Aug 17 2022 Update

We've had a great first week of practice!  Here's an update as we get ready to start the season.

Wildcat Volunteers
Many of you have been asking how you can help. There are lots of little ways to help, but are priorities now are:

• Jamboree Volunteers
• Team Video (Hudl) Recorders
• Team Parents/Guardians
• Concession Manager

There’s more info below on these volunteering opportunities below. I will be walking around talking to parents looking for help with these roles–so please consider them.  Junior football is a short season, it is really fulfilling work, and the board is the backbone of this organization.

 Jamboree
The Jamboree is Saturday Aug. 27 at the Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex (SWAC). The Jamboree is when and where our league, the Northwest Junior Football League (NJFL), officially weighs and registers players and play some football games . West Seattle Jr. Football and Cheer is the host.

Here’s how you can help:

• We need about 12 volunteers to help with concessions. Each volunteer would work a to 2-hour shift.
• If we have any Wildcats Parents/Guardians familiar with the food permitting/handling process, they would be a great asset in the Jamboree concession stand. We need a permit to prepare food.
• It’s important that we have a printed copy of your player’s proof of birth prior to Jamboree, we need to assemble registration binders. Team Parents/Guardians will be contacting you soon for those players missing documentation.

The concession stand at Jamboree is our biggest fundraiser, so any help provided goes a long way to help purchase equipment, provide scholarship, and keep registration costs low.

Team Parents/Guardians
Each team needs a Team Parent/Guardian to assist the coach in managing the team. This includes but is not limited to:

• Assigning gameday snacks
• Arranging volunteers for home game clock keepers, First-down markers (3), setup and clean up, and game concession shifts
• Planning the end-of-year social
• Coordinating administrative tasks with the board
• Supporting the coach with off-field requests

Please email asap if you would like to be a Team Parent/Guardian. We will meet in person and setup your TeamSnap settings.

Recording Games using Hudl
The franchise purchases a Hudl account for teams that are committed to having a volunteer record each game. The Hudl account is used for after-game analysis and sharing highlights with family and friends. You can do the recording on almost any device – iPad/iPhone on a tri-pod is best.  Here is a link to some recording tips to see if something you would like to do: https://www.hudl.com/support/v3/resources/soccer-recording-tips .

UW Youth Football Day
We have been invited to participate in a Youth Football Event with the Huskies on September 3rd.  Participating kids will participate in some drills & skills in "The Zone" before the game and will be invited onto the Huskies playfield to warm up with the team.  We can coordinate carpooling/taking transit together. Tickets will be $22 and we'll send out a communication specific to this event in a few days.

Game Schedule
The NJFL is working hard to set the Game schedule.  Each team in each area of town has different challenges with team numbers and field reservations.  Games will be on Saturdays and will be at playfields all over Seattle - we will distribute the schedule as soon as we have it!

TeamSnap
Our league uses the application TeamSnap to do all our team organization and communication.  Please download the app on your phone or get familiar with the website: https://www.teamsnap.com/

Notes
Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex (SWAC) is located at 2600 SW Thistle St, Seattle, WA 98126.

• All our policiesand other important Parent/Guardian information (like practice times) is on our website: https://westseattlejrfootball.com/
• We'll do a second equipment day soon for the kids that couldn't attend on Monday

Go Wildcats!

July 7, 2022 Update

Welcome to the 2022 junior football season, we're really excited for the upcoming season. Thanks to everyone who has already registered.

Wildcat Info Session on July 16 at Hiawatha Playfield

We are hosting a Wildcat Info Booth on July 16 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Hiawatha Playfield (2700 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116). The booth is conjunction with a free youth (K-8) football camp sponsored by West Seattle High School. The camp is from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. The first 200 kids are free.

Help us spread the word and invite any interested in Wildcat Jr. Football. All Wildcats (new, current, and alumni) are invited. It’s also a good time to:

- Have your player weighed on our official scale

- Meet board members

- Learn about our program

See our website for more key dates like practice times and weigh-ins.

- Practice times are here: https://westseattlejrfootball.com/parents/practice-times/

- Parent/Player conduct: https://westseattlejrfootball.com/parents/parent-and-player-conduct/

Registration and Team Update

We will begin filtering registration data and moving players to the correct division to help determine registration numbers. Nothing is final. This is only to help us project how many players we have in each division. (Note: Each team requires 16 players by the Jamboree to be officially rostered by the NJFL.) If you know of players who may be interested, bring them to July 16 info session or invite to them sign up now.

Franchise Update

The Wildcat board is following the same administrative calendar as past years:

July: We are ramping up and preparing for the season, including securing fields, buying equipment, and recruiting players/coaches, and board volunteers.

August: Players and families get oriented to Wildcat football, teams are organized, training begins with our first practice on Aug. 8, and the Jamboree (Aug. 27) kicks off the season.  We will communicate equipment hand-out dates by team.

September thru October: Our regular season runs.

November: The championship tournament weekend will be in early November.

Please note: the Wildcat franchise, like all other organizations, is adjusting to life after the pandemic. The loss of continuity, in regard to coaches and board members, has had an impact. If you can help out at all please reach out. As board members, our primary role is to ensure the franchise is equipped with the tools to succeed - it’s the volunteers that determine how far we go.

