With over 230 games played during a successful eight-day span, the 2023 American Youth Football (AYF) National Championships delivered thousands of athletes and spectators to Paradise Coast Sports Complex on Dec. 1-8.
The AYF event crowned national champions in 23 different divisions, with teams flocking to Paradise Coast Sports Complex from as far away as Oahu, Hawaii. The nation’s largest youth football event, AYF’s National Championships was moved to Florida’s Paradise Coast after a multi-year stint in Kissimmee, Fla.
The event stretched the current parameters of Paradise Coast Sports Complex to capacity, as all nine available fields were in play throughout the tournament.
“We are thrilled with the success of the AYF National Championships in its first year at Paradise Coast Sports Complex,” said PCSC General Manager Adrian Moses. “Hosting over 180 teams in competition in front of their families and friends during the week is a big lift for our team, and we are proud to once again deliver a best-in-class venue for our guests.”
AYF boasts eight regions: Desert Mountain, Big West, Midwest, Southwest, Big East, Atlantic, New England, and Southeast. Each region hosts a regional tournament, which is the qualifier for the National Championships. Regional championships occurred in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving weekend.
“The 2023 National Championships featured 180 teams from 31 states competing for 23 National Championships at the world-class facilities of Paradise Coast Sports Complex,” said Craig Karahuta, AYF Vice President of Football and Cheer Operations. “The week was amazing, the fields, staff, and the atmosphere was exceeded our expectations.”
