The Butler Area Midget Football League has been in a rebuilding mode for several years.

Lance Rihn hopes this fall adds another block in that process.

It was in 2013 that the BAMFL consolidated its ranks and lowered its age limits to join the United Youth Football League. The latter was originally a neighborhood league, including squads such as Butler City, Penn Street, Meridian, Institute Hill, etc., but had seen its number of varsity teams drop to just four in 2012.

By joining the UYFL, players in Butler were pitted against teams in other parts of the county as well as neighboring counties.

The BAMFL currently consists of one mite team (7-8 year olds), two junior varsity (9-10) and two varsity (11-12) squads.

“We began rebuilding from the ground up,” said first-year BAMFL president Lance Rihn, who played for Institute Hill and has served as a coach and treasurer in the organization. “Our numbers have been pretty healthy the last few years, but they're not where we want them to be.”

To encourage more kids to sign up, the BAMFL has extended its registration through June 14. The original deadline was May 30.

“Registration can be done at bamfl.net,” Rihn said. “I think there are more kids out there who want to play football, it's just a matter of signing up.”

The restrictions in place due to the coronavirus have filtered into football, even though the season is still more than two months away.

“Butler High School normally hosts a youth camp for us and that won't happen,” Rihn said. “We have five days of heat acclimation July 20-24 and practices start July 27.”

The UYFL schedule has yet to be finalized, but the season will open Aug. 15.

Rihn said precautions will be taken in regards to COVID-19.

“We will take each kid's temperature before every practice and game,” he explained. “Each kid will have his own water bottle and there will be someone in charge of keeping the benches sanitized.

“Whatever restrictions there are when we start, we should be fine.”

The UYFL also includes teams from Hampton, Shaler, Pine-Richland, Highlands, Saxonburg, Seneca Valley, Avonworth, Mars and McDowell.

“The majority of our games are played on Saturdays,” said Rihn. “We host games at Memorial Park, starting at 1 p.m. and going to 7 p.m.”

Rihn empathizes with those involved with spring sports teams, which are either scrambling to get in an abbreviated season or have been outright canceled.

“My son is 13 and he plays lacrosse and baseball, lost out on all of it,” he said. “I have good friends who are coaches in the spring. I feel bad for them, the kids, the community. It's bad for everyone.”