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Identical twin brothers Mike and Maurkice Pouncey decided to return to their competitive youth football roots this year with the Pouncey Classic, inviting teams from the Polk County area to showcase their skills in competition with organizations that they may not see during regular season play.
The event, hosted by the Pouncey Foundation and New Beginnings High School, will feature four competitive youth football matchups and a Kidz Zone with games, food, and a DJ.
Appearances from the Pouncey Twins’ “NFL and college football friends” are expected.
What: Pouncey Classic
When: Saturday, July 18, 2 to 8 p.m.
Where: Bryant Stadium, 1125 N. Florida Ave
Admission: Free for kids 17 and under with school ID; adults $10 – purchase tickets online
Football roots in Lakeland
The Pounceys grew up in Lakeland and attended Lakeland High School, where they were standout members of the Dreadnaughts football team.
Now, Mike coaches for one of the teams competing at the Pouncey Classic, the nationally-ranked Miramar Wolverines, known as Brick City. His 12-year-old son is the starting quarterback for the 12-and-under team (12U) that has been playing together for three or four years, since the boys were around nine years old, said Ron Wilson, director of community affairs with The Pouncey Foundation.
“This is Mike’s son’s last year before he go to high school to start playing,” Wilson said. On Saturday, the team will face off against the Lakeland Gators at the twins’ old stomping ground.
He wants his son to see how it feels to play at the Dreadnaught’s Stadium, Wilson said.
“He actually wanted his son, because you know they stay in Fort Lauderdale, to play on Bryant Stadium field. That’s pretty much how dear Lakeland is to the boys,” Wilson said. “Really dear to the heart.”
Two storied football careers
In 2006 during their senior year, the Pounceys helped lead the Lakeland Dreadnaughts to their third consecutive Florida Class 5A state championship, defeating the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders in what some have called the greatest high school football game of all time.
The brothers graduated from Lakeland High School in 2007. Both Mike and Maurkice received offers from several big name schools, but ultimately, they signed with the University of Florida to play as Gators under Head Coach Urban Meyer.
Maurkice entered the NFL in 2010, ranked as the number one center available that year. He was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the draft with the 18th pick. In 2011, the Miami Dolphins selected Mike during the first round of the draft with the 15th pick overall.
Maurkice spent his 11-year NFL career with the Steelers. Mike played with the Dolphins from 2011 to 2018, then with the Los Angeles Chargers from 2018 to 2021. The Pounceys retired from the NFL in 2021.
A legacy of giving back
The Pouncey Classic evolved from Mike and Maurkice Pouncey’s ongoing commitment to the communities that shaped their careers: Lakeland, Miami, and Pittsburgh.
In 2011, the twin brothers first hosted a free football camp for kids in Lakeland. The brothers and some of their former teammates, including Chris Rainey and Ahmad Black, led participants in drills and activities. According to reporting from The Ledger, over 400 children participated that year. The event was held for 11 consecutive years and grew to include cheerleading.
From 2023 to 2025, the annual football and cheerleading camp was replaced by the “Team Pouncey Auto Expo & Kidz Zone.” This event included a car and stereo competition with a $4,000 prize. The “Kidz Zone,” in partnership with New Beginnings High School, featured little league flag football games, bounce houses, and free school supplies.
The brothers envision the Pouncey Classic continuing to grow and attracting teams from beyond Polk County and even outside of Florida, Wilson said.
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