Snoop Dogg launches youth football in Chicago

CHICAGO (AP) - Snoop Dogg says his youth football league isn't just about teaching kids sports, but about giving them a positive release for their energy and introducing them to role models.

The rapper and actor launched the inaugural season of the Snoop Youth Football League in Chicago on Saturday.

He danced and high-fived his way through the crowd at the Chicago Indoor Sports Facility and seemed intent on meeting all of the 100 kids who showed up.

Snoop Dogg says he started the league to give kids, especially those in high-crime neighborhoods, an outlet. The league is open to youth ages 7 to 14.

The Chicago season will begin in August. The Chicago chapter is a division of the league Snoop Dogg established in California in 2004.