Friday night lights may be a Southern tradition, but Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday night lights are the nights to wait for at the Vicksburg YMCA.

Football, flag football and cheerleading will begin practice next week, and games will start Sept. 16, said program director Allison East.

“We’re beginning to get all of the rosters together and get the coaches lined up, so it’s starting to buzz and get exciting around here,” she said. “We offer several programs in the fall, so it seems like there’s always something going on.”

The YMCA offers junior prep tackle football and cheerleading for third and fourth graders, senior prep tackle football and cheerleading for fifth and sixth graders and flag football for kindergartners through second graders, East said.

“It’s a good place for them to start out learning about football,” she said. “We try to stress to players, coaches and parents that our league is non-competitive, and we make sure each player plays at least half of the game.”

East said the rule about playing half of each game makes a difference to a lot of parents and players.

“The kids don’t necessarily have to worry about being the strongest player, the fastest player or the best player,” she said. “Of course we want them to try to go for those things, but they’ll play regardless. That’s comforting for a lot of them.”

Karie Lynch, school nurse and mother of three boys, has spent years watching her sons play YMCA sports.

“My oldest son Preston started in biddy ball at five and he’s 11 now, so we’ve been playing sports at the YMCA for about six years,” Lynch said.

Lynch said the environment, the staff, the prayers and the Christian role models at the YMCA are what keep their family coming back for more youth sports.

This will be the first year her youngest son Paxton will be able to play football at the YMCA and he is ready to take on flag football, she said.

“Paxton is very excited to play because his brothers play tackle football and this is something he can actually get involved with and be like his brothers,” Lynch said.

Their family is looking forward to the upcoming season, she said.

“I’m looking forward to seeing all the familiar faces of the YMCA staff and see how the young coaches can work with my child and teach him how to play sports with others,” Lynch said.

Registration for all fall youth sports is open until Saturday, Aug. 29 and can be completed at the Purks YMCA on Clay St. The costs are different for each program. For questions call 601-638-1071 or email allison@vicksburgymca.com.