In America, football is king ... and nowhere is football bigger than in Texas. Esquire Network takes viewers inside the grown-up world of youth football in FRIDAY NIGHT TYKES, a new 10-part docuseries airing Tuesdays at 9p e/p, debuting tonight, January 14 with two back-to-back episodes at 9p and 10p e/p.
With exclusive access to the 8 to 9 year-old Rookies division in the San Antonio region of the Texas Youth Football Association (TYFA),
Friday Night Tykes follows five teams on and off the field throughout the 2013 season, from pre-season training through the state championships. Along the way, cheerleaders cheer, tailgaters barbecue and the crowd goes wild, but intense rivalries flare, parents and coaches clash and the young players face some very adult pressures and concerns, from extreme training drills, heckling from rabid fans, and balancing on-the-field expectations against a typical off-the-field childhood.
With no size or weight limit for its players, TYFA is one of the most competitive youth football leagues in the country. For many of the parents, coaches and players documented in FRIDAY NIGHT TYKES, football is a lifestyle -- the centerpiece of their community and, in some cases, even a substitute family.
Throughout the series, coaches and parents offer insight into why they believe football is important, what motivates them as individuals, and what valuable lessons they believe the children learn from their discipline and dedication. But in a youth football league where participation medals mean nothing and winning means everything, the adults in
Friday Night Tykes also grapple with questions like: How much competition is too much? Is the sport safe for young children? At what price are we pushing our kids to win?
"Football is a constant in many American men's lives, from rooting for their favorite teams to watching or coaching their children who play," said Matt Hanna, Head of Original Programming, Esquire Network. "By opening a window on this incredibly competitive world,
Friday Night Tykes also raises important questions about how we're parenting our children."
FRIDAY NIGHT TYKES is produced by 441 Productions, Texas Crew Productions and Electro-Fish Films for Esquire Network. Matt Maranz and Jason Sciavicco are executive producers.
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