ROCHELLE — Adjusting from flag football to tackle football can be challenging for some youth players, but Rochelle Junior Tackle head coach Joe Tourdot always looks forward to working with a new group of fifth-graders each year. There are plenty of fifth-graders to go around this year, and Tourdot is excited to coach many kids who he hasn’t had an opportunity to work with in other sports.

“None of these kids have played in pads before or had live contact,” Tourdot said. “The most important thing we try to teach is technique on tackling and running the football. It’s important for each individual player to get the right fundamentals down so we can get them to the next level. Each kid grows at a different rate, and somebody who may be your starting fullback now could become your starting center in high school.”

The fifth-graders took part in their first tackle practice on Monday, and the players will suit up for their first live game against Princeton at Helms Park on Saturday, Aug. 11 at 2:30 p.m. There are 21 fifth-graders on the roster this year, and while Tourdot may have more small bodies than big bodies, he said the team has a good chance to put together a solid record this year. RJT’s fifth-graders went 6-2 in 2017.

“We don’t have a lot of linemen but we have a lot of running backs,” Tourdot said. “I think we’ll be decent. We have a lot to learn with our footwork and our plays… I look forward to having a new start with a new group of kids. This is a group of kids I haven’t really coached in any other sport, so I’d like to get them to enjoy the game and learn the basics of football.”