedule is released. Top division finishers advance to playoff rounds. Championship game date and location set by league.
Date has not been announced yet — details to follow. Annual awards banquet for all players, families, and coaches. A celebration of every player's hard work and growth.
The Winchester Youth Football program exists to provide every youth in Winchester, Massachusetts the opportunity to grow through the sport of football. We develop young athletes physically and mentally — building confidence, resilience, teamwork, and a lifelong love of the game.
As a member of American Youth Football, we are bound by the highest standards in youth sports: academic eligibility requirements, player safety protocols, and a commitment to treating every child with dignity and respect.
Winchester Youth Football is proud to feed into one of the oldest and most storied high school football programs in Massachusetts. Our players grow up dreaming of the day they wear the Red & Black at Knowlton Stadium — and WYF is where that journey begins.
That tradition is alive today: the WHS Red & Black capped their 2025 season with a run to the Final Four of the MIAA Division 2 State Championship — a powerful reminder of where Winchester football is headed and what today's youth players are growing into.
Dedicated coaches who bleed Red & Black
Coach Jeremy Fish grew up in upstate New York, where he was a three-sport athlete in football, basketball, and baseball, serving as captain of both the football and basketball teams. Those experiences helped shape his approach to leadership, accountability, and team-first play.
Coach Fish and his wife Julie are proud to be raising their family in Winchester, where their children are the third consecutive generation in her family to go through the public school system. Over the past few years, he has coached youth basketball, flag football, and baseball, with a strong focus on fundamentals, effort, and building confident, unselfish teammates. He believes youth sports play an important role in preparing kids for success later in life.
Coach Fish owns and operates a landscape construction business and brings that same discipline, preparation, and attention to detail to the field every day.
Coach Gibbons is a first-year youth football coach and was captain of the Winchester High School varsity football and lacrosse teams in 2021. He graduated from Skidmore College in 2025 after a four-year collegiate lacrosse career.
Off the field, he works as a Financial Solutions Advisor at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Coach Gibbons is excited to bring his leadership and passion for sports to the development of young athletes.
Eight seasons coaching youth and prep football gives Coach Tony a deep playbook and an even deeper well of teaching patience. He specializes in QB development and helping young skill players read defenses with confidence beyond their years.
Football has been integral to Matt's life since his first season at age nine. After winning a state title in his fourth season of Salem Pop Warner, he co-captained Salem High's 1999 Super Bowl-winning Witches, earning all-league and all-state honors.
At Tufts University, Matt was a three-year starter at Nose Guard and earned NESCAC All-League and All-Academic accolades. Today, he serves on the Jumbos' football alumni board, coaches his sons' teams in flag football and wrestling, and leads an executive coaching practice.
Coach Francis grew up in Arlington playing Pop Warner football and went on to play linebacker at BC High and Phillips Exeter Academy. He transitioned to rugby at Trinity College, serving as team captain and continued competing for several years after college with the Mystic River Rugby Club. He brings a strong multi-sport background and a lifelong appreciation for team athletics.
Along with his wife, Dianne, he is the proud parent of four children — Tommy (9), Madison (8), Tatum (4), and Mackenzie (3) — and has enjoyed coaching youth hockey, baseball, and flag football in Winchester for the past 5 years.
Off the field, Coach Francis works in sales for a technology company specializing in legal and compliance software.
Coach Lisa monitors academic eligibility for all registered players, working directly with Winchester's elementary schools and McCall Middle School. She also runs our player wellness check-ins and connects families with support resources when needed.
Coach Ray is in his third season leading the Mighty Mite division after coaching youth lacrosse for five years. His background in multi-sport athletics makes him exceptional at helping kids transition from flag to tackle football with proper mechanics.
Coach Maria played collegiate rugby and brings an elite understanding of blocking schemes and physical conditioning to our oldest division. In her four seasons with the Sachems, the Junior PeeWee squad has reached the playoffs three times.
