History

In the spring of 1993, Steve Meier held several meetings in Belleville to see what interest there might be in starting a youth football program for kids in 4th through 8th grades.  In August, the Belleville Bobcats took the field for their first season, participating in the Dane County Area Youth Football League.  Forty-two kids participated and were divided into two teams.  Interest continued to grow in the program and in 1998, ninety-four kids participated and were divided into five teams.  This was the first year all players played at their own grade level.  In 2000, the Belleville High School football team would co-op with Albany.  The Bobcats would do the same, forming the organization Belleville-Albany Bobcat Youth Football Inc.  Eighteen Albany players participated in that first season of the co-op.  With the growth of the program expected to continue, a 7-member Board of Directors was formed to run and expand the program in the spring of 2007.  Upon completion of our 19th season in 2011, the program had one hundred and five players on five teams.  In early 2012, the Belleville-Albany co-op was dissolved.  The program decided to go back and use the original name of Belleville Bobcat Youth Football, Inc.  At the end of the 2017 season, after 25 years, Steve Meier retired as Director/President of the program.  For the 2018 season, a new organization was formed that combined the flag and tackle programs under the new name Belleville Youth Football Program, Inc.  A 9-member Board of Directors was established to operate the program for 4K through 8th grade players.  For the 2021 season, the program decided to have the 4th and 5th grade move to a padded flag program which allows us an easier transition from flag to tackle football.  For the 2022 season, the tackle program moved to a new league.  The 6th, 7th and 8th grade teams are now a member of the Badger East Youth Football League.