Ellington Youth Football & Cheer

Meet Our Coaches

~Meet Our Head Football & Cheer Coaches ~

We are here to provide you and your family with the best youth Football & Cheer experience possible! We are proud to bring you a group of highly accomplished coaches with energetic and dedicated staff. Read the bios below to learn more about them.

A TEAM HEAD FOOTBALL COACH
Jarrett Hunter

Email: [email protected]

Jarrett Hunter is a former high school and professional arena football player. After his years as a player he continued his passion and love for football and began his journey in coaching. Jarrett Hunter has seven years of coaching experience where he served as a head coach, assistant coach, offensive coordinator, quarterback coach, strengthening and conditioning coordinator and equipment manager. Jarrett Hunter started his coaching career as a head coach for the South Windsor Panthers (A) team. He led his teams to three CTYFL Rose Bowl Championships and won the 2016 NCFL Championship.

In 2017 Jarrett Hunter became the head coach for the Capital Preparatory School (12u) team where he led his team to the AYF Championship. Jarrett Hunter is also currently an assistant coach for the Ellington High School football team which has assisted in enhancing the high school and youth football relationship.

Jarrett Hunter is a hard-working, passionate coach who excels at teaching players about the fundamentals of football, including the proper safety procedures and equipment related to the sport. He is skilled at educating players on correct technique, including blocking, tackling, passing and receiving. He values communication amongst parents and players and imposes motivation both on and off the field to encourage players to push for the greatest achievement.

Coach Jarrett

B TEAM HEAD FOOTBALL COACH
Roe Holmes

Email: [email protected]

Hi, I am Coach Roe!

Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Coach Roe and I'm a young aspiring coach looking to
affect one kid's life at a time. I've played football for a majority of my life dating back to the youth
level all the way through college. Through my experiences, I've realized my calling is connecting
with student athletes and providing them with a structure to help them succeed in every phase
of life.

Football is a very demanding sport but also very rewarding. I've coached multiple levels of
football for a few years and one thing I always key in on is the basics. Development is huge
especially at the youth level. Myself and the other coaches across the board pride ourselves on
being in it for the right reasons. Getting 1% better every day is the end game goal. When you
have a solid foundation, wins come no matter what.

I like to say I have an interactive style to coaching. I really like to fully immerse myself and get
into it. When I played football, I had coaches who seemed like stick figures without much energy
that screamed orders all day. From that point on, I’ve always told myself when I get the
opportunity to coach I would do things so different.

A little bit more about me, I’m the youngest coach on the board: 25 years and counting.
Everything is family based with me, been that way since I was raised and I use that in
everything I do. Obviously I coach football, but I also coach Track and Field at VCMS. Avid
sports fan, huge Lebron supporter and the next thing I’m going to say usually gets me some
dirty looks. Yes, I’m from New England and I hate the Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens is the
best organization in the NFL. Open for all debates and fantasy football leagues. Fyi, My
amazing girlfriend Tariana supports me in everything and will be front row on the sidelines
screaming her heart out.

Everyone has their “why?” and their pinnacle moment for coaching. Mine hit me after last
season. I got letters, cards, videos, phone calls, etc mentioning how happy the kids were that I
was their coach. Getting personalized recognition from parents and their kids reassured my
dream. The word coach is such a broad term and means so much more to athletes. Coaching
ages 7-18, I realized I’m a mentor, teacher, resource for when things get tough, big brother,
older male presence in broken situations. The list goes on and on. We wear so many different
hats as coaches, and it always pays off in the end. That’s my “why”.

Coach Roe

C TEAM HEAD FOOTBALL COACH
Ryan Herget

Email: [email protected]

HI!!!

I'm Coach Ryan and this year I have the honor of being the C team Head Coach for the 2022 season. I'm very excited for it and can't wait to get started! This is my 3rd year coaching. I was an assistant coach for 2 years on the D team. My first year was different and challenging as it was the year that Covid-19 first impacted us all. But I/we embraced it and persevered. I learned a lot as a 1st year coach but also fell in love with the role. My 2nd year was a dream come true! More growth and development as a coach and we were privileged as a team and staff to go undefeated last year. The kids worked so hard and it paid off.

If I could quickly say what I enjoy about coaching it would be that I love working with and teaching kids. To be able to teach them something and have a front row seat to watching them grow and develop as players and people is something I'll never get over and will always cherish. That's why I love football so much. It really is that unique of a sport. It teaches and gives the kids the mindset, toughness and proper/positive attitude that can carry over into real life and help them succeed for the rest of their lives.

ONE TEAM, ONE FIGHT!

