The Chicagoland Youth Football League (TCYFL) welcomes the Ela Jr. Bears

The Ela Jr. Bears are proud to announce their unanimous acceptance into The Chicagoland Youth Football League (TCYFL) as its 37th Member Community! TCYFL is the premier league in this area consisting of almost 9,000 players and 2,300 coaches on 390 football teams.  This unanimous acceptance by the other 36 TCYFL organizations included their generous offers to help the Ela Jr. Bears get a good start which is truly abiding by the TCYFL motto:  One Team, One family!

TCYFL has always been the leader in youth football for many reasons. TCYFL like every other youth sports programs are concerned for our player’s safety.  The difference with TCYFL is that we are ALWAYS going to be proactive and do something to continue to improve the way we protect our athletes. Our goal is to teach and educate every participant (players, parents and coaches) on how we can continue to keep our players safe.  TCYFL has a cutting edge Health & Wellbeing Initiative which includes a first of its kind proactive concussion awareness program.

Being accepted in TCYFL means that Ela Jr. Bears players will be the only kids in the area competing against the same teams they will face as they enter high school. While this may not initially seem important, we feel that the camaraderie and healthy rivalries that are present in high school are formed as youth on the football field. Do you know of a bigger rivalry in this area than that of Lake Zurich and Stevenson High School? We feel this helps to bond the players together and creates a motivation to work hard and play their best. We also believe that in order for healthy rivalries to form, a reasonable level of matched competition must exist. In the end, the outcome is high energy for those on and off the field and most importantly, the beginning of a lifetime of memories for all involved.

This was the motivation behind the creation of the Ela Jr. Bears program and we are honored to continue the tradition of offering competitive football for those who want to play local teams such as Barrington, Buffalo Grove, and Mundelein. We believe this higher level of competition has served our Lake Zurich Bears well over the years and it is our desire to continue to funnel high caliber kids into that highly successful program. Also, due to boundary agreements set up by TCYFL, the Ela Jr. Bears will be the ONLY team in the Ela Township area that will be able to participate in TCYFL and play these local teams.

We are looking forward to a great season and will have some exciting announcements coming up so be sure to follow us at www.facebook.com/elajrbears to stay informed and be the first to know! You can register online at www.elajrbears.com for K-8 football and find out more information about TCYFL and the other member communities at www.tcyfl.net. You can also email us at info@elajrbears.com for more information or specific questions.