LEWISTON - I love me a little contact! Football season for area youth is right around the corner, and if your child wants in on the action you have until next Thursday to get in.

It's the Clearwater football league, and these 3rd to 6th graders are strapping up for a full season of full-contact football.

"They started out with like one or two teams," said league organizer Rob Hays They played each other all the time. They'd go up to Lapwai. They'd go up to Cottonwood. I kind of got the league going to where we had more teams here in the Valley. Then we headed up north."

Hays said it's more like 15 teams now, each with 25-person rosters. Hays says anybody and everybody will get a spot of the team, but suggests players-to-be get to the August 4th tryout.

"Beginning of August, we'll have our mini-camp. Our draft, and then we'll start practicing," Hays said. "Labor day weekend we have the jamboree. From the jamboree for the next 8 or 9 weeks, we are, every saturday, playing football."

It is full-contact, but Hays describes it as no rougher than playing in the backyard without pads, and it's a chance for the kids to travel around the region.

"This year we will be playing in Kendrick. We'll have one Saturday designated that eveybody will travel to Kendrick and play there. Other than that, we play in the Colfax, Pullman, Moscow, Lewiston area."

Registration ends the last day of July. Cost is 100 dollars, and that cover gear for the year, with the exception of cleats. The mini-camp starts August 4th. For registration forms you can go to the Lewiston Parks and Rec office or visit www.clearwaterfootball.org.