Join New North Jr. Knights and Cheer Program

REBEL February 8, 2013 at 12:39 am

WOW, I can't believe this has gotten so out of hand... a new program in this area in my opinion is needed, travel to the difference practice fields can be a nightmare on RT 83 or Monaville, not to mention the parking at Central Park. the board members of both organizations are less than stand-up people as well. I think the Colts should dump all their board members as the TW did with their last election. Time for a clean start for all the programs. RL, LV, GL are already divided with different subdivisions split down the middle going to differnt schools. LET EVERYONE MAKE THEIR OWN DECSION. stop being jerks!!! and by the way, I've known Jerry Pech for many years, and his primary goal with the kids is to make sure they keep playing football into their HS years, he even tells the players that 'eveyone must respect their teammates - no trash talking about each other!! - does that sound like a bad person/coach. And as far as I know he was NEVER banded from the Colts program, he left after his older son entered HS. I believe the move to the TW is because of the Washington ST divide -- north should play with the TW - south should play with the Colts..

LuvFB February 8, 2013 at 12:59 am

And you're just adding fuel to the fire, aren't you? PEOPLE LIKE YOU are the reason it has gotten so out of hand.

Sunshine February 8, 2013 at 03:40 am

The Knights won me over! I'm shedding the green for the gold because of their pettiness over this issue. It's a free country, I'll choose where my son plays. Thank goodness I'm smart enough to NOT believe your lies! As a parent, I do my own homework and suggest you do too!

WDF February 8, 2013 at 04:02 am

"You can't believe this gotten out of hand...." And then you finished with "north should play for TW - south should play with the Colts" sure a stupid comment coming from you, REBEL!!!

OoopsIDidItAgain February 8, 2013 at 04:07 am

To the handful of Colts board members who have created new anonymous ID's in the last couple of days just to trash this new program, you are an embarrassment to the families who have participated in your program over the years and to this community. Yet again a complete lack of integrity shown by a fraction of ethically challenged Colts board members. You might want to spend more time cleaning your own house and less worrying about the neighbor's house.

Sunshine February 8, 2013 at 04:09 am

In the TCYFL we play teams in Plainfield and Buffalo Grove! What's you point???

Sunshine February 8, 2013 at 04:28 am

Jenny - where did you hear that? Just curious...

OoopsIDidItAgain February 8, 2013 at 04:44 am

I think A Colt No More just hit that nail right on the head. That is what you guys on the Colt's board who have for some reason made a kamikaze mission out of attacking this new program can't seem to grasp. Your arrogance in your emails to parents about the Jr Knights and your updates regarding the Jr Knights instead of your own program on your FB page is not the way to keep families in your program. Not to mention what you guys are posting here anonymously. For every person that comments here there are 30 more who read your comments and don't say a word. Your behavior attacking another program says way more about the people on the board in your own program than the Jr Knights. BE AWARE indeed. Turn the cap lock off before you self destruct your program.

Jim Marshall February 8, 2013 at 04:57 am

I go back to the days when Rick Johnson borrowed $50,000 from State Bank of the Lakes via a home equity line of credit to start the Timberwolves program that broke away from the Antioch Vikings (The Evil Empire...a name they gave themselves. they even had it on their coaches shirt. They were some funny guys). Boy, those were some wild times back in the Junior Football League of Northeast Illinois (JFLNI).

Jim Marshall February 8, 2013 at 04:59 am

As populations grow, the growth and expansion of youth sports programs do the same. I coached for the Warren Township Youth Football League. That program use to be called the Gagewood Packers.
A little history lesson. -The Waukegan program was called the Chiefs, but wore the Chicago Bears colors. -The Gagewood Packers wore the Baltimore Colts colors. -And believe it or not, Grayslake Colts wore the New York Jets colors and owned the hands down, coolest Kick'en Colt logo ever in youth league sports. -Fox Lake Cardinals, at least they had their colors right. :)