Right now our biggest needs are:

- Two more board members to help with communication and volunteer coordination

- Coaches - ideally we will have a head coach and 2 assistant coach for each team

Thank you for becoming part of the Wildcats Teams - we are looking forward to seeing everyone together on the field..

Go Wildcats!

May 5, 2022 Update

Wildcats!

Welcome to the 2022 junior football season. We have a new slate of Board members and are looking forward to year of growth and learning (for the new volunteers and the players!). Our outgoing Board members created this franchise and have been building young football players for over a decade - they have created an amazing environment that we are eager to continue. We welcome your involvement and will find a role that works with your skills and schedules. Lets keep this franchise going strong for decades to come!

Registration and Team Update

Registration is open! We will begin filtering registration data and moving players to the correct division to help determine registration numbers. Nothing is final. This is only to help us project how many players we have in each division. (Note: Each team requires 16 players by the Jamboree to be officially rostered by the NJFL.) If you know of players who may be interested, encourage them to register or reach out to us with questions.

Franchise Update

The Wildcat board is following the same administrative calendar as past years:

• Now!: We are ramping up and preparing for the season, including securing fields, buying equipment, and recruiting players/coaches, and board volunteers.
• August: Players and families get oriented to Wildcat football, teams are organized, training begins, and the Jamboree (Aug. 27) kicks off the season.
• September thru October: Our regular season runs.
• November: The championship tournament weekend will be in November.

Please note, the Wildcat franchise, like all other organizations, is adjusting to life after the pandemic. We hope the worst of it is behind us, but many of relationships we relied on for years are now being built from scratch. As board members, our primary role is to ensure the franchise is equipped with the tools to have a good season in terms of safety, gameplay and sportsmanship.

Replacing board members, coaches, and players will take time as will determining how many teams we can field.

Coaches, by far, are our biggest need. If you’re interested, don’t hesitate to volunteer. No experience needed. Just a willingness to try.  We have a great crew of seasoned professionals who are happy to help get new coaches started. Ideally, we would like a head coach and two assistant coaches for each team. If you are interested, please reach out!

August 22, 2021 Update

Wildcats,

Here’s an update.

Jamboree

We will communicate the Jamboree schedule the minute we have it. The league is working on a schedule. Please have your player attend the Jamboree, if at all possible. It’s where we register players. If they cannot attend, there is a second weigh-in a few days before the first game; be advised this may require traveling quite a distance to the second weigh-in location during rush hour traffic.

Jerseys

We are distributing jerseys and collecting proof of birth tomorrow, Monday, Aug. 23 at practice. Details below.

But first, a few notes about the jerseys:

• Wash the jerseys in cold water and hang dry. Do not put the jerseys in the dryer.
• If you bought a jersey in previous years, and it still fits, you can wear it and keep the number.
• Players can request a number, but we do not guarantee numbers.
• There may be an opportunity to buy a jersey this year (known as the jersey buyout), I’m checking with the vendor to ensure we can have names printed on the back.
• Do not wear your jersey to practice (unless you have bought it). We take back the jersey and use then again if we can. This is how we keep costs down.
• These are tight fitting jerseys. Here’s how to put them on:

1. 1. Take off your shoulder pads.
   2. Put the jersey over your shoulder pads.
   3. Put on your shoulder pads. 

Birth certificates or Passports.

Birth certificates or passports are required at the weigh-in to confirm age. We put a copy of the proof of birth in a binder with the team roster and take it the Jamboree. This is why we want a copy, not an original.

• 89ers: we only need a copy of the birth certificate or pass passport. If you are using some other method to proof the date of birth, let me know. I need to have that approved by the league in advance.
• Seniors and Bantams: If you haven’t done so already, please bring your proof of birth on Monday.

Jersey Distribution

We will setup a table under the trees (near the high school). Our hope is to be setup by 5 p.m. (Depending on traffic and when volunteer arrival.) The 89ers will go first, starting at 5 p.m. We will do groups of five. After the 89ers are complete, we will do start the Seniors/Bantams.

 

August 14, 2021 Update

Wildcats!

Here’s a week one update.

Thank You

Thanks for giving us a chance to coach your players. One thing we enjoy is coaching football. It’s challenging this year. However, as a board and as coaches, we cannot deny the enjoyment we feel once we get on the field.

Monday’s August 16 Practice

Monday’s practice will be at Madison Jr. High School. We will be distributing equipment for the 89ers, Pees/Bantams, Juniors/Seniors. 76er Flag will not receive equipment.

Please see details below.

Fielding Teams

Our league (The NJFL) is meeting Sunday (Aug. 15) night to discuss and determine how to move forward with franchises with small rosters/teams. Many franchises in the region are in the same position as we are. Here's our current status:

• 76er Flag: We have a head coach (Thanks Coach Broc!), and it looks like we will enough players by Aug. 28 to field a team.
• 89ers: We have a head coach (A big thanks to Coach Matt!. And, it looks like Coach DaMony Anderson will also be able to join us.). The 89ers keep adding players and it looks like we will add enough players by Aug. 28 to field a field a team.
• Peewees/Bantams: Peewees are eligible to play on Bantam team. However, not all Peewees are eligible due to weight restrictions. With the addition of Peewees, we are still short players. That said, I am getting inquires every hour joining our franchise. We remain hopeful and are willing to “ride it out” as long as the league permits. We ask that Bantam players remain on standby for an update on Sunday night/Monday morning on what the next steps will be.
• Juniors/Seniors: Several Juniors are eligible to play on Senior team is they desire. Our Senior team is a moving forward.
• Cheer: we are still looking for cheer coach. We will make a final decision on whether to move forward with cheer on Aug. 23.

