Reggie Hughes views the Azalea Park Panthers as his second family.
“Without a doubt,” said Hughes, the president of the Florida-based Pop Warner organization. “We are one big family here. You know how families are, right? Sometimes you air some dirty laundry because you’re opening yourselves up. It’s the only way to be. The kids keep coming back and that’s why I come back, to help them. I want them to succeed in life and it starts here. I feel very lucky.”
Hughes moved from Alabama to Florida in 1992 and got involved with the Panthers in 1999 as a coach. Since then, he has held a variety of roles until taking over as president two years ago.
Overseeing 220 kids in football and cheer can be quite difficult. Not for Hughes.
“For me, I’m a stand-up type of guy and I put myself out there,” Hughes said. “I’m just up front with people. If a parent has a complaint, for instance, they can’t come to me and say, ‘I heard this about that.’ It has to be specific. I tell them to bring me news and then let’s go take care of the problem or the issue. I like working with people.
“In the end, it’s all for the kids. That’s my motivation. I want them to get the benefits of everything we do. Whatever I need to deal with, I’ll deal with. I don’t get worried about issues. I have great people alongside me and we take care of things as they come.”
The Panthers feature six football teams (160 kids) ranging in age from 5-15. The remaining 60 kids participate in cheerleading.
Azalea Park has been very competitive in both sports with the Jr. Pee Wee football team winning the Mid-Florida Conference championship last year.
“Even with the success on the field, the goal is for the kids to succeed later in life,” Hughes said. “We tell them how important schoolwork is and to keep their grades up. Without that, there wouldn’t be sports for them. Without the grades, they wouldn’t be successful.”
These life lessons extend into yearly banquets organized by Hughes and his staff.
“We want the kids to be professional and dress up,” Hughes said. “The head coach at Colonial High School, where we play our games, came to talk to them last year about being good citizens and learning the game and doing their schoolwork. These kids will have families of their own one day and the learning process begins now. Having a banquet is a good way to show the kids how to be good citizens in the community.”
Hughes is happy when he witnesses the emotional, physical and mental growth of the kids as they progress through the Panthers’ organization.
“I like it when I see that, yes,” Hughes said. “I don’t think a kid has to say, ‘Thank you.’ We’re in this for them. That’s the way it is. That’s why we do what we do. To see a child get somewhere and really improve, that’s satisfaction enough for me. If a kid says, ‘Thanks,’ well, that’s nice. I’m going to keep working like crazy to help them. That’s why I’m here.”
Story courtesy of Red Line Editorial, Inc.