Internal and External Support for the Program

apathy within the community and self serving coaches in other sports who are looking into building a kingdom instead of a program.
having found a cure yet for either.

as far as the coaches go... eliminate them from the program and bring somebody in. but you have to have the power to do that.
apathy... well, i believe that every community has at least one "Boss Hogg" who is in control of the goings on within it. it may have several, but you need to find out who pushes the buttons in the town. go to them and use them like the ugly girl who will put out if you make her feel special.
you have to stroke their ego, ask them for advice, get them involved within the program... make them apart of it. only that you know that you are only using them to help win the others in the community. one thing you have to do is make sure that they know that you call the shots.
next, go after the mothers support. but really mean this one. have a mothers group that has a meeting at the beginning of the year to attend a seminar on football and group expectations. during this seminar, have each coach in your program attend and have them teach the mothers some basic stuff about football, equipment, video, etc. then meet with them and tell them that they are the "Den Mothers". you want them to be responsible for things such as ... preparing the pregame breakfast before school, decorate the locker room, decorate the locker of thier own child (some can adopt a player if his mother can't do it), pre game meal... etc.
attend as many civic groups from all sections of the community and discuss the program goals and expectations.
if you can get parental peer pressure going, then you have some of it whipped. parents will push their children into somethings if they the parents will get some recognition out of it. if little johnny's mom and dad see and hear about how much fun that little timmy's parents are having, then by god johnny get our butt off of the couch, drop the spoon and game boy and go talk to the coach.
go to the nursing homes and arrange for anyone there who would like to attend can attend the games free and arrange nice seating arrangements. the home would provide transportation.
last but not least, WIN.

1. Win
2. To get the community involved, you have to get involved with the community. Volunteer work, clean-ups, food drives, toy drives, Adopt-A-Highway, all coaches and players wear team gear at functions (be visible), be helpful, then when it is time those same folks will help you.