a New Chapter of
Bremerton Football
by James J. Portune
bremertonfootball.com
With the closer of Bremerton Jr. High, formerly East High, at the end of last school year, 9th grade or freshman football moved back across the waters of Washington Narrows to be part of the high school program and 8th grade football moved up the hill to Mountain View Middle School.
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DUARTE |
On the playing field the team will look very similar to last years Bremerton Jr. High Bulldogs. The Mountain View student body, near the end of last school year, voted to adopt the blue and white Jr. High school colors as their own but wanted the ‘Squires’ to be their new mascot.
A squire in medieval times, according to Webster’s Dictionary, was “a young man of high birth who served a knight as an attendant or armor-bearer.”
“This new football program will be multi-year start-up process,” Duarte explained. “There was not enough money in the district budget for an entirely brand new program. So money was transferred from the jr. high pool, and the uniforms and equipment used by the jr. high were passed down to Mountain View. New uniforms and equipment will be forth coming in the future.”
Science teacher Rick Hayden, who led the Jr. High program for the last several years, moved up the hill to be the Squires head coach.
“Rick approached me near the end of last school year about coaching the Squires,” Daurte added. “He emphasized the benefits of having a coach on campus and I agreed with him.”
Rex Green, an English teacher at Mountain View, will assist Hayden this season, along with Dabbs McInnis, a ’83 Bremerton High alumnus and standout East Bremerton PeeWee football coach.
But do not go to Mountain View Middle School if you want to see the Squires practice or play a home game. They are down at the old Jr. High, practicing along side the high school freshman and varsity football teams.
“Football practice for all the school district teams has been moved to the old jr. high school athletic fields,” Duarte stated. “It allows us to have all the necessary equipment in one place, the Mountain View players to have access to the high school athletic trainer, and for Coach Gillam to oversee all of his football programs.”
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GILLAM |
In the school, there has also been a change at Mountain View.
“School spirit this year has been wonderful,” said principal Jerry Willson. “The overall activity in the school has stepped up and a lot more kids are stay after school for practice and to watch games.”
More students in the building after school equates to more adult supervision and parent involvement.
“Football is a very labor intensive sport,” said Mountain View Athletic Coordinator Steve Elligson, former assistant football coach under Bremerton High Head Coach Shawn Perkins. “There is a lot of setup before the game. Scorekeepers and a chain gang team are needed to make the game happen. And, I would very much like to get a concession stand going during home games. We have never had that at this level before.”
Parents, family or friends, interesting in assistant at the Squires home games can get a hold of the Athletic Coordinator by calling the school, at 473-0600, or email him at steve.elligsen@bsd.wednet.edu.
Today game will be played at Hawkins Middle School in Belfair, Wash. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
The Squires will be home next Wednesday (Oct. 3) for their first home game, to be played against the Poulsbo Panthers at the old Bremerton Jr. High football field.
“It is my hope,” concluded Principal Willson, “that the future principals that sit in this chair will continue to support the athletic programs and use it as a positive leverage to help the students succeed academically in school.”