Managing Covid

The Wildcat franchise is following King County Covid protocols. (In addition, a condition on using Seattle Parks fields is submitting a covid plan.) This means:

• If you feel sick and have symptoms of COVID-19, get tested right away, even if you're vaccinated.
• Both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals who have had close contact with someone who has COVID-19 (within 6 feet of the person for 15 minutes or more), should seek testing 3 or more days after exposure, even if they do not have symptoms. If symptoms develop within 14 days of exposure, isolate and consider retesting.

And, please let us (me and the head coach) know ASAP if a player or family member test positive. We are going to be completely transparent.

Equipment Distribution

We plan to distribute equipment this Monday (Aug. 16), at the equipment trailer beginning at 5 p.m.  We could use volunteers to help us unload equipment. If you can help, please reply or come to the trailer 4 p.m.

Here are the details.

• Location: Madison Jr. High on the back field– 3429 45th Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116
• Team times – Please don’t show before your time. We are short staffed and need to do the helmets in order.)
  • 89ers: 5 p.m.
  • Peewees/Bantams: 5:30 p.m. (Tentative based on approval to field team.)
  • Juniors/Seniors: 6 p.m.

Poor Air Quality

In anticipation of days of poor air quality, I wanted to provide you with our process and guidelines for canceling practice.

• We will cancel anytime the air quality is deemed Unhealthy at 3 p.m. according to the Washington Air Quality Advisory. This is the same index used by Seattle Public Schools. The WAQA uses the same color-coded categories as the EPA’s Air Quality Index (AQI), but the WAQA fine particulate matter (PM2.5) categories are set at lower levels of air pollution to be more protective of health.
• We take our readings from the closet monitoring station to West Seattle: the Seattle-Duwamish station.

Practices

Practices are Mon-Thurs from 5 to 7 p.m. next week.

Thanks,

Go Wildcats!

 

August 4, 2021 Update

Wildcats,

Here’s update on the start of the season.

Thanks for your patience.

First of all, thanks for your patience. Although we are recovering, the pandemic and small number of returning volunteers and board members is having an effect on our operations. Especially in the head coaching ranks.

Coaches

We are looking for head coaches and asst. coaches for all our Flag, 89ers, Bantams, and Seniors teams. If you are interested in coaching, go to the website to view the requirements and start the background check. The goal is for the kids to have fun and enjoy football. We supply coaching materials to help you learn and understand our program. We need to identify coaches soon in order to field teams.

Merging Teams

Recognizing that football participation at the player and parent volunteer level has fallen substantially across the region, the league agreed to allow players to “play up” for the 2021 season under the following guidelines:

• Franchise does not have a team at the preferred level.
• Neighboring Franchise must not have availability at preferred level.
• Must be within 10% of max weight for current age (See Play-up Weight Chart.) Players not within 10% can appeal.

Play-up Weight Chart

• • 76ers– No Play ups
  • 89ers–No Play ups (unless no 76er team) 6 and 7-year-olds can play.
  • Peewees–9-year-olds must weigh more than 94 lbs.
  • Bantams–10-year-olds must weigh more than 108 lbs
  • Juniors–11-year-olds must weigh more than 122 lbs.
  • Seniors–12-year-olds must weigh more than 138 lbs.

For us, we may need to merge teams if we don’t get enough players; most likely moving Peewees to Bantams and Juniors to Seniors, if players and parents desire and players meet the weight threshold.

This scenario would give us four potentials teams (provided we can secure coaches and enough players for each team):

• Flag: This team has three players and needs seven for a team.
• 89ers: This team has eight players and needs 14 players by the jamboree and 16 players at the start of the season. It also needs a head coach.
• Bantams: This team, if merged (6 bantams and 6 peewees), would have 12 players. We need 14 by the jamboree and 16 at the start of the season. It also needs a head coach.
• Seniors: This team, if merged (20 seniors and 6 juniors), would sit at 26 players and has a tentative head coach but needs assistant coaches.

Wildcat Yard Signs

Let me know if you can  grab a couple of yard signs and put them up around your neighborhood. They are outside my garage.

First Practice

Our first practice is Monday, August 9 at 5 p.m. at Hiawatha field. I will send an update on Sunday with update on where teams stand for Monday.

A few notes:

• Come to practice well hydrated. This means drinking lots of water tonight. It's difficult to get well hydrated the day of practice.
• Bring your own sports drink or water bottle.
• Wear shorts, a comfortable shirt, and cleats if you have them.
• Help the coaches carry blocking dummies to the field.
• Be patient as the coaches work to get their teams organized.

July 7, 2021 Update

Wildcats!

Welcome to the 2021 junior football season. It’s been a while since we’ve been together. Thanks to everyone who has already registered.

