BUTLER TWP — Indoor football is coming to Butler.

Butler Lil Tornados founder and coach Bill Halle is developing a youth indoor team to compete in the National Indoor Youth Football League this spring as the circuit ventures into Pennsylvania for the first time.

Games will be played on Saturdays at the Southpointe Field House near Canonsburg from the second weekend in April through the second weekend in June.

“This league spurned nearly 300 teams in Maryland,” Halle said. “Now they’re hoping Pennsylvania will follow suit.”

Teams range in age from 7-18 in the NIYFL, though Halle is taking kids in the 7-13 age range.

The league is designed to have teams for each age — a 7-year-old team, 8-year-old team, etc.

“Depending on the interest and numbers of kids coming out, ages may be grouped to form a 7-8 year old team, 9-10, whatever they need to do to put teams together,” Halle said.

“This is another step toward improving the caliber of football in Butler.”

A sign-up session was held last weekend and 20 kids registered. Halle emphasized none of them were current Lil Tornado players. However, many of those players will be coming on board.

“We had kids sign up from Butler, Seneca Valley, Moniteau and Prospect, among a couple of other places,” Halle said. “Our next step is to get flyers put up in home rooms of various elementary schools as we continue to guage interest.”

He said more sign-up dates will be announced.

Practice sessions for Butler teams will be held from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. each Monday, Wednesday and Thursday at the high school, beginning March 20.

Teams will play eight games each. Games will last an hour and nine players, not 11, will be on the field for each team.

No more than 18 kids can be on a team’s roster.

“Indoor football emphasizes the skill positions,” Halle said. “There are less linemen on the field and this type of program provides an opportunity for players at the skilled positions to really improve their game.

“This league provides a stage on which football players can work on their game during the spring while playing against kids from other areas.”

He acknowledged kids may have to make a choice between playing football or baseball or other traditional spring sports.

“These are football kids. It won’t be for everyone,” he said. “But we’re not limited by any geographical boundaries in terms of finding players, either.”

The indoor league will feature a state playoff system and could lead into a national playoff in coming years.