By Aaron Allen, The Seattle Medium
As the Northwest Premier Football League season is underway, Heir 13U, the inaugural team of the franchise established in 2017 as their first 7U team, continues to display excellence both on and off the field under the instruction of coach Reggie Jones.
Over the last six seasons, the HEIR13U team has solidified itself as one of the best teams not only in this region but in the country. Coach Jones, who had a stellar career as a former NFL player, instills in his players the type of commitment it takes to be successful in football. He has taken what he learned and developed as an NFL player and infused that mindset into his young talent.
“So, for our teams, it’s finding ways to create their own energy and stay focused,” says Jones. “Also, to stay committed to doing things at a high level even when the competition doesn’t challenge them.”
From 2017 to the present, the team, which has played together at every age group between 7U and 12U, has been ranked in the top ten nationally and is the only team from Washington in recent youth football history to win an AYF national championship.
“Every year, the 13U team has been ranked top 10 in the country,” says Jones. “That first year, at seven years of age, they were [ranked] 15th in the country. That was our very first year coming in. Then, as eight-year-olds, they were the number one ranked team in the country. The 9U team won the national championship, and that’s the only team in our state to ever win an AYF national championship.”
Heir 13U is loaded with talent—so much talent that some of the players are already being recruited by college scouts.
“This team is incredible,” says Jones. “This team will probably go down as one of the best youth football teams ever to touch our state. And when it’s all said and done, by high school, the number of kids on this roster who are going to end up being college players—I have no doubt it’s gonna be record-shattering.”
Jones highlighted some standout players, such as quarterback Cordea Norling, who has led the team since they were eight years old. “He’s regarded as one of the top quarterbacks in the country for the class of 2029,” Jones said.
“He’s phenomenal—he’s the leader of the ship.”
Another key player is Justin Suega, nicknamed “Megatron” for his imposing 6’3” frame and remarkable skills as a receiver.
“He’s just a phenomenal receiver,” says Jones. “Like, you throw the ball up, and he goes up and just gets it; it’s ridiculous what he does.”
On defense, the team is anchored by Dash Jones, Reggie’s son, who has already received scholarship offers from Vanderbilt University and the University of Miami after impressive performances at camps and on film.
“He’s just a lockdown defender,” added Jones.
According to Jones, the team is “stacked with talent” and represents a once-in-a-lifetime group. Another notable receiver, Keh’no Corpuz, known as “Ono,” has earned a reputation for making big plays.
“If we need a big play, we throw the ball down the field, and he’s going to go up and get it,” Jones said. “They call him ‘Ono’ because when you throw the ball, it’s like, ‘oh no.’”
The 13U team also boasts talent on the offensive line, including Xavier Berry, a 6’5”, 260-pound lineman who is also an accomplished basketball and baseball player. “He looks the part and is just a freak athlete,” said Jones.
With the 2024 season beginning, Heir 13U is prepared to continue and build on their legacy. But like any team, there is duality. As good as the team may be, there are always aspects of the game that need strengthening, and according to Jones, he knows exactly the weakness his team needs to work on.
“I know exactly what our weakness is, and we figured it out last year,” says Jones. “[Sometimes] the competition doesn’t really match our level of play. So, for us, it’s finding ways to continue to play at a high level even when everything in our environment tells us not to.”
According to Jones, the most important aspect of Heir football is learning how to be the complete student-athlete—learning to balance grades while still performing at a high level. To be eligible to play, athletes have to maintain a 3.0 grade point average, or there will be no playing time until the player or cheerleader gets their grades up.
“Our teams are required to have a 3.0 GPA to play on this team. If they don’t have a 3.0 GPA, then they have to sit,” says Jones. “We take the progress reports from their schools, and if they’re below a 3.0, then we start sitting them down, and it’s like, ‘Hey, you’re gonna go over here with our coach in the study hall and get this work done.’”
According to Jones, the team owes much of its success to the parents. Their role is unquestionably vital in the work that they do to support these young athletes. Jones cannot stress enough the essential role the parents play in the success of this organization.
“The parent group drives the team, and our parent group is phenomenal,” says Jones. “They do everything that we ask them to do. They’re very supportive of their kids. They’re very, very loud in the stands, and the kids feed off of it. They’re always bonding together, and the fact that we have such a strong parent group really helps make this team what it is.”
With this probably being the team’s last year together, Jones knows that the bonds these players have made will last a lifetime, and hopefully, they will have another championship trophy to talk about when they get older.
