Even though I don't have little league age kids anymore, I am 100% behind the new Mountain Football Conference.

I've been talking to a few parents about what has been going on and it is a complete mess. It's sad because I know a good portion of the people involved and most of them have good intentions, but things have gone downhill fast.

(For a refresher... This past year a new Competitive Youth Football League was started in Herriman. It was created by the old Herriman Ute conference board and a large portion of the Herriman Ute conference coaches. Their goal is to fix some of the issues they have had in the past with the Ute Conference and make the game more focused on the kids.)

The creator/commissioner of this new League has had to file a stalking & harassment case with the police. It turns out people had created fake online accounts and had been contacting his employer and news agencies claiming he was involved in child abuse and child porn. After investigations by police, it turns out that the fake accounts belonged to the new Herriman Ute conference commissioner and board members. It sounds like these court cases are still on-going... but the Ute commissioner has some explaining to do.

The Ute Conference turned around and sued the Mountain Conference commissioner personally for $1million. They claim he stole 100 helmets, stole money from the league, and that he needs to turn over the Herriman Ute football facebook group. Just a heads up... if you have a kid playing in Ute Conference this year you are paying for this lawsuit. The lawyers have been going back and forth for some time but the last counter from the Ute Conference was to lower the payout to $7.5k and return the facebook page. (oddly the same amount it cost the Herriman Ute conference to defend their stalking/harassment case).

The Mountain Conference commissioner has posted all of the court documents online, exposing all the false claims the Ute conference is making. And it sounds like most people in Herriman (and the South/West salt lake valley) are fed up. I don't know if it's true... but I was told the Herriman Ute Conference will only have one team this year (a 7th-grade team).

Everybody else has quit, switched to the Mountain Conference, or will be in the new Mountian Ridge Ute Conference. It does sound like Herriman and Mountian Football will have a good handful of teams playing the Utah County teams this year.

As of last week... emails have been going around saying that any kid that plays in the 'the Mountain Conference' will have to sit out a year if they want to rejoin the Ute Conference.

I've also been told (not sure if it's true) that other Ute Districts will split away next year and join 'the Mountain'. (Alta, Copper Hills, Corner Canyon.. are a few that were hinted at).

It's just a huge mess... I'll post this quote from the guy that started Mountain Football:

"the Ute Conference sued me for almost $1,000,000. If its case had merit it wouldn’t offer to settle for .009% of its original claim. I’m sick of hearing “let’s just go play ball.” No, you don’t get to destroy my name or the names of the people who support me and as soon as you are called out on it say, “oh come on, let’s keep it about the kids.” It doesn’t work that way. I will defend my family at all costs and until you drop this frivolous lawsuit I will call you out and hold you accountable for every atrocity you have committed."