Punchers play a decisive role in HDMS Division Championship

For the second consecutive year, the High Desert Middle School football team won their division championship, undefeated. Miami Jr. High was runner-up. The foundation for this regional success, according to many in the game, is the CCYS Punchers Tackle Football and Cheer program.

The organization involves youth from Globe, Miami, San Carlos and surrounding areas. Players compete in three divisions, by grade: Mighty Mites (K-2), Juniors (3-4) and Minors (5-6).

“It’s a really great program,” says Brandon Palmer, an assistant coach for the Punchers. “It doesn’t matter if you have skills or talent; everyone is accepted.”

Kids learn the fundamentals of football and some fundamentals of a successful life. Everyone gets a chance to participate. Each player gets about 8 plays per game. 

“We’re teaching leadership, respect, work ethic, integrity,” adds Gregg Marin, head coach. “All of those things that come with developing the young people in our society.”

Building Brotherhood 

“My players have built a brotherhood and bond due to football that can’t be replaced,” says Coach Don Muniz.

When Don moved back to his hometown, a lifelong friend asked him to become head coach for the Punchers. For the past two years, he has led the Globe junior high football team to back-to-back championships. He also coaches flag football and San Tan football in the spring. Gregg believes kids benefit from playing at a young age in order to build the structure and fundamentals that will improve with experience. The current head coach of the Punchers agrees.

“We have to open our minds to what they’re capable of,” says Gregg. “It’s mind boggling.”

Gregg heads up a team of eight coaches. Each of them is a dad, granddad, big brother or uncle.

John Daniel Flores became a Punchers coach when his nephew moved to Globe a couple of years ago. He wanted to be involved with his friends and community. Coaching youth is about more than conditioning and running plays, he says. It’s mentorship.

“You become somebody they are able to trust and confide in,” says John Daniel. “Coaches break kids down but also build them up.”

A successful small business owner, global Crossfit competitor and father of a four-year-old daughter, John Daniel recalls the Little League baseball coach, George Hernandez (1932-2022), who saw something in him, even though he was never the best athlete.

“Everyone is encouraged,” says Brandon Palmer.

Brandon is a former Tigers running back and Globe Hotshot and has fought fire in 32 states. He currently works full-time for Freeport McMoRan and has been a Punchers coach for the past four years. His 11-year-old son is a cornerback for the Minors.

“It’s created a lot for me in my life,” says Brandon. “It gives me more time, not just with my son, but with other kids, passing on knowledge and things I understand about when I was their age.” 

Working with the same kids over four years has allowed him to watch the boys develop into young men. Brandon is also on the Punchers board, and sees the full breadth of the organization – from player registration and ordering gear to preparing the field and welcoming newcomers. 

“It’s like one big family,” Brandon says. “Once you get involved, everyone is looking out for each other.”

His family is all in on the Punchers. His 10-year-old daughter is on the cheer team and his wife, Nora is both a “football mom” and a “cheer mom.” The commitment of parents is critical to the team’s success, all the coaches acknowledge.

 

On October 26, 2024, the Puncher Minors (ages 11-12) competed for their division championship, against Snowflake, in a night game at Blue Ridge High School. The stands were packed with their supporters and they took home the silver medals.

“This championship game will be in their memories their whole life,” says their head coach, Gregg Marin.

He was 10 years old when he played in the Superbowl of Pop Warner. Today, Gregg has 30 years of coaching experience, from Kindergarteners to the Vandals varsity team. He loves the game of football, but he commits the coaching hours out of love for the kids. He motivates wind sprints and tackle drills with a philosophical chant. Tough times don’t last. Tough people do.

“We have to be positive. We can’t put each other down,” says Gregg. “We have to have the clarity that we’re on each other’s team.”

There was a 10 year span with no minor league football, according to Gregg Marin, and the impact it was having at the Jr./Sr. High school level was evident. Today the benefits of consistent coordinated efforts are coming to fruition. The Punchers have one of the best organizations in the state, from the hard work of the administration to the commitment of the coaches, the parents and the youth. There’s a huge cheer team.

“As coaches, there is a lot for us to learn, as human beings, in communication,” says Gregg.

Inevitably, there are disagreements, but the coaching staff comes together to hash out their differences. The biggest challenge comes from the stands, he says. People who provide 1% effort and 99% opinion. 

Choosing Football for Children

“I feel like football is a great choice of a sport,” says Coach Don Muniz. “I also believe that any sport a child decides to do is an important part of growing up.“

Football is the most popular spectator sport in America, but it was nearly banned in the early 1900s after 18 players died in one season. In 1905, President Roosevelt convened a meeting with elite college reps with a request to reform and save the game. Two years later, the NCAA was formed.

Today, equipment at all levels of play goes through rigorous testing to ensure it meets safety standards. Still, there are risks. A broken arm, sprains. Concussions are the biggest concern. All of the coaches go through concussion classes and learn how to prevent, recognize and react to a concussion. They also run drills to teach kids the proper way to tackle. How to wrap up. How to use their hips, not their heads.

Parents sign their kids up for football for many reasons – get active, get strong, stay out of trouble.

Brandon Palmer likes that his son has made a lot of friends through football, and traveled to new places. It comes with an expectation of good conduct.

“No matter how good you are in football, academics come first,” he says.

Gregg also sees social skills developing in his players. At the start of the season, some kids couldn’t make eye contact, but when the Punchers celebrated their season with a banquet at Copper Rim, players were shaking hands and thanking coaches.

As for the popularity of youth football in this town, John Daniel sums it up this way:

“It’s just American football and small-town culture. Friday Night Lights.”