Jim Marshall February 8, 2013 at 05:01 am

The Gagewood Packers eventually became the Warren Township Packers and when Bob Hood left we changed the name to the Demons because demons were "Little Devils".
We grew the Warren Township program from 2 Pee Wee, 2 Featherwieght, 1 Lightweight, and 1 Heavyweight that all played on Sunday's, no Saturday football back then. If folks wanted to play on Saturday, you took your kids to the Libertyville Boy's Club program and played "in-house" ball. We grew that WTYF program to 2 Bantam (Saturday), 4 Pee Wee (2 Saturday, 2 Sunday), 4 Featherweights (2 Saturday, 2 Sunday), 2 Lightweights, (1 Saturday, 1 Sunday) 1 Middleweight (Saturday), 2 Heavyweights (1 Saturday, 1 Sunday). We worked with the Waukegan Chiefs to make sure kids had places to play football. Beach Park started a program. It eventually failed, but I can see them bring that back and cutting into Warren's head count.

Jim Marshall February 8, 2013 at 05:02 am

I think what all of you are missing is this is an excellent opportunity for Lake County Youth football programs to come together and form a new league. I never understood the appeal of the TCYFL, never have and never will. I certainly never wanted to wake up and drive to Plainfield for a game, but that's just me.
The TCYFL has never done anything for the Grayslake Colts. And they never will. It's all about being the biggest youth football league in the nation, not necessarily the best. Why do you think they go through so many departures and subsequent additions almost ever year. Heck, the Lake Zurich Flames just left. Geoff Meyers own program got tired of his antics. Although I hate to see the demise of what people have grown up with and know from their past to be "the way things should be", change will always happen. If the North Jr. Knights folks think it is in the best interest of their kids to leave the LV Timberwolves, GL Colts, and I think it will eventually affect the Round Lake Panthers program then have it. As long as they do it for the kids and not their own egos. I just don't understand all the bickering

Jim Marshall February 8, 2013 at 05:03 am

If you guys are really all that choked up over having school specific feeder programs, then why are you playing in a league with programs you will rarely if ever
play in high school? So here ya go folks. GL Colts and LV Timberwolves, let'em go. Your programs will live on. North Jr Knights folks, good luck, do it the right way, and don't cut corner when it comes to the kids. Pool your resources, reach out to Waukegan, North Chicago, Zion, Westosha (why not, they're close and good folks), Antioch, Round Lake, Mundelein, Fox Lake/Grant, Crystal Lake, Prairie Ridge, Vernon Hill (probably very tough to get them, but you should try), McHenry, and lastly for my Colt friends, Buffalo Grove. There is a nice two division league with Saturday and Sunday football and a heck of a lot less travel. Please feel free to discuss.

Jim Marshall February 8, 2013 at 05:16 am

Oh, and for those who say, why would we let Waukegan, North Chicago and Zion in?, They can't pay their dues now?
Because, you help those who may be less fortunate than you. It's the right thing to do. It teaches your kids a good lesson in leadership and civic duty to help the larger community we all live in. It doesn't mean they won't ever be able to pay their dues. Back in the JFLNI days they were able to pay dues. The economy was better then and a lot more people had jobs. Some day this economy will get better, hopefully, and more people will have jobs for such things. In the mean time, we help each other.

changehappens February 8, 2013 at 06:12 am

I don't understand why the Jr Knights would be different from any other feeder program? Each of the following communities have one high school and one youth football feeder program...many of which represent the same mascot as the school.
Zion Waukegan North Chicago Warren Grant Vernon Hills Round Lake Prairie Ridge From what I understand, Antioch could (or already has) become the feeder for Antioch High School. Crystal Lake is splitting into three different programs in order to become feeders to their high schools. This is how Prairie Ridge came into existance. They were originally Crystal Lake players. Most of the Timberwolves end up going to Lakes High School. The split is already out there and it is created by school district lines, not youth football programs. As communities change, programs will change. Half of the Fox Valley Conference (GNHS) youth will play in the IYFL this year, and the other half in the TCYFL. A local league would be great for the kids and a whole lot of fun....I just don't think the adults could accomplish it at this point.