Wildcat Info Session on July 17 at Hiawatha Playfield

We are hosting a Wildcat Info Sessions on July 17 from 2 to 6 p.m. at Hiawatha Playfield (2700 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116).

Help us spread the word and invite any interested in Wildcat Jr. Football. All Wildcats (new, current, and alumni) are invited. It’s also a good time to:

• Have your player weighed on our official scale
• Meet board members
• Learn about our program

See Important Dates in the Parent/Guardians section of the website for more info about practice times and weigh-in dates.

Registration and Team Update

We will begin filtering registration data and moving players to the correct division to help determine registration numbers. Nothing is final. This is only to help us project how many players we have in each division. (Note: Each team requires 16 players by the Jamboree to be officially rostered by the NJFL.) If you know of players who may be interested, bring them to July 17 info session or invite to them sign up now.

Franchise Update

The Wildcat board is following the same administrative calendar as past years:

• July: We are ramping up and preparing for the season, including securing fields, buying equipment, and recruiting players/coaches, and board volunteers.
• August: Players and families get oriented to Wildcat football, teams are organized, training begins, and the Jamboree (Aug. 28) kicks off the season.
• September thru October: Our regular season runs.
• November: The championship tournament weekend will be November 6.

Please note, the Wildcat franchise, like all other organizations, is adjusting to life after the pandemic. The loss of continuity in regard to coaches and board members will have an impact. We ask for your patience as we search and recruit for volunteers. As board members, our primary role is to ensure the franchise is equipped with the tools to succeed. It’s the volunteers that determine our far we go.

Replacing board members, coaches, and players will take time as will determining how many teams we can field.

Coaches, by far, are our biggest need. If you’re interested, don’t hessite to volunteer. No experience needed. Just a willingness to try. Ideally, we would like a head coach and two assistant coaches for each team. We are interviewing coaches now. If you are interested, don’t delay.

Home Games at SWAC

We have tentatively secured three home games at the Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex.

March 13, 2021 Update

Wildcats!

We are planning for a full 2021 season. Registration is open. Flag and tackle football for our 76er team. 76ers pay $175. 89ers pay $250. PeeWees to Seniors pay $350. Register now.

August 2, 2020 Update

Wildcats!

The NJFL, our football league, has decided to cancel the fall 2020 football season. We will refund everyone who has already registered. Franchises have autonomy to work on alternative activities for the rest of 2020. The NJFL board will discuss scenarios for the 2021 season at its regular board meeting on August 10. The WSJF&C board will meet soon and discuss next steps, See the official NJFL announcement below.

NJFL Statement on the Fall 2020 Football Season

Dear NJFL Franchise Members and Families,

The NJFL Executive Committee has unanimously agreed to cancel the Fall 2020 football season. The decision was based on several factors including, but not limited to, the WIAA’s announcement establishing new sport seasons for the 2020-2021 school year and Governor Inslee’s statement putting an indefinite hold on moving forward in the phasing process.

Should the Governor make any exemption for youth sports by Sept. 30, 2020, we have agreed to come together as a board and see how viable it would be to have a season.

Franchises have autonomy to work on alternative activities for the rest of 2020. We will discuss scenarios for the 2021 season at our regular board meeting on August 10. This was a very difficult decision. We believe our approach was right and would have been successful if trends would have continued.

While this effectively ends our 2020 season, our mission-to provide an environment that builds outstanding character and promotes participant safety and the highest levels of good sportsmanship for our youth-remains true.

We wish you all the best and hope everyone is staying safe and healthy,

NJFL Executive Committee

July 2020 Update

Wildcats!

We hope you are all safe and healthy. Last week, the NJFL adopted a plan for the 2020 season. Details and information on how it will impact this season are below.

NJFL 2020 Season

• The season start date (meaning practices on the field) is delayed until August 31 (pending King and Snohomish counties have entered into Phase 4).
• The 2020 Jamboree is cancelled. Weigh-ins will be conducted by partnering franchises.
• Practices are limited to 3 days per week.
• There will be a 7-game season starting September 26. 2020
• Playoffs and championships are cancelled.

Registration

We will open registration July 6. It’s $300 ($175 for 76er tackle and flag) and installment plans are available. There is a new age-weight chart. You can view the chart on our homepage and use this age calculator to determine your players age on July 31. Please review the chart, weigh your child, and determine their July 31 age before registering.

Whether we have a season will depend on health and safety guidelines, the number of registrations, and our accessibility to fields. So, if you’re interested, please register soon. This will help us determine if our franchise has the numbers to go forward. We will issue full refunds if the season is cancelled.

Board Membership

We have a parent, Chris Edwards, who has volunteered to be Secretary and Founder David Hohimer, has said he would remain as Treasurer. However, he is actively seeking an Assistant Treasurer. We need two VPs to complete our executive board. These positions are about an hour a week plus a few hours on Saturday. It’s fun, social, and fulfilling. You get to meet a lot of people and you’re giving back to your community. Other non-executive positions are available. Let’s keep our momentum and maintain our status as one of the city’s best youth program.

Coaches

We are looking for coaches at all levels. During the playoffs, other teams have an advantage simply because they have more coaches. You can help level the playing field by volunteering to coach. All you need to coach is a commitment to teach kids and a willingness to adopt our coaching program. Knowledge and understanding of football are optional. Coaching is a dynamic process of learning and self-reflection. Just ask any of our seasoned coaches how they started.

