August 16, 2012 - 6:14 PM
MESQUITE, Texas - A Dallas boy has been barred from playing peewee football because the league says he's just too big at nearly 300 pounds.
Mesquite Pee Wee Football Association president Ronnie Henderson says the rule is clear and 12-year-old Elijah Earnheart is not eligible. The six-foot-one boy exceeds the 135-pound limit for seventh-grade players.
Henderson says he's looking out for the safety of all the kids.
Elijah's mother and coach want him reinstated before the Mesquite Viking's first game Saturday. They point to an exception in the rulebook that might allow him to play certain positions on the line.
Cindy Earnheart says being banned after three weeks of practice hurt Elijah's feelings. She says "football is a contact sport. If you don't want your son tackled, get him off the field."
News from © The Associated Press, 2012