About The Program

Program History

During the late 1940's, William C. "POP" Greer Sr., a former Maryland Delegate started a Semi-Professional football team in Bel Air, Maryland called "The Big Red". The team played until the late 1950's when High School football was organized throughout Harford County. In 1962, Mr. Greer started a 6-Man, youth football league program known as the "Little Red Football League", which is the forerunner of our current program.

In 1970, the program joined the recently established "Bel Air Recreation Committee" an established itself as the "Bel Air Youth Football Program". Paul Crowley was named as the first Chairperson for the football program representing nearly 250 players.

During the 1970's and 1980's, the program underwent several significant changes such as, moving from 6-Man to 9-Man to 11-Man formats and in 1977, utilizing a new facility and refreshment stand designed specifically for the program. In 1979, the field was renamed in honor of Wade R. Tucker, a former player that had passed the previous year.

In 1999, with the support of the Maryland Open Spaces Program, Harford County Parks & Recreation and the Bel Air Recreation Committee, two new lighted fields were built and the program relocated to the new facility making way for the new Route 1 By-Pass at Hickory. The new complex was designated as Tucker Fields. From 1999 to 2001, a new concession stand, restrooms, tower, irrigation system, storage facilities and scoreboards were added to the complex making it one of the most advanced youth sports complex's in the state. 

In 2006, the program instituted it's first Board of Directors and began a detailed plan geared towards significant participation growth, community awareness and support and a more focused approach on the development of the players and coaches in the program. In February of that same year, the program received approval from the University of Maryland to use the "Terps" name and logo and thus a new chapter in this historic program began, the Bel Air Terps were born. 

From 2006 to 2008, the program doubled in size to nearly 600 players, 150 coaches and over 200 dedicated volunteers. The program grew to 26 teams spread across 4 competitive levels.

In 2009, the Bel Air Terps organization was a founding program in the creation of the Upper Chesapeake Youth Football League in an effort to combine all youth football programs in the Northern MD region. The UCYFL and the Bel Air TERPS have become instrumental in setting the standard by which all youth football in the State or Maryland is played.

Today, the Bel Air Football Program is among the elite programs in the Mid-Atlantic Region. Players travel from all over the state to participate and earn the title as a "Bel Air Terp".


Program Hall of Fame

The "Program Hall of Fame" was created to honor those who have contributed to the success of the Bel Air Football Program.  From the pioneers that started the league to the outstanding players, coaches and volunteers that still today, dedicate their time and abilities to enriching the lives of the youth in our community through the game of football.  The programs commitment to developing players and preparing them for not only the challenges they face on the field, but also the challenges they will face in life has never changed.  The below listed individuals only make up a small portion of the people who have contributed to the success of the program over the past 60+ years.  We are pleased to honor them for their dedication, commitment, performance and most of all, their willingness to give back to their community.