By admin 
TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – The Tucson Seminoles’ football season is over after the organization was suspended by Southern Arizona Youth Football & Cheer for missing a deadline to address player certification, leadership, and game-day safety.
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The Seminoles organization is the focus of our 13 News Investigates Fumbled Funds series, which began in 2024.
Tucson Seminoles coverage
The conference said the Seminoles could not prove all volunteers completed required background checks. Records the organization did provide showed checks were completed only after the problem was raised, according to the conference.
The conference confirmed coaches and volunteers had already been around players without the required checks, which violates conference rules.
One mother said her 9-year-old had been practicing with the Seminoles since April.
“He’s dedicated. He went to practice every day of the week, Monday through Friday through the summer. We didn’t go on vacation so that he could be there to practice with his team and he enjoys it,” Shephard said.
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Rosters depleted
The Seminoles’ rosters have now been depleted.
As of Monday, the conference said not one tackle team had enough registered players to take the field, from 8-U through 14-U.
13 News has reached out twice to Seminoles President Susie Mendibles for a response but has not heard back.
The investigation is continuing.
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