Thanks for all your help and support.

Wildcat Board

Feb. 25 Update

Wildcats!

The 2020 season is upon us. Here are some updates and important information.

Registration

As we announced at the end of the last season, several board members are retiring from their positions. Registration for upcoming season will open once we have seated new volunteers on the executive board.

Our preference is to mentor new executive board members as assistants or leaders. Specifically, we are looking for:

• Secretary or Assistant Secretary
• Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer
• Vice president
• Co-president

Our systems, processes, and finances are sound. New board members would provide a boost and new set of eyes on our program.

Email us if you are interested or want to know more.

Please note: if you have already made an inquiry, we will follow up you this week.

Volunteers and Immediate Help

We are seeking immediate help on the following one-time seasonal tasks:

• Inventorying and ordering jerseys and pants. This need to be done by mid-march
• Managing our signage: we would to have signs up by mid-June.

We also need to fill other volunteer positions, especially

• Coaches at all levels. (Note: returning coaches have the first right of refusal for the team they coached last year.)
• Board Volunteer Manager

Email us if you are interested or want to know more.

New NJFL Executive Board

The NJFL also has all new executive board members. They are:

• John Luger – NJFL President (Eastside Catholic Crusaders)
• Marcus Ware – NJFL Vice President (Kirkland Steelers)
• Jeff Schweinfurth – NJFL Treasurer (Everett Wildcats)
• Justin Richter – NJFL Secretary (Burien Bearcats)

Fan Behavior

NJFL participants should expect tougher fan conduct rules. As you’ll recall, last year a rule was instituted that fans/sidelines will receive one Unsportsmanlike Conduct warning from the referees. A flag for Unsportsmanlike Conduct on the fans/sideline will result in a forfeit.

New Franchises

The NJFL now has 11 teams. Richmond has joined and Pac Hi-way departed.

Here’s the complete listing of franchises

1. Ballard Knights
2. Burien Bearcats
3. Cedar Park Eagles
4. Eastside Catholic Crusaders
5. Everett Wildcats
6. Interbay Eagles
7. Kirkland Steelers
8. North Creek Jaguars
9. North Seattle Titans
10. Richmond Bulldogs
11. West Seattle Wildcats

 

Nov. 3, 2019 Update

Wildcats!

It’s been great year. We have one more Saturday together before we say goodbye to 2019 football season.

Let’s first say congratulations to the 89ers who finished second in their division. Good job players, coaches, and fans.

Jersey buyout and registration
We have a few players who need to pay their installments for registration and jersey purchases. If you have a remaining balance, you should have already received an email from us. Please login and pay or bring your payment to the banquet.

Equipment Return
Please plan to return equipment this Tuesday (Nov. 5) from 6 to 7 p.m at Madison Middle School. (Madison is where the equipment trailer is located.)

Players need to return their:

• Helmet
• Shoulder pads
• Wrist coach
• Jersey (if you did not purchase it): Please wash your jersey and let us know of any rips or tears.

Players keep their pants. They can be used for practice pants next year.

Please arrive no earlier than 6 p.m. to give us enough time to setup before taking the equipment. You will receive a receipt.

End-of-Season Banquet
Our End of Season Celebration is Saturday at 11 a.m. at West Seattle High School.

We are looking forward to reminiscing and celebrating our football and cheer teams. Remember to RSVP so we can get an accurate count for food. (Due to space limitations, guests are limited to immediate family members.) If you would like to help by bringing a finger-food-type dessert sign up here.

Note:

• Use the North entrance (facing Hiawatha playfield) to enter the cafeteria.
• Players will sit with their teammates up front at their designated tables. 
• There will be coloring available on the tables for younger siblings.  Please prepare the young ones for expectations of assembly style behavior and no running around the facility.

For entertainment, there will be raffle baskets again the first hour.  Tickets are $1 and the proceeds benefit the West Seattle Jr. Football and Cheer Association.

Send Us Pictures
If you want to send us pictures, please email them to westseattlewildcats@gmail.com.

Oct. 25, 2019 Update

Congratulations. All five teams made it to the playoffs. We began our journey in early August and now we are the only franchise with all teams playing in the semi-finals Saturday. 

Please remember, the code of conduct still applies. Let’s continue our good behavior as players and fans.

(Note: Playoff game locations are based on field availability, not seeding. We don't have our own field: we share Hiawatha and SWAC with West Seattle High School, Chief Sealth, Seattle Public Schools, and Seattle Parks. We have taken all the times available to us. And yes, we have asked for additional dates and times.)

Equipment Return
Players are required to return their:

• Jersey (washed)
• Shoulder pads
• Wrist coach
• Helmet (cleaned)

We will collect these items on Tuesday following each playoff game (Oct. 29 and Nov. 5) at Hiawatha around 6 p.m. You will be given a receipt for your return. This is your proof of return.

2020 Registration
With all the board retirements this season, we have decided to open our 2020 registration AFTER we filled the four executive board positions:

• President
• Vice president
• Secretary
• Treasurer

An overview of these and other board positions can be found on the Wildcat website. Current board members will help mentor new volunteers. Our systems and processes are rock solid. New board members will need to manage, not create.

