left: Broderick Fleming runs with the ball for the Merced Youth Cougars. Above: Quarterback Jeff Fleming prepares to throw a pass for the Sacramento State Hornets.

Flemings take to the football field

Broderick Fleming, son of  UFCW 8 District Union Representative Doug Fleming, has participated in Modesto’s organized youth football program over the past three years.

In his final year before moving on to high school, Broderick earned a strong reputation for speed in the defensive backfield for Merced’s Youth Cougars. He demonstrated his reliability as a receiver by never

dropping or fumbling a ball, and he repaid his coach’s faith by scoring the game-winning touchdown (his second in three games) with a 35-yard reception in the last two minutes of a playoff game against Turlock Youth.

The younger Fleming plans to stay in football next year with the Merced High School Bears freshman or junior varsity team.

Broderick isn’t the only football star in the Fleming

family. Doug’s nephew, Jeff, a starting quarterback with the Sacramento State Hornets, has brought an undistinguished program to life with his leadership. (Jeff’s father, David Fleming of La Habra Heights, was a miler on the ill-fated 1980 U.S. Olympics Team.)

Expectations are high for the Hornets in the 2011 season, and the Fleming family will be there to root the team on.