Braves QB named ‘youth All-American’

The collegiate Capital One and Russell Athletic Bowl games will not be the only events on the gridiron at the Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium this winter. Some of the nation’s most talented youth football players will also take the field to compete in January –– and one of those players is from Bellmore.

Peter Mayo Jr., an 8-year-old student at Martin Avenue Elementary School and member of the Bellmore Braves Football Association, was named a “youth All-American” after participating in the prestigious Offense-Defense Football Camp. The honor came with an invitation to take part in the eighth annual Offense-Defense Bowl Week festivities in Orlando, Fla.

Peter Jr., who is a quarterback and linebacker, enrolled in New York’s full-contact, instructional camp run by Offense-Defense Sports at St. John’s University in Queens this summer. Herb Blanding, an organization representative, said camp alumni include current NFL stars like Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, DeMarcus Ware and Larry Fitzgerald.

Peter Mayo Sr. said that his son trained with some the highest caliber youth athletes from New York City and Long Island. At the camp, he focused on developing his skills as quarterback. Blanding noted that Peter Jr. played well enough to be asked to participate in a regional elite football combine at Bryant University in Rhode Island in July.

Peter Sr. said that his son was tested against athletes from the tri-state area and New England. His performance in the clinic cemented the Bowl Selection Committee’s choice to name him an All-American, inviting him to play at the fifth annual Offense-Defense Youth All-American Bowl on Jan. 4.

“The coaches gave him an evaluation, and they said he showed a lot of poise for his age,” Peter Sr. said. “They said he was one of the most coachable kids that they had. He was willing to do anything the coaches asked.”