By Kiara Doyal, The Seattle Medium
When Jessica Shubin learned that the newly formed Bethel Bison Youth Football and Cheer program was putting together a 6U tackle football team, she saw the opportunity her son, Jio, had been looking for after playing flag football, and she quickly began reaching out to other families to help make the team a reality.
The Bison are in their first season as an organization and as a member of the Washington Youth Football League (WYFL), meaning Shubin and the other families aren’t simply joining an established program. They’re helping create one.
“In a lot of ways, all of us are learning together. We aren’t just a team transitioning into a new league; we are a brand new organization building everything for the first time while also learning how the league operates,” said Shubin. “There has definitely been a learning curve, and I think we are all still finding our footing.”
For Shubin, the opportunity began with Jio. She had spent a season coaching him in flag football, where he developed a love for the sport and became ready for something more.
“He wanted the pads, the contact, and the opportunity to continue developing his skills,” Shubin said. “The difficult part was finding something appropriate for his age that could meet him where he was developmentally and give him that next step.”
When Shubin learned Bethel was working to establish its first 6U tackle team, she reached out to families she knew from flag football, particularly the family of Jio’s best friend, Elliott.
“I started reaching out to some of the families we knew from flag football, particularly my son’s best friend, Elliott, and his parents. They were immediately on board and wanted to be involved too,” she said.
What started with a few families quickly became a team effort. Elliott’s dad, Javier, became head coach, his mom, Casey, became the 6U head cheer coach, and Jio’s dad, Joseph, joined as an assistant coach.
Building a full roster, however, proved challenging. As Shubin and other parents recruited players, some families ultimately decided not to participate. Some were hesitant about the commitment, while others had concerns about putting 5- and 6-year-olds into a contact sport.
“Some families weren’t ready for the commitment, and others were understandably nervous about putting their five- or six year old into a contact sport. There were definitely moments when we were afraid the 6U team wasn’t going to happen at all,” she said. “At one point, the organization even reached out to ask whether our boys would be willing to play up an age division if we couldn’t build the 6U roster in time. We really wanted to avoid that because the whole reason this team mattered to us was giving kids this age a place to learn and develop alongside other kids at the same stage.”
Shubin and other parents continued recruiting, speaking with families and answering questions about what 6U tackle football would look like. Shubin said the coaches and program emphasized teaching fundamentals, proper technique and safety from the beginning.
“It wasn’t about convincing parents that their concerns weren’t valid. It was about helping them understand the emphasis our coaches and program put on proper fundamentals, safety, development, and teaching these kids the game the right way from the very beginning,” said Shubin. “Having a 6U team gives those kids somewhere to develop their skills in a structured environment with coaches who can teach them proper technique and safety from the start.”
After the uncertainty surrounding the roster, the team came together with 14 young players taking the field in Bison uniforms as the organization’s first 6U team.
“And now, after all the uncertainty about whether we’d even have enough players to field a team, seeing 14 little boys put on their Bison uniforms and take the field together is pretty incredible,” said Shubin. “They’re not just learning football. They’re learning teamwork, discipline, confidence, resilience, and how to be part of something bigger than themselves.”
Shubin’s work did not end once the roster was filled. As team mom, she serves as a connection point between coaches, families, players and the organization, coordinating schedules, volunteers, parent communication and team activities so coaches can focus on the players.
“I joke that being team mom means being a little bit of everything! A big part of my role is keeping everyone connected and making sure the little details are handled so our coaches can focus their time and energy on developing the boys,” she said. “I also work full time on top of being team mom, so a lot of what I do for the team happens before work, after work, during evenings, or whenever I can find the time.”
Shubin has also used the role to begin creating traditions for a team and organization that did not inherit any. One is the team’s weekly Player Spotlight, which recognizes a player at the final practice of each week.
“At the last practice of each week, one player is recognized and presented with a special jersey that I made. That player gets a shoutout with a spotlight post on our team Instagram and then gets to serve as a team captain at the following game alongside our quarterback,” she said. “I want it to be fun for the boys and not just hard work all the time.”
For Shubin, creating those experiences is part of building the kind of program she hopes players and families will want to return to. Her involvement has also led her to consider how she might contribute beyond the 6U team in the future.
“I’ve enjoyed being involved with the program so much that I’ve already inquired about the possibility of taking on a board position next season,” she said. “Being a team mom has given me an opportunity to see where I can contribute beyond just my own child and our individual team, and I would love the opportunity to continue helping the program grow and creating a positive experience for more Bison players and families in the future.”
For now, Shubin’s focus remains on the 14 boys experiencing their first season together. More than wins and losses, she wants them to remember how being part of the Bison made them feel.
“The boys, without a question, are what I enjoy most about being a team mom. More than anything, I want them to remember this season and remember how it made them feel,” said Shubin. “I want them to remember putting on their Bison uniform, running onto the field with their teammates, celebrating each other’s accomplishments, being recognized when they’ve worked hard, laughing together, and feeling like they belonged to something special.”
As the inaugural season continues, Shubin hopes the team’s first year will leave something behind for the players and families who follow.
“At the end of the season, I hope we can look back and say that we built something worth continuing,” she said. “And for the program, I hope this first 6U season creates a foundation that continues to grow. If I’ve done my job as team mom, I hope the parents felt supported, the coaches were able to focus on coaching, and most importantly, every one of our boys felt like they mattered to this team.”