If you are interested or would like to nominate someone, please contact us. We hope these positions are filled soon. If not, it will delay our 2020 registration.

End-of-Season Banquet
Our banquet is scheduled for Nov. 9 at 11 a.m. at West Seattle High School. We are looking forward to reminiscing and celebrating our football and cheer teams. Please RSVP so we can get an accurate count for food. Reminder: we need to limit attendees to players and immediate family members so we can accommodate everyone.

Send Us Pictures
If you want to send us pictures, please email them to westseattlewildcats@gmail.com.

Postseason Games and Tournaments
Teams wishing to play in postseason tournaments need to follow our Postseason play guidelines and policy.

Oct. 1, 2019 Update

Modification to the Unsportsmanlike Penalty on fans
Last night, the NJFL board made a modification to the unsportsmanlike penalties called on fans. Starting next Saturday, any unsportsmanlike penalty called on fans will lead to an immediate forfeit by the offending team.

The change is to:

• Emphasize that the youth football experience should be pleasant for everyone: fans, players, coaches, and referee.
• Help maintain a good relationship with Pacific Northwest Football Officials Association (PNFOA). We need referees in order to play the game. Keeping a good relationship will ensure we have them.

Please remember to cheer for our players and that we all agreed to conduct ourselves in accordance with the Code of Conduct.

Sept. 27, 2019 Update

It's been a great three weeks of football. Here’s an update and info about what's next.

Saturday games
All teams will be playing at ArchBishop Murphy high school in south Everett. The stands are uncovered, so bring an umbrella and jacket. Admission is free. No pets. They do have a concession stand, so they ask you don’t bring any food.

End of Season Banquet
The End of Season banquet is scheduled for Saturday, November 9.

Seeking Board Members
We are looking for board members. Several members of the board are retiring next year. We need a new crop of families to protect what we have worked very hard to build. Serving is not difficult and you don’t need to know football. These are primarily administrative functions supported by a good group of volunteers. Please consider. We can do on-hands training while we are still in season.

Protecting Your Players
I want to emphasize that the leaders of this league and franchise (from coaches and board members to league officials and referees) all want your player to be safe from harm while playing this game.

Thanks to generous donors, our players are equipped with modern (and is some cases, state-of-the-art) shoulder pads and helmets.

We were coaching “Hawk tackles” two years before it was adopted by USA Football.

We are part of a nationwide study on concussions in youth sports.

We have professional trainers at every game.

We have trained referees at every game.

That said, football is a contact sport that’s played at a high speed. And, some players are moving at a much higher speed than others. This makes their tackles and blocks look unnecessarily aggressive when, in fact, they are proper and legal.

Our coaches and the referees are trying to manage the game safely. The board, especially me, cares about the safety of your child. Uttering any statement contrary to this diminishes our efforts and minimizes the confidence we should all feel. I ask that you set the record straight if you hear uninformed thoughts or opinions being spread.

If your coach has a concern about safety, they can (and do) contact the field manager or a board member during the game.

If you have a concern about safety during the game, relay the concerns to your coach on Tuesday. They will alert the board, and I will take the appropriate matters (and the video proof) to the NJFL board. (We ask that you wait until Tuesday, so everyone has time to calm down and reflect. Accosting the coach during or after the game is not helpful.)

This is the process and it does result in change. For example, based on feedback, the league is considering adding another referee (for a total for four) to Peewee games.

We are safety first. Always.

New Rules
This week, the NJFL board passed three new rules:

For Players

• One Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalty would result in an immediate ejection and suspension for one week of practice and the next game.
• A second Unnecessary Roughness penalty in the same game would result in an immediate ejection and suspension for one week of practice and the next game

For Fans

• Unsportsmanlike Conduct on behalf of the fans would result in an immediate ejection of the Head Coach and suspension for one week of practice and the next game. One warning would be issued prior to levying the penalty.

Please keep this in mind and remember we are all expected to abide by the Code of Conduct we signed.

Sept. 8, 2019 Update

Wildcats,

I want to personally thank you for your conduct yesterday. You were outstanding hosts and our players were great on the field. I especailly want to thank our Wildcat volunteers who put on a good show throughout the day. We appreciated all the help with field set up, game clock, chains, concessions, and take down. Some of you were there from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. This is what makes us a first-class franchise.

We travel to Foster HS next Saturday to play Pac Hiway Bulldogs. (FYI: The Pac Hiway Bulldogs and Burien Bearcats merged for this year.) Let's all remember—coaches, players, parents, and guests—that we are bound by a code of conduct that asks us to treat the all coaches, fans, players, referees, and each other with respect. 

From Week 1 to week 2 is where you'll usually see the most improvement on a team, so expect to see more focus this week at practice.

Keep supporting the team and let the players know how much you like to see them play.

Jersey buyout
You can still buyout a jersey. This means, for $125, you get to keep the jersey and we print your name on back. If you're interested, you need to email me today and bring the jersey to my home. We take the jersey to the printer on Monday and they return it on Friday.

Photos
If you have photos, please email them to us.

Picture Day
Team pictures will be taken on Sept. 18 during practice. Team parents will provide more information.

