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BPD Officers Coach BJSA Winning Teams

BPD’s Lieutenant Mark Elbert has coached Bellevue Junior Sports Association (BJSA) football for 7 years. His teams have always had winning records and this year was the second that the team he coached went undefeated and won it all. His team of nineteen 8-10 year olds call themselves the Chieftans. They won all ten games to become this season's BJSA football champions. Coach Elbert is the team’s defensive coordinator; the head-coach is Bellevue resident Mike Plambeck.

The team with the second-best winning record of BJSA was also coached by BPD officers. The head coach of the Giants is BPD’s Detective Ducker. He’s assisted by BPD’s Officer Stuck. The Giants are 7 & 2 for the season, losing this season's opener to Elbert’s Chieftans. Both coaches agree that playing sports teaches kids about life, about completing tasks and that the sooner kids learn how to compete, the better off they’ll be as adults. Coach Ducker added, "I always tell kids that it’s very important that you give 100% in everything you do in life. If you do, things will take care of themselves. I always tell my son (a Giants player), with sports, you’re going to lose some, as long as you give 100%, in a sense you’re still a winner."

Coach Elbert also pointed out that as coaches of BJSA football, not only is it an ideal opportunity for them to volunteer for their community, but that he and Coaches Ducker and Stuck give the kids an opportunity to view police officers in a different light.

Photo: Coach Elbert and Chieftans, click the photo to enlarge.