DuJuan Harris, the 2006 Central High graduate who played five seasons in the NFL, is launching Brooksville Under the Lights Flag Football to give back to his hometown community. The new league, part of a national organization backed by Under Armour, will provide 6-on-6 flag football for boys and girls from pre-kindergarten to eighth grade in Hernando County.
Harris discovered the opportunity while rehabbing in Tampa when a friend mentioned the Under Armour league program. “I thought that it’d be something great being that flag football is growing huge, especially for the girls,” Harris said. “It’s safe. I felt like I could teach them the game, teach them some of the ins and outs that I know and keep them safe at the same time.”
The former running back wants to create a platform that benefits all aspects of student-athlete development, not just football. “Pretty much add another platform for kids to get some exposure, to keep high schoolers busy in the offseason. They can keep working on their craft, build team chemistry,” Harris explained. He aims to teach young players professional habits while giving local coaches support.
Harris joins a small group of Hernando County football players who reached the NFL, including the late Jerome Brown, recently retired Nature Coast alum Matt Breida, and Hernando High’s Ricky Feacher, George Floyd and Allan Leavitt. Despite going undrafted from Troy University, Harris played for four NFL teams from 2011-2016, finding his greatest success with the Green Bay Packers in 2012 when he became a starter late in the season, including in two playoff games.
The Under Armour backed program represents Harris’s commitment to developing youth athletics in his hometown while providing a safe alternative to traditional tackle football for young athletes throughout the Brooksville area.
Originally reported by Hernando Sun
Sources: Hernando Sun
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