By Jim Lockwood
Staff Writer

David Trembalay considers coaching youth football a numbers game.

The Pembroke Youth Football mentor said the program will be successful based on how many players come out for the team and return the following season. His goal is to prepare as many players as possible for high school gridiron.

Michael Berthiaume, 13, attempts to score on a thirdand- goal run in the first half of Pembroke Youth Football's 40-12 triumph against Bow on Saturday, Sept. 10, at Bow High School. Berthiaume wouldn't quite reach the end zone on this play, as he was taken down at the opposition's 9-yard line. Still, the locals cashed in on plenty of scoring opportunities; Pembroke entered intermission owning a 40-0 lead. (Jim Lockwood Photo)

The beginning of the season, he added, is most important.

"The first two weeks of football season is the worst," said Trembalay. "It's something (the players) got to go through. But once they get through that they end up loving it."

Pembroke Youth Football is a first-year program affiliated with American Youth Football. It fields two teams . a junior varsity and varsity squad - totalling 45 players. The JV contains mostly sixth- and seventhgraders, according to the coach, and the varsity is mostly eighth-graders.

First-year players find the beginning of the season challenging, especially if they were dominant in another sport. Often times, multi-sport stars have to learn how to handle the physical demands of football like tackling, blocking and running in pads.

This year, once the athletes began to understand the basics, Trembalay said they made a smooth transition to football and enjoyed competing.

Pembroke's Tyler Morrison, 11, was an all-state basketball player last year, according to Trembalay. The sixth-grader broke his collar bone at a summer barbecue, but still comes to every practice and watches every game from the team bench.

The JV offensive end could return by the end of the season with permission from his doctor, according to Trembalay.

Fellow Pembroke 11-year-old, Kent Noyes, was intimidated when he first stepped onto the field, Trembalay said. But it didn't take him long to impress the coaches as the JV quarterback.

Trembalay is also encouraged by having 20 eighth-grade athletes on the team; that means 20 experienced freshman will enter PA next year.

Along with an increase in numbers, the team's performance on the field should encourage the athletes to continue playing.

And lately, the team has several reasons to be pleased.

On Saturday, Sept. 3, Pembroke beat Winnesquam at Pembroke Academy, 52-0. One week later on Saturday, Sept. 10, the locals topped Bow, 40-12, at Bow High School.

Trembalay's Wing-T offense features Pembroke's Jeremy Letendre, 13, and Michael Berthiaume, 13, at quarterback. Hooksett's Gerid Paquette, 12, and Pembroke's Alex Auger, 14, play fullback. Hooksett's Evan Bergeron, 13, is the running back. Nicholas Grafton, 13, of Hooksett, plays right offensive end.

When not playing end, he's also a receiver. Against Bow, he had two touchdown catches.

The defense is led by linebackers Berthiaume, Letendre, Bergeron and Auger, plus Grafton at nose guard.

Pembroke could be challenged in the upcoming games against much tougher opponents, according to Trembalay.

On Saturday, Sept. 17, Pembroke hosts Concord at 10 a.m., followed by contests with Gilford, Kearsarge and Merrimack. Difficult competition, Trembalay said, should entice players to remain involved in the program.

"(Games against tougher opponents) will teach (the players) to compete and they'll learn what playing football is all about," said Trembalay.