The Winchester volunteers who make it all possible
Coach Harrison coached youth football for 5 seasons while his son Bryan (Harvard, Class of '30) played on Winchester's Pop Warner and SYFC teams. He has two older daughters, Kayla (Wesleyan, Class of '26) and Amanda (Middlebury, Class of '27) and convinced his amazing wife Mai to start WYF with him. He was captain and played linebacker and offensive guard at Fieldston High School in NYC. When not on the football field, Coach Harrison works as an internist and pediatrician at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Darin Byrne has coached youth football for the past eight seasons, working with both Pop Warner and SYFC, and will be coaching SYFC again this season. He and his wife, Molly, have three sons—all of whom have played or are currently playing in the program: Nolan (WHS Class of '28), Billy (WHS Class of '30), and Matty (McCall, rising 7th grader). A former player and captain at Winchester High School and Amherst College, Darin's love for the game of football—and the lessons it teaches—is only surpassed by his passion for helping young athletes build confidence, accountability, teamwork, and a strong sense of community. Off the field, Darin serves as a financial advisor at Merrill Lynch. You may have also seen (or heard) him singing offkey and playing guitar at a few local watering holes.
Michael (Class of '88 and former WHS player) has been actively involved in youth and high school football/flag football for several seasons, supporting both coaching efforts, documenting the seasons via video, and he will continue contributing to the program this year. He and his wife, Erin, are deeply connected to the team, with his two sons, Michael (Class of '26) and Joseph (Class of '28), both participating in the SYFC program as well as WHS. Michael will be attending Bates College (Class of '30) next year where he will be continuing his football journey. A strong believer in the value of youth sports, Michael is passionate about helping young athletes develop confidence, discipline, teamwork, and a sense of community. Off the field, he brings his professional experience and leadership to his work, while staying committed to supporting the growth and success of the program. Along with his two sons, Michael has an older daughter Emma attending St. Anselm Nursing School.
Bryan started playing football in 3rd grade with Winchester Pop Warner. He fell in love with the game and has played ever since, rising up through SYFC and then playing with Winchester High School Football, where he served as two-year captain.
He earned All-League, All-Conference, and First Team All-State honors as a linebacker and helped lead Winchester High School to the Middlesex League Championship in 2025. In 2026, he will join Harvard Football as a linebacker and plans to major in Economics.
Every Winchester coach, board member, and team volunteer undergoes annual criminal background checks and completes the mandatory American Youth Football training program. We follow all American Youth Football policies without exception. Our coaching staff is fully certified, meaning every tackling drill, blocking technique, and physical contact in practice is taught to the highest standards of player safety. Each coach is required to complete NFHS Concussion in Sports training, American Red Cross CPR,and NFHS Football Tackling training. The Red and Black standard means we never cut corners — your child's safety is our first obligation.
Every child finds their level — skill- and grade-appropriate AYF competition.
Where the Winchester Youth Football story begins
The Titans are where the Winchester Youth Football story begins. This is our youngest division — built entirely around one idea: make football fun, safe, and something every first and second grader wants to come back to.
Coaches in the Titans division know that players at this age are learning how football works for the very first time. The focus is on fundamentals — how to line up, how to move as a team, how to block and tackle safely, and how to understand the basics of the game. Every drill, every practice, and every rep is designed to build confidence and love of the sport before it builds anything else.
The Titans compete within AYF's age-protected All American division structure, which means every player on the field is matched against children at the same stage of physical and emotional development. Every child who wants to play belongs here.
The Titans experience is about more than the scoreboard. We want every player to finish their first season knowing two things: what it feels like to be part of a team, and that they can't wait to get back on the field.
Where youth football starts to click
The Crusaders are where youth football starts to click. Players coming into the Crusaders division are no longer learning what football is — they're learning how to play it well. Third and fourth graders in this division have the physical and cognitive development to begin understanding real strategy, run designed plays, and take real ownership of their positions on the field.
This is the division where many players discover that football is their sport. Practices get more focused, the playbook gets more interesting, and the competition gets more meaningful. Crusaders coaches introduce players to both sides of the ball with real depth — offensive formations, defensive alignments, and the mental side of reading a play before it happens.
This is also the division where team culture takes hold. Crusaders players learn what it means to prepare, to compete, and to pick each other up. The bonds formed in this division have a way of lasting long after the season ends.
Our most competitive division — bridge to middle and high school football
The Spartans are Winchester Youth Football's most competitive division — and the bridge between youth football and the Winchester middle and high school programs. Fifth and sixth grade players in this division are ready for a serious, committed football experience that prepares them for everything that comes next.
Spartans practice and play at a level that mirrors what players will encounter when they step into the WHS Red and Black program. The playbook is more sophisticated, expectations around effort and preparation are higher, and players are treated as the athletes they are becoming. Coaches in this division have a shared commitment to developing technically sound, mentally tough, and team-first football players.
Players can enter the Spartans with no prior football experience, but those who complete the Spartans leave Winchester Youth Football ready — ready for middle school football, ready for the WHS Varsity pipeline, and ready with the discipline, character, and football IQ that only experience can deliver.
