Red Roberts, founder of football group, dies

Clarence C. "Red" Roberts was a youth football association founder, coach, equipment manager, chief financial officer and groundskeeping crew for the Redskins. The Kanawha Redskins.

"Our primary concern was that all of our kids get to play ball," Mr. Roberts told The Richmond News Leader in 1989, the league's third year.

"He told all the parents that the association was for the kids and that every child would get an equal opportunity to play," said his wife, Peggy Roberts, association co-founder and treasurer.

"We have proven we can play winning football and play all your kids," Mr. Roberts said in the 1989 interview. "It's for the kids, it's not an ego trip for some coaches and some parents."

Mr. Roberts, former owner of Roberts Insurance Agency, died Sunday at age 78.

Kanawha Youth Football grew from 42 players (plus 24 cheerleaders) in 1986 to 102 players in 1989.. The association had four teams, from flag football for 6and 7-year-olds through pee wee (for ages 8 and 9), midget (10and 11-year-olds) and juniors, ages 12 and 13.

As with those other Redskins, there was some controversy about a home field. They began with none, practicing at Maybeury Elementary School in Henrico County and playing on other teams' turf or in public parks.

"For the first year or two, we had to have everything fit in a pickup truck," Peggy Roberts said.

The whole family got involved, with son John transporting the gear and towing the concession stand that was the main source of funds. Mr. Roberts would arrive at the field at 7 a.m. to begin setting up for the game and was the last to leave after cleaning up, according to information provided by James J. Spencer Jr., a former employee of the Roberts insurance agency and a coach for Kanawha.

As the association grew, an agreement with the county let the group use Deep Run Park. Later, the park became a bone of contention between nature purists and sports enthusiasts. Mr. Roberts spoke in favor of compromise.

The association continued to grow; it is now based in Short Pump Park and has 350 participants, Spencer said.

Mr. Roberts also served as a deacon at Mount Vernon Baptist Church in Henrico and worked with the youth there.

He was a high school football referee in Farmville before moving to Richmond in the 1960s. He coached basketball and Little League baseball in Henrico County.

A celebration of Mr. Roberts' life will be held at Woody Funeral Homes' Parham Chapel, 1771 N. Parham Road, at 10 a.m. today, Wednesday. He will be buried in Westhampton Memorial Park.

Survivors also include a daughter, Melinda Lestyan of Richmond; three sons, John C. Roberts of Richmond, C. Craig Roberts Jr. of Colonial Heights and Jim Ross of Meridian, Miss; a sister, Myrthel Clements of Crewe; six grandchildren and a great-grandson.