Sept. 2, 2019 Update

Here’s an update for week one.

UW Concussion Study
Our response rate for the study sits at 41%. We need to reach 60% or we will pay a fee for the athletic trainers that attend our games. (The trainers is just one of the benefits of our partnership with Seattle Children’s and the UW.)

The deadline to sign up is September 5. Please take some this week and sign up. Although your participation in the study voluntary, they would like everyone to at least register.

Late weigh-in is Thursday
If you missed the August 24 Jamboree, you need to attend Late Weigh-in to officially register. It will be on Thursday, Sept. 5, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Kennedy High School (140 S 140th St, Burien, WA 98168).

This is a different day than previous years. The change is due to the coaches’ clinic on Wednesday, Sept 4.

Please follow up with your team mom and/or Annette on Tuesday to make sure we have a copy of your player’s birth certificate and all the paperwork completed. Remember: you’ll also need to bring your game jersey on Thursday.

Game Day Volunteers
Our first home game is this Saturday. See your team mom about how you can help or click here to sign up.

We always need help setting up (7 a.m.) and taking down the field. It’s an all hands on deck type event.

Aug. 27, 2019 Update

Two things to note about this Thursday, Aug. 29:

• We will collect the buyout jerseys this Thursday at Hiawatha. We will have a table at the field from 5:30 to 6:30. More details to follow.
• We DO NOT have the field reserved this Thursday. Please check with your coach to determine the status of practice on that day.

Late Weigh-In
For those players who missed Jamboree:

We will provide your jersey and collect registration materials on Tuesday, Sept. 3 at the field.

Please plan on traveling Wednesday, Sept. 4 to the late weigh-in location (TBD). It will be a long night; players from other franchises also need to be registered. It is possible that we will conduct late weigh-in at a West Seattle location. Stay tuned.

Jamboree
Our franchise represented itself very well at Jamboree. Give yourself a hand. Also, if you have photos from Jamboree, email them to us.

Peewees
We are still looking for Peewees. If you know of any 9-, 10-, or 11-year olds that want to try football, send them to us.

Volunteering
Teams will need assistance with:

• Game clocks: each team will need at least one person (two is preferable) to run the clock for their team at our home games. It's easy and a great way to learn the game. 
• Filming the game: coaches love game film. Please consider taping the game for your team.

Schedule
I will post the game schedule as soon as I get it. I am not hoarding it.

Aug. 12 Update

A few updates as we head into the 2nd week of practice.

Parking
The street immediately south of Hiawatha field is a fire lane. It is illegal to park there. When full, it also makes it hard for coaches to carry the tackling dummies. For long-term parking, please use the West Seattle high school lot.

UW/Children's Study
If you have not done so already, please enroll in the Children’s Study. If you have any questions about the study, you can call Seattle Children’s at (206) 295-8019 or email them at NJFLStudy@seattlechildrens.org.

Selling old Jerseys
We are selling our old jerseys for $20. These are great practice jerseys. They will be available Tuesday at field.

Last Season’s Equipment
We are still collecting jerseys from last season. We have cross referenced last year's roster with missing jerseys. Players will be notified/asked today if they bought their jersey or have it at home.

Birth Certificates/Registration
We will collect birth certificates and other registration signatures/info the week of August 19 in preparation for Jamboree on August 24.

August 8, 2019 Update

Wildcats,

Our first practice is tomorrow at 5 p.m. at Hiawatha field.

A few notes:

• Come to practice well hydrated. This means drinking lots of water tonight. It's difficult to get well hydrated the day of practice.
• Bring your own sports drink or water bottle.
• Wear shorts, a comfortable shirt, and cleats if you have them. No football gear.
• Help the coaches carry blocking dummies to the field. 
• Be ready for the "All-in" meeting at the center of the field around 5:30 p.m.
• Be patient as the coaches work to get their teams organized.
• All equipment used last season, especially helmets, need to be returned and inspected. If you have a jersey or equipment from last season, bring it tomorrow. We will be sending invoices later this week for jerseys and other equipment not returned last season.

See you tomorrow.

July 22, 2019 Update

Wildcats new and old!

Wildcat Field Day is this Saturday, July 27 from noon to 4 p.m. at Hiawatha Playfield.

Come enjoy food, football, and friends. You can also meet coaches and teammates, run some drills, buy merchandise, and more.

It’s a great time for those considering junior football to come learn about the Wildcats' championship program.

Free hot dogs and drinks for any Wildcat wearing Wildcat apparel (jersey, fan gear, etc.). We'd love to see Wildcat graduates that have gone on to high school or college sports.

For Wildcat families new and old, there will be update and orientation at the top of every hour starting at noon.

We'll be weighing players on our official scale to ensure they are placed in their proper division. (All players must be weighed before receiving equipment.)

There will be registration help for those that have not registered for the 2019 season.

Bring your old cleats to exchange or donate.

June 16, 2019 Update

Wildcats!

The season starts in 57 days. Registration is open so sign up now to make sure you have a spot. Some divisions are filling while others need players to ensure we have a minimum roster by the jamboree. (See Minimum Roster Size below.)

If you have friends who are considering playing football, ask them to sign up now. Registration for the 76ers (flag and tackle) is $175. For 89ers – Seniors, it’s $300. Fees now include new pants for every player.

