TIFTON — Griffin Martin was all set to host his third Punt, Pass & Kick tournament in July, but when he went to set it up through the National Football League, he was not able to do so.

“They’re doing away with it,” he said.

Earlier this year, the pro league announced at its NFL Club Youth Football Summit that the event will no longer be sanctioned.

A release from Roman Oben, the Senior Director of NFL Youth & High School Football said, “The resources from that program will be integrated into other youth football priorities.”

Punt, Pass & Kick started in 1961. In 2011, the NFL described it as “the nation’s largest grassroots sports skills competition.”

The Punt, Pass & Kick website now redirects to the NFL’s Flag league page.

Martin no longer can set up an official PPK tournament, but that’s not going to stop him for putting together something this summer.

Not surprisingly, the sometimes Santa Claus, lifeguard and local Dancing With the Stars participant is full of ideas.

He is considering his own Punt, Pass & Kick tournament.

Mostly, “The way the NFL [was] doing it,” but with some rules relaxed, such as wearing cleats.

“I may turn it into a mini-football camp,” Martin said. In either case, he is going to base it on the NFL’s Play 60 program, which aims to get kids physically active for 60 minutes per day.

A late July date is tentative.

Whatever the end result turns out to be, Martin wants it to be huge.

“I want Tift County to grow around it,” he said.

He is looking for sponsors and is open to suggestions to how to make the event a reality. There is one sure thing he does want and that is that his football event will be free for participants and will be lots of fun.

“I’m even more excited than I was last year,” said Martin. “I want to do everything to make it come through.”

Martin can be reached at (229) 402-6362.