Sunshine February 8, 2013 at 06:41 am

I can't agree more with this article. Having an athlete in the Fox Valley Conference, it's time we build our specific feeder programs to compete with Prairie Ridge and Cary-Grove at the HS level.
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130207/sports/702079651/?fb_action_ids=10200476568185148&fb_action_types=og.recommends&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582

Jim Marshall February 8, 2013 at 01:28 pm

Sunshine, Grayslake schools do not compete with PR, CG and other Valley Diviosn schools. They are in higher classes in the IHSAA. That is why the Fox and Valley Divisions exist in the Fox Valley Conference. Yes, there are the occasional cross-over games and CL South games, but they clearly do not compete with those programs.
The real shame is the GL schools should not even be in the Fox Valley. We are in line with schools in the Prairie Division of the North Suburban Conference and should be there.

Sunshine February 8, 2013 at 02:21 pm

Jim, I realize they don't compete head-to-head. When I say "compete" I'm talking about competing in reputation. Sorry, my point wasn't that clear. Also, I thought that GL (now Central) was in the NS Conference once upon a time. I could be mistaken - going from memory which is not what it used to be. :)

Resident February 8, 2013 at 02:54 pm

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Jim Marshall February 8, 2013 at 04:50 pm

@Sunshine: No, GHS was a founding member of the Northwest Conference. Members were basically West Lake County. I think McHenry was as far west as it went. I think that is why when that league broke up and grayslke had an opportunity to join the NS they went to the Fox Valley instead. bad decision, yes, but water under the bridge now.
Antioch being the exception was in the North Suburban with Warren and were huge rivals. There was a time, 60s/70s when Grayslake and Warren played a non-conference game together and it was called the Route 45 Bowl. Grayslake also played Mundelein for a short period too.

Jim Marshall February 8, 2013 at 05:14 pm

I will say this, if the NjrK gets off the ground, playing in the Illini is a good move for them. They will have success, and that appears to be important.
Personally, I have never been a fan of these crosstown rivalry games at the youth level. I think they are very counter productive for the kids and community. There is enough divide in Grayslake ever since the high schools and feeder basketball program and now even how the baseball is split. It's too bad really. I have seen it first hand. I my own daughters have struggled with it, and if you know my daughters, you know they are tough both physically and mentally, so that has nothing to do with it. I have witnessed it many times how the kids react to the bad behavior of the parents. When schoolmates and friends are playing against each other, it can be difficult just not after a loss, but feeling bad for a friend you just beat, but all along you were just playing to have fun and some parent had to come up and say something about beating the other team blah, blah, blah. It's the parents that 90% of the time can't let it go.

GL Resident February 8, 2013 at 06:57 pm

Youth football as their "only ticket to college"? Maybe our young athletes could be guided to try studying something besides x's and o's?

Resident February 9, 2013 at 07:21 pm

GL Resident yes COULD BE THEIR "only ticket to college" is correct .."youth football" incorrect. the comment made was that hopefully there would be no bias from the high school coaches who would also be invloved in the junior knights program, when choosing players for the high school team. Because colleges look at high school student to recruit. Maybe you are well off enough to be able to be able to send your child(ren) off to college. But in reality not everyone in GL can do that. Some families actually depend on scholarships and some on athletic scholarships to give their children the opportunity to go to school like they wish they could have or like THEY DID.
Now thank you for your comment. This is the real reason I took down all my comments, because of ignorance. Everyone has an opinion but only sees their side, not many people step outside the box and think or care about anyone else before they make smart comments.

JC February 13, 2013 at 03:27 pm

Hope to see you all at the North Jr. Knight early registration on February 23rd from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Round Lake Civic Center. 2007 Civic Center Way • RLB (off Hook Drive, behind Home Depot) Your are going to like what you see!

Cheryl Wessely February 21, 2013 at 03:20 am

So my husband just came home from a Colt's Coaches meeting and guess what? Sure enough he came back with all the propaganda I'd already read on here. Information such as that this league has been started by coaches who were voted off and something about Lake Villa background checks. I asked him how much of what he was repeating he knew as fact. Uh huh.

