Article sponsored by Milpitas Charity Bingo.
For over 60 years now, the Milpitas Knights have created sports and sports-related opportunities for Bay area youth. “We are a nonprofit that caters to the youth of Milpitas and outside the area,” explained the organization’s Treasurer and Cheer Squad Coach Donna Lacanlale, who has been involved with the Knights for two decades.
Also known as Milpitas PAL Knights Football and Cheer, the group has become a staple in the community; a place where local youth can discover who they are, form deep friendships, and grow as leaders and athletes.
According to Lacanlale, the kids who participate – who are between the ages of 7 and 14 – come from as far away as Hayward to be involved. The league offers the lowest-cost options for football and cheer throughout Santa Clara County. And those who can’t afford to sign up can receive help in the form of sponsorship outreach and/or payment plans.
That said, the organization is about more than athletics. “We put school before sports,” Lacanlale told The Beat, sharing that they teach kids “that athletics are important, but we try to instill in the kids that it’s more important to get an education.”
Transformation
Otilia Salas has a 9-year-old daughter who is going into her third year on the Cheer Squad.
“In the beginning, we had just moved to the area. She didn’t know anybody and was shy,” Salas told The Beat. “We thought joining Cheer was an opportunity for her to meet new people and be open to new experiences, doing something she had never done before.”
Being on the Cheer Squad completely transformed her daughter’s life.
“She’s a totally different kid now. She’s extremely chatty and very open. Her self-esteem and confidence — it has all blossomed,” said Salas.
Reynard Elzey has been coaching for the Knights for over 10 years now; he has also coached football at Milpitas High School (MHS) for the past 2 decades. And when he was a kid, he played for the Milpitas Knights for four years.
“We’ve had a lot of guys come here, and then make it into the NFL and go to college on scholarships,” Elzey told the Beat in an interview.
Guys like Lenzie Jackson (Pittsburgh Steelers), Deltha O’Neal (Denver Broncos), and Dedrick Roper (Philadelphia Eagles) all got their start playing on the Milpitas Knights as young kids.
Across Generations
During the program, the participants are taught a great deal about leadership and respect.
“It teaches them how to become team players,” said Lacanlale, “how to get along with other children, how to respect adults out on the field and at other places.”
She recalled experiences where the parents from opposing teams were yelling and booing from the sidelines, but the Milpitas Knights players kept their cool, ignoring the opposition and focusing on playing the game.
For Lacanlale personally, the organization offers a chance to be involved in something positive: “I get to work with the youth; I get to be involved with my kids’ – now my grandchildren’s activities.”
She started off as a Team Mom for a cheer squad before later becoming a coach. Two of her daughters participated in the cheer program, then 2 of her sons later went through the football program. “Now,” she said, “my grandchildren are going through it.”
Lacanlale’s nine-year-old granddaughter is currently a PAL cheerleader. In the meantime, her daughter is the Cheer director and her son is a Team Dad, bringing the kids snacks and volunteering his time to raise money for the Knights at Milpitas Charity Bingo.
Being a part of Milpitas PAL Football & Cheer has impacted multiple generations in various families.
Chris Norwood, who currently serves as a Trustee on Milpitas Unified School District’s (MUSD) Board of Education, recalls playing on the Milpitas Knights as a child, while his sister was part of Cheer. His grown son, John Norwood, also played for the Knights when he was younger. Currently, John is attending San José State, where he received an athletic scholarship.
“The Milpitas Knights organization has been serving the Milpitas community since the 60s,” Chris shared with The Beat. “With an average of 150 to 200 participants a year, it has taught thousands of families teamwork, community competitiveness, and helped us establish a reputation in Santa Clara County as a competitive city with a lot of young men with athletic talent.”
“PAL” stands for Police Activity League. PAL organizations are hinged on active police participation, in this case by the Milpitas Police Department (MPD), so as to provide young people safe and constructive activities that promote their overall development and well-being. Competition is less emphasized than staying healthy and out of trouble while having fun. But, noted Lacanlale, “Competitively, we are pretty good…”
The Knights’ cheer team has won national championships; the kids have even had the chance to travel to Las Vegas to compete in national tournaments.
“It’s a good place to start learning. It teaches you discipline right from the beginning,” said Elzey. “It teaches you how to be organized and in control of your emotions. It teaches you how to take care of yourself. You have to be responsible for your equipment and make it to the games on time. This whole program starts you on that life journey.”
Learn more about the Milpitas Knights organization here.
