Cougars Never Back Down

If you look past the excitement of youth sports in Asheville, you will meet a team of young athletes overcoming the toughest odds to achieve success, both on and off the field. Each athlete has his or her own story—and they all need your help.

The Asheville Youth Football & Cheerleading League (AYFCL) has been serving inner city youth in Asheville for over 40 years. A 501(c)3 organization, our mission is to provide a safe, positive and wholesome environment where young boys and girls can learn the fundamentals of football and cheerleading, integrated with the value of education, self-discipline, teamwork, friendship, leadership and good sportsmanship. 

The benefits are tremendous. Our young people learn to set and achieve goals, excel academically, compete fairly, cope with victory and defeat, and resolve disputes peaceably. They acquire life skills like the ability to communicate, make decisions and solve problems. After a season of spirited competition and hard work, our young athletes emerge from AYFCL with a powerful sense of accomplishment, dignity, self-respect and identification with a group valued by their community. They emerge with Cougar Pride. 

Now more than ever, these young athletes need your help. Despite unrivaled success on the field, the Cougars’ season was cut short last year by accusations from an opposing team that were blatantly false, inaccurate and unjust. In the end, it was a group of innocent children who paid the price.

But the story doesn’t end here. With your support, the Asheville Cougars will return to the field in 2016, ready to work hard, sacrifice, take on their competition and restore their pride. 

Please consider making a generous contribution to AYFCL today. Your investment goes directly toward the purchase of new uniforms and safety equipment for the football team and cheerleaders. 

Your support is essential in providing these young athletes with the opportunities they need to become better people today and in the future. 

Thank you!