Welcome letter from Junior Wolverine System Head from Greg Pardee

Welcome to Bellevue Junior Wolverine football. This is my 15^th year of running the Wolverine System and I am very pleased to announce the system is as strong as it has ever been. When I began running the program we had 85 players and had to merge with Mercer Island to form our fifth team. Today our system has grown to over 270 kids and 12 teams. When there are so many other options and sports for your son to participate in we feel privileged to have them be part of the Wolverine program.

I am excited that we grew the program in a positive way keeping your child’s best interest as our top priority. It is of the upmost importance that every player in our program is treated fairly, and has improved throughout the course of the year and had very positive experience. Football is the most demanding sport there is from a physical and mental aspect. For players to go through a full season and have a positive experience, requires a system wide approach in the philosophy of core values.

The Junior Wolverine Program is one of 18 systems in the league and is part of the Greater Eastside Junior Football association (GEJFA). The GEJFA is governed and insured by the Bellevue Boys and Girls Club and requires us to practice what the Boys and Girls Club stands behind. The greatest success of our program is the retention and growth of our system.

Everybody in our program is a volunteer and everyone takes on the system philosophy. Our coaches are the front line to our success. I believe we have the best coaches in the entire league. All our coaches are background checked and certified. They are competitive and composed at the same time. A story that substantiates this is a few years back during the championship weeks;

 We had seven teams practicing at that time, and we invited other systems (not still in the playoffs) to watch. What stood out the most to one of the other system’s heads was that it was, “Such an important week, and yet your coaches ever yell”. 

Our system needs even more volunteers now to keep the system at the level it is now. Like our coaches, we have the best volunteers anyone could ask for, who are our equipment managers, field managers, web masters, apparel, registrars, team mom coordinators, and GEJFA representation. As players grow through our program, the volunteers do to. I encourage you to be part of our continued success.

I also serve as Vice President and sit on the grievance committee for GEJFA. I see several issues in the league when it comes to parent support, player, and coaches’ decorum. Unfortunately, it seems each week we have people come before the committee; fortunately, we have not seen anybody from our program (players, coaches, parents) in several years before grievance. I am very proud to represent the system that is viewed as the class of the league. It is a great feeling knowing every Saturday everybody involved in our program is able to enjoy themselves and stay composed during such a competitive and emotional game.

We are a feeder program to the high school program and feel very strong about our relationship with their coaching staff. Coach Butch Goncharoff believes that our youth program is the grass roots for their success at BHS. The high school coaches are always willing to teach, train, and answer any questions from our coaches. This year we will have the return of Junior Wolverine Night; a night when our entire program has a non-contact practice with the high school program. 370-400 kids on the field together is quite a site to see. Almost all the high school players went through our youth program, so when you talk about community we are all in this together with one common goal. To give every child in the Bellevue football family the opportunity for success and life time memories.

If you have any questions or concerns about our program please do not hesitate to contact me. I look forward to a great season.

Greg Pardee

Wolverine System Head