Parents and players wanting more info may visit us at West Seattle High School’s inaugural Youth Football Camp, this Saturday (June 14) at Hiawatha from 9 a.m. to noon. More info follows.

West Seattle High School’s inaugural Youth Football Camp
West Seattle high school football is sponsoring a youth football camp for ages K- 8 grade this Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon at Hiawatha field (2700 SW California Ave).

The Jr. Wildcats (us) will have a tent at the event. If you want to check your players weight, have some potential recruits, or just want a little more info, stop by and say hello.

The West Seattle Jr. Wildcats, West Seattle High School football, West Seattle Youth Rugby Club, and Seattle Lutheran High School football are collaborating and actively supporting each other in order to increase participation in both sports.

76ers Flag and Tackle Football
The 76er program now has flag and tackle football. Details about each program are below.

• 76er flag football: 5-year-olds are allowed to play flag. Flag players will play on the same day and time as 76er tackle football players.
• 76er tackle football: We have unlimited weights for 6- and 7-year-olds. (7-year-olds can play flag or 89er tackle if there is no 76er tackle football program.)

Cheer Program
We are looking for volunteers willing to serve on a cheer program committee. Specifically, to create a vision and sustainable structure for the program going forward. Send us a note (westseattlewildcats@gmail.com) if you are interested in serving on the committee.

Coaches
If you’re interested in being a coach for the 2019 season, send us a quick note. We are still looking for head coaches at the 76er and 89er level.

Board members are Retiring
Our 2018 board members are volunteering from the heart: they love this program, but they no longer have children playing. We are looking for a new crop of volunteers to keep our franchise alive. The outgoing board has done a tremendous job establishing a strong foundation: We are on sound financial footing. All our equipment is new. We've got a good group of volunteers. Now, we need new board members to steer the program. The 2018 board members will stay on to train the 2019 members. Visit our volunteer page for more information or send an email to Earnest Phillips to express your interest.

Minimum Roster Sizes
The league has increased the minimum number required for a certified roster. This means we need everyone’s help in recruiting. Here are the minimum roster sizes:

• 76ers — 8 jamboree/10 season
• 89ers — 14 jamboree /16 season
• Peewee — 14 jamboree /16 season
• Bantams — 14 jamboree /16 season
• Juniors — 16 jamboree /18 season
• Seniors — 16 jamboree /18 season

Also, 9th graders are ineligible to play in the NJFL. The league is committed to youth football up to grade 8. 9th graders are encouraged to play high school football.

Our League is Growing
The Ballard Jr. Knights, Interbay Eagles, Richmond Bulldogs, and Lake City Braves have all come back to the NJFL. We now have 13 franchises.

March 15, 2019 Update

Wildcats!

Here’s an update and information about important changes to our program.

New Website
We launched a new website. Same address: westseattlejrfootball.com, but more pictures and a better mobile experience.

Board Members Are Retiring
Our 2018 board members are volunteering from the heart: they love this program, but they no longer have children playing. We are looking for a new crop of volunteers to keep our franchise alive. The outgoing board has done a tremendous job establishing a strong foundation. We are on solid financial footing. All our equipment is new. And, we've got a good group volunteers.

Now, we need new board members to steer the program. The 2018 board members will stay on to train the 2019 members. Visit our volunteer page for more information or send an email to express your interest.

Registration
Registration is now open. We have two registration deals for you: March Madness and Early Bird.

March Madness registration is March 15 – 31.

• 76ers pay $100.
• 89ers – Seniors pay $250.

Early bird registration is April 1 – May 31:

• 76ers: $150
• 89ers – Seniors: $275

Regular registration is from June 1 – start of season

• 76ers: $175
• 89ers – Seniors: $300

Fees now include new pants for every player.

76er Program
This year we are offering flag football for 76ers. 5-year-olds are allowed to play flag football (not tackle). For 76er tackle football, we moved to unlimited weights for 6- and 7-year-olds.

Our League is Growing
The Ballard Jr. Knights, Interbay Eagles, Richmond Bulldogs, and Lake City Braves have all come back to the NJFL. We now have 13 total franchises.

Coaches
If you’re interested in being a coach for the 2019 season, send us a quick note. Each year we face teams with five to six coaches while our coaching staffs usually consist of two to three coaches. This year we want to even the numbers. Coach meetings start in April. Visit our Coach Requirements page for more information.

Cheer Program
We are looking for volunteers willing to serve on a cheer committee. Specifically, to create a vision and sustainable structure for the program going forward. Contact us if you are interested.

Rosters Sizes
The league has increased the minimum number required for a certified roster. (See below.) This means we need everyone’s help in recruiting. Here are the new minimums for the jamboree and season:

• 76ers: 8 jamboree/10 season
• 89ers: 14 jamboree /16 season
• Peewee: 14 jamboree /16 season
• Bantams: 14 jamboree /16 season
• Juniors: 16 jamboree /18 season
• Seniors: 16 jamboree /18 season

Also, 9th graders are no longer eligible to play in the NJFL. The league is committed to youth football up to grade 8. Ninth graders are encouraged to play high school football.

Lots of changes but all aimed at a better football experience. Feel free to contact us with any questions.