Placement is determined by grade per the American Youth Football All American division structure, ensuring children compete against peers at the same stage of development. AYF also requires academic eligibility: players must have passing grades from the prior school year. Tournament-eligible Spartans must additionally complete an AYF Affidavit of Scholastic Eligibility.
The 2026 game schedule has not been released yet. Once the league publishes opponent matchups and kickoff times, the full schedule will appear here. Registered families will also be notified directly.
What we know: roughly 10 games, played on Saturdays, August through November, with home games at Knowlton Stadium.
The 2026 game schedule has not been released yet. Once the league publishes opponent matchups and kickoff times, the full schedule will appear here. Registered families will also be notified directly.
What we know: roughly 10 games, played on Saturdays, August through November, with home games at Knowlton Stadium.
The 2026 game schedule has not been released yet. Once the league publishes opponent matchups and kickoff times, the full schedule will appear here. Registered families will also be notified directly.
What we know: games played on Saturdays, August through November, with home games at Knowlton Stadium.
Titans (1st – 2nd Grade): Tuesday & Thursday · 5:00–6:30 PM · Lynch Field
Crusaders (3rd – 4th Grade): Tuesday & Thursday · 5:30–7:00 PM · Rotary Field
Spartans (5th – 6th Grade): Tuesday, Thursday & Friday · 5:30–7:30 PM · Lynch Field
Pre-Season Camp (All Divisions): July 27 – August 7 · Mon–Fri · 8:00–10:00 AM · Lynch Field
Game-Day Arrival: All players must arrive at Knowlton Stadium 45 minutes before kickoff for warm-ups.
Whether your child has never touched a football or has been dreaming of wearing a Winchester football jersey since birth — all skill levels are welcome. Our coaches meet every player where they are and help them grow.
Registration includes:
Eligibility Requirements:
Financial hardship assistance is available — no Winchester child will be turned away due to cost. Contact us confidentially at dwharrison@mgh.harvard.edu to learn about our scholarship program and payment plan options.
After being inactive since 2018, Winchester Youth Football returns in 2026 — and we'd love your partnership to bring it to life. We expect to field up to three teams for children in grades 1–6, creating a place where kids build confidence, friendships, and a true sense of belonging.
WHS recently won the Middlesex League Championship — their first in 35 years.
Strong middle school participation continues to grow year over year.
High school athletes mentor younger players through community clinics.
We're starting fresh. Your support helps fund:
The generous support of our sponsors keeps registration fees low and equipment top-quality
The En Ka Society is a non-profit charitable organization comprised of over 200 women volunteers. Our mission is to aid various non-profit organizations and initiatives that serve the people of Winchester, its residents in need, and our town for public purposes.
Hall of Fame HeroA generous member of our community who chose to support the program quietly. Thank you for believing in Winchester's kids.
Super Bowl Supporter
Champions of youth athletics in Winchester. Their support helps make the return of Winchester Youth Football possible for the next generation of Red & Black.
All-Pro Donor
A trusted local bank serving Winchester families and businesses. Thank you for your generous support of youth football and our community.
Winchester's community bank — supporting local families and organizations for over 100 years. Thank you for your ongoing commitment to youth sports in our town.
Home Team SuperfanJoin our growing roster of community partners and show Winchester that you invest in the next generation. Sponsorships help fund equipment, field costs, and scholarship assistance — and your logo gets prominent placement on our website, game-day banners, spirit wear, and social media all season long.
Contact our Fundraising Chair Mai Harrison at sponsors@winchesteryouthfootball.com to discuss a sponsorship package.
Winchester Youth Football is a registered 501(c)(3). All contributions are tax-deductible. EIN: 41-4678723
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Can't find what you're looking for? Our team is happy to help. Email us at dwharrison@mgh.harvard.edu You can also send us a message through the Contact page and we'll get back to you within 1–2 business days.
Knowlton Stadium · 458 Main Street
Winchester, MA 01890
Skillings Field
Next to Winchester High School
General: dwharrison@mgh.harvard.edu
Registration: dwharrison@mgh.harvard.edu
Sponsors: dwharrison@mgh.harvard.edu
(781) 867-5309
Monday–Friday, 9 AM–6 PM
Game Saturdays: 7:30 AM–2 PM
President: David Harrison
Vice President: Mai Harrison
Website: Michael Ficociello
Sponsorship: David Harrison
