Dennison, Ohio - Dennison’s McCluskey field will serve as the home field for a newly-formed football and cheerleading league for youth in the Twin City area.

On Thursday, members of Dennison Village Council voted unanimously to approve a five-year agreement with Mustang Youth Football and Cheer for use of the field for practices and home games. 

Uhrichsville City Council President Mark Haney is a coach and board member for the new league. He said the league was formed recently as a result of a rift within the Pan Handle Athletic Committee, or PHAC, the unified league that was overseeing both the youth football and youth baseball programs. 

“We had worked for months to create a joint venture with PHAC, and it fell apart a couple weeks ago, and they walked away. They handed everything back over to us,” he said.  

Haney said he and six others have signed on to oversee the new league. He said the league already has the required insurance coverage, and organizers are also in the process of applying for nonprofit status.

Haney asked council to grant the organization a one-year field usage agreement in order to continue the program through the upcoming season, which is already running a week behind schedule as a result of the recent changes. 

“We’ve got roughly 120 kids involved in flag football and football, and we want to keep it moving,” he said.

Council agreed to approve the lease for a five-year period provided the league remains in existence, maintains the facility in a clean and sightly condition, and ensures that all guests behave appropriately. 

The agreement grants the league use of the football field for games and practices during designated hours between August 1 and November 30 and the ability to operate food concessions for all home games. 

Haney said the league will share use of the field with Claymont Junior High for practices and the Indian Valley youth football program for home games.