Many thanks to Stephen Mudd who is the Historian and Author of this excellent document originally produced by David and Doreen Sheppard in May 1994

More Than Just A Football Team

Well here we are nearing the completion of our publication on the history of the Leeds Cougars, and having read the complete story to date you may be surprised to find an extra chapter tagged neatly onto the end. What more can be said which could add to the story? Well the Cougars are much more that a senior football team and any publication detailing the history of the club would not be complete without a brief mention of the other groups which fall within the general umbrella of the Leeds Cougars. Football is now so much a way of life to many people that it was only natural for groups of fans to form various organisations in order to enhance their enjoyment of the game, and the following briefly describes a few such groups:

Leeds Cougars Juniors

Info just in from Paul Anderson : The actual way the Juniors formed was by a phone call to myself from Pete Simpson asking me if my Junior team would like to go up on a cold Autumn Sunday afternoon for training .

My team the Pudsey Patriots with about 30 players went up and once Pete realised there was enough youth interest asked if our team would change its name to Leeds Cougars Juniors and form the beginning of the Juniors which went on one year later to win the Junior Super bowl 42 nil against the Manchester All stars Juniors at Wigan St pats ground ( When Dave Hadden was the coach )

He then advertised for any other young players to come down to Soldiers Field .

Other info from Paul : I was the first Junior to come through the ranks and make the seniors I was Quarterback for the J cougars in 86 when we won the JuniorSuper bowl 42 nil against the Manchester All stars Juniors at Wigan St pats ground ( When Dave Hadden was the coach ) . I graduated up in 88 as a third string QB but to get game time and so to learn more I stareted out at Corner back #22 and was given individual training by Dan Moore as because of my age at the time he took me under his wing the next person to move up was Steve Newton LB( his nick name was Blue given to him by Dan Moore on a coach ride back from playing the infamous London Ravens which I think we lost 26-6 if memory serves me right )
 
Info below is from the original source again :

With football becoming established in the UK within the very early