
			Practices Canandaigua Academy, 435 East St Games Evans Field, Fort Hill

30 years of Baker football

The league has changed over time but many positive memories remain.

By RYAN EILLIS Daily Messenger Staff 1998

It’s the likely path to greatness. And like a family heirloom, it has been passed down from generation to generation. For 30 years, Frank Baker youth football has been the foundation of football fame in Canandaigua. In the league players learn to play and more importantly love the game of football.

It’s real fun, “Canandaigua sixth-grader and Packer offensive threat Nick Boylan said. “It’s another way to learn all the basics”.

Frank Baker football has been teaching the basics to kids like Boylan since 1968. Some, like CA legend Billy Scharr, went on to achieved greatness after their Frank Baker spikes had been hung up. But for many others, the Sundays in autumn when they dressed up as Packer, Steeler, Giant, or Colt were the pinnacle of their football careers.

“What I used to get a big kick out of was the kids who didn’t go on to play football” said Tony DeMuzio who was the league’s commissioner for almost 20 years. “We didn’t stress the win at all-cost aspect. We stressed fun”

There are many reasons why players stop at the Frank Baker level. Some kids don’t have the size for advanced level football, and some were drawn in by the emergence of soccer during the last 15 years.

“For some kids, they don’t go on to be stars” said Don Boylan who once played in the league during the 1970’s and now coaches his son’s Packers. “But they’ll never forget Frank Baker football”

The league, named for the renowned CA football, basketball and baseball coach who was at the school during the 1940’s and later went on to manage the playgrounds of the city, was started in 1968, when CA football coaches Dan Moor and Ross Nelson approached Canandaigua resident Ron Smith with a blueprint of a league.

“The goal was to give every kid an opportunity to play football” Smith said, “We wanted to give them a chance top play football”

With the help of, among others, CA Athletic Hall of Fame member Edward “Buddy” Quayle, the league was created. And 30 years later, Canandaigua’s junior circuit continues to thrive.

But things haven’t always been smooth with Frank Baker. Soccer exploded, the equipment got worn and a modified program was formed at CA, attracting many of the older players form the league. The league had to change with the times.

Leagues in Geneva and Penn Yan that once mirrored Frank Baker gave way to Pop Warner teams that held weight limits.

Five years ago, Frank Baker, which originally consisted of seventh and eighth-graders, was transformed. Now it allows players from fifth through seventh grade to play. There is a limit on weight for the seventh graders, who are eligible to play on the modified program.

During that same time, the pads and uniforms, many of them hand-me-downs from the early years, were replace, putting another strain on the league’s budget.

“People in the community are real good about supporting the program.” Current commissioner Nick Fiorentino said “Two years ago we were kind of behind the 8 ball but people knew the Frank Baker and they stepped right up”

The league raised the money it needed to stay afloat and this year about 60 boys played on four teams with the Packers and Steelers emerging as the league co-champions with 5-1 records.

In this league, however, winning isn’t the only thing. The players gain experience and memories of perfecting the I-formation and prevent defense at Evans Field.

“I think play at Evans adds a lot” said Fiorentino, who stared coaching in 1985 when his younger brother Pete played in the league. “The kids know they’re part of the whole Canandaigua football mystique”

The coaches also take something out of the experience. Most of them played in the league at one time. And some, like Boylan have the opportunity to pass on what they’ve learned to their own sons.

“It’s not just the coaching, but the friendships you develop” Boylan said. “you see a lot of the kids go up through varsity and then I see them know and they’re 23 or 24 and they’re still friendly”