GO ROADRUNNERS!

Coach Ryan

D TEAM HEAD FOOTBALL COACH
Brian Moody

Email: [email protected]

Coach Moody has served in several roles while part of the EFL family. He has served as President, Vice President and has been an assistant coach for the Ellington Roadrunners since the 2017 season. He has assisted at the D, C, and A Team levels. He is a member of the Soldier to Sidelines community which is an organization that helps train and provide courses for active duty military personnel and veterans.

We are also proud to tell you Coach Moody is himself is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps. Thank you for your service to our country Coach moody!! Coach Moody also has three children who will be currently active in the program and one more coming!!!

Thanks,

Coach Moody

A TEAM HEAD CHEER COACH
Sarah Akstin

Email: [email protected]

This is Sarah's fifth year coaching cheer with the Roadrunner's and her eighth year with children involved in the program. This is her second year as the Cheer Coordinator for our program.

Prior to coaching Cheer she spent many years dancing and teaching dance and acrobatics at nearby studios. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and has performed and choreographed in dance pieces all her life. Sarah works as both a Health and Fitness Coach and as a Billing Specialist. She absolutely loves all things Roadrunner's Cheer and loves to see the Cheerleaders grow each year from the beginning of the season to shining at competition at the end! She is married to a football coach and has two football players and two cheerleaders currently involved in the Roadrunners.

Go Roadrunners!

Coach Sarah

B TEAM HEAD CHEER COACH
Coach Debbie

Email: [email protected]

Hi! I am Head Coach for B Cheer this year. I've been coaching for 6 years now which included youth football and cheer and Middle School in both Head Coach and Assistant Coach positions. Fun Fact is that I never cheered in my Youth but I found my strength in Coaching, regardless of the sport.

Philosophy and Thought:

A cheerleading program requires these important elements: Communication, Respect, Cooperation, Organization and Fun. Throwing all of these elements into a daily coaching lesson is the key to a successful team!

Somewhere behind the athlete they have become, the hours of practice they have endured and the coaches who have pushed them, is a little human who fell in love with the sport and never looked back.

Coach Debbie Szkirka

860-338-9850

Ellington Roadrunners Football League

B Team Head Cheerleading Coach

C TEAM HEAD CHEER COACH
Marque Mercure

Email: [email protected]

Hi there! I’m Coach Marque and this will be my fourth season with the Roadrunners. My first season I was an assistant and the following two years I was head coach for D team. This year I am trying something different and moving up to C team. I have three children - two girls who will be on B and D cheer and a boy who will be on D football. My husband, children and I have resided in Ellington for going on five years now and from the beginning it has always felt like home.

I was a cheerleader all throughout my years at Agawam High School, three of those being captain of my team. I coached Agawam Youth cheerleaders, the same age as I am coaching now, while in high school. I dabbled in cheerleading post high school at the University of Hartford, UMass Amherst and an all star team Titan All Stars.

I am so excited to have familiar faces and look forward to meeting new children on my team! Cheerleading has been the one constant throughout my entire life that brings me so much joy. I consider it a blessing that I get to share this love with the youth of our wonderful league.

Go Roadrunners!!!!!

Coach Marque

D TEAM HEAD CHEER COACH
Ashley Ladr

Email: [email protected]

My name is Ashley and I am the head D team cheer coach for the 2022 season. I was an assistant coach for the 2021 season and had the absolute best time. I grew up in Ellington as a Roadrunner. I started cheering when I was four years old and cheered all the way up until I went to high school. I even played football on B team for one year too! I cheered at Ellington Middle School and Ellington High school for both the football and basketball seasons in addition to competition. I cheered all four years at CCSU as a Blue Devil for football, basketball and competition. My team won nationals in Myrtle Beach my senior year in 2007.

I was an assistant coach for the C team when I was in high school, and also an assistant coach for EHS during my senior year in college. My daughter will be cheering for her second year on D team and I am so thankful to share this experience with her. I have 5 sons as well. Two of them have graduated from the EFL program already, while one is beginning year four (2nd year on C team) and my youngest will be playing on D team after playing one year of flag last year. Cheerleading is a passion of mine and I am so excited to teach our youngest learners and be the foundation for what can be a lifetime passion like mine.

I want all kids to be able to have fun and be involved no matter what their skill level is. Cheerleading is a team sport and each participant is just as important as the next. I tell my kids all the time that no matter what the outcome is, if you try your best and have fun, you are a winner. I can't wait to meet my new team this year and see my returning members too. Let's Go Roadrunners!

GO ROADRUNNERS!!

Coach Ashley