If you miss the Friday night lights and are itching to put the shoulder pads back on, the East Idaho Wolfpack football team may be exactly what you’re looking for.
The East Idaho Wolfpack is a full contact 11-man football team in eastern Idaho. The Wolfpack plays competitively in the Mountain West Football League, playing teams from Montana, Idaho and Utah.
Matthew Divesti is the general manager of the Wolfpack. He says his vision for the team has been the same from the beginning; creating what he calls a home for the members of his team.
“A lot of people, whether it’s after school, whether you’re in your 30s, you know have a desire to play, there’s a desire to put the pads on,” Divesti said. “And I don’t think a lot of people had a home or realize they did. And so that’s the biggest thing for us, and that was the vison from the beginning.”
Xavier Zecos, a running back and slot receiver for the Wolfpack, has been playing with the team for about a year and has felt that same camaraderie Divesti talked about.
“I think it’s just such a great outlet for us young men to come out here and play football,” Zecos said. “You know, do something we really love that we have a real passion for and kind of get out there, run around and have a good time. And once again, have that camaraderie with your teammates, create lifelong relationships with the guys out here you’re fighting tooth and nail with.”
This season’s head coach, Chance Newsome, has a full-time job and a family to take care of at home, but takes time out of his life for the sport and team that he loves.
“This is something outside of real life that I can come to that nothing else matters at that moment but playing the sport and coaching the sport that we love,” Newsome said.
The Wolfpack’s season starts this month, and you can tryout this weekend to be part of the team yourself. If you’re interested in playing with the Wolfpack, head to their open tryout tomorrow at 2 p.m. at Skyline High School in Idaho Falls to showcase your skills on the field.
To learn more about the team, you can find them on Instagram and Facebook.