After serving as a head football coach in Southeast Washington, DC for a number of years, Mr. Ronald Gray realized that young people needed to be taught more than just the fundamentals of football, so Prince Georges Storm Youth Association was started in 2002 to “Teach the Generation" (Psalm 78: 1-7). Understanding that football and cheerleading is primarily seasonal, the organization sought out to ensure all kids knew how to pray and that the foundation of all teachings in football and cheerleading were wrapped around encouraging the heart, challenging the mind, and feeding the soul.
Prince Georges Storm was birthed to be that organization that would be unapologetically built on biblical principles and always prepared to take back everything that the enemy has stolen from our young people.
Prince Georges Storm was started with only 4 young participants and went on to successfully recruit enough players and coaches to establish two football teams and one cheerleading squad. The program subsequently became a member of Pop Warner Little Scholars, Inc. During its inaugural season, Prince George’s Storm used the Hillcrest Heights Recreation Field in Temple Hills, MD to prepare its teams and lit the field with the headlights from parents’ cars, as noted by a Washington Post article that ran in November 2002. This inaugural season was culminated with one of our teams participating in the Pop Warner National Championships in Orlando, Florida.
In 2003, the Storm moved its home to Benjamin Folios’ elementary school, where that year was marked by significant growth to over 230 kids and had the eventual #1 Team in the country by winning the National Championship in Orlando, Florida.
In 2005, Prince George’s Storm relocated to Landover, MD and began practicing at John Carroll Elementary School, where we continue to serve until this day.
Once established at John Carroll, the Storm launched its outreach component and has served a variety of community initiatives to include the House of Ruth Shelter for Women and Children, Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund, Food & Friends, Prince George’s County Emergency Shelters, Capital Area Food Bank, New Day Transition Home for Homeless Women and Children and the Haiti Relief Fund.