Sunshine February 21, 2013 at 03:38 am

I can tell you 100% that what he heard was NOT fact. I wish the Colts would stop spreading such lies and propaganda!

GoJr.Knights February 24, 2013 at 12:52 am

I think that it's very sad that grown adults act like three year olds. If you're so worried about why your players are leaving to go to the Jr. Knights, take a look in the mirror because you're obviously doing something to encourage the switch. Worry about yourselves and prove to your players that you don't need rumors and lies to keep your program going.

Ed Brown February 25, 2013 at 09:00 pm

It is about boundary control. When timberwolves came into the TCYFL they were pulling kids from all over the area which took kids from Round Lake HS, Grant HS, Antioch HS and Grayslake HS in addition to Lake Villa HS. Their acceptance into TCYFL was based on mutual boundary guidelines. These were difficult concepts for timberwolves to accept and they refused to draw the lines at the high school boundaries as was the recommendation from Grayslake Colts. Those boundary meetings were with the same guys creating this new league; the same guys who were against following simple boundary guideline in their old league.
So here are where the difficulties will be because the timberwolves will continue to use Lake Villa D41 boundaries. Colts will continue to use D46 boundaries as agreed through TCYFL. The Jr. Knights will try to take a slice out of both elementary districts and all three programs will have diminished kids playing and what will it look like? Disinterested kids who find they cannot compete at at competitive level against other community programs which will hurt the high school programs and we only need to look at Round Lake HS program to see what happens when you have boundary problems and a weak 'feeder' program. 1/3 may play for TCYFL - Timberwolves 1/3 may play for TCYFL - Colts 1/3 may play for IYFL - Knights And that is the kids that would go to GNHS. Long road ahead and the high schools will see the results in 5 years.

Jerry Pech February 27, 2013 at 12:32 am

Ed you conveniently leave out feeder programs at Cary Grove, Prairie Ridge, Jacobs, and coming next year separate feeder programs both Crystal Lake High Schools. OF the 14 teams in the FVC, 11 currently have feeder programs like we are building. Only the 2 D127 schools and Woodstock HS do not. I am not sure how close you follow HS football, but CG who has had a direct feeder program for some time is pretty successful year in and year out, regardless of whether or not they have a stud player. The years leading up to the arrival and immediately following Valdivia how successful was the GCHS program? Only time will tell how GNHS will fare without Fish. Another example conveniently left out of your argument.
If the RLHS example is the best you can do, then the Colts irrational fear is based on the exception and not the rule. Quite frankly I do not understand why the Colts don't try to become a direct feeder for GCHS and the Twolves for Lakes. BTW having teams aligned with a local HS solves your boundary issue. Finally, your thinly veiled personal attack on my fellow Jr Knights is at least not done anonymously like fellow Colt member "T W Coach", but just like T W, it is without merit

Ed Brown February 27, 2013 at 02:39 am

Thank you Jerry for your feedback. I was presenting a fair assessment of the boundary concerns from that point in time. It translates to the demographic sustainability. I don’t know what the magic number of student to football player ratio is for a sustainable program other than what exists today. I believe a youth program needs a balance of development and competitive purpose or the program does a disservice to the community and the athletes. That means programs need to support for good balance and growth two teams at each level heavy weight and light weight and based on junior/senior student body numbers – these are the current student/player ratios:
Prairie Ridge – 19% Cary Grove – 18% Jacobs – 14% Crystal Lake (South/Central) – 9% • Crystal Lake Central – 20% • Crystal Lake South – 17% Lake Villa – 23% Grayslake Central – 23% Grayslake North – 21% Woodstock feeder – 17% • Woodstock HS – 33% • Woodstock North – 35% Crystal Lake splitting into two programs should be sustainable; Woodstock ratio seems too high and but has not been tested. Boundary control will not likely be achieved since Jr. Knights didn’t apply to the TCYFL where it would best monitor and controlled. So here is what I see the student-player ratio to be for these three programs: Timberwolves – 17% Colts – 17% Jr. Knights – 62% That is my assessment – time will tell but that will take 3—8 years. I am glad there are passionate people with kids in mind.