New youth football and cheer association launching in the Coachella Valley

There is a new youth tackle football and cheer association launching in the Coachella Valley. It's called the Desert Monarchs Football and Cheer Association.

The Monarchs will field teams with players ranging from eight to fourteen years old. Teams will be based at Xavier College Preparatory High School in Palm Desert.

Non-mandatory conditioning starts in early June, mandatory practices begin on July 28th, and the season runs from August to November.

"The Monarchs will provide a quality youth sports program, with a focus on not just developing quality athletes, but helping parents build a strong moral character for the youth enrolled in the program," organizers said in a press release.

According to the association, all coaches will be certified through AYF and USA Heads Up Football programs. Additionally, all staffwill pass a thorough background investigation to ensure the safety of the participants.

The Monarchs will compete in the Desert Valley Youth Football and Cheer Conference (DVYFC), which is part of the American Youth Football and Cheer organization (AYF). The DVYFC includes teams from the Coachella and Imperial Valleys.

The first in-person sign up is Thursday, May 13th, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, at Xavier Prep. According to the Monarchs, online signups will be available in the near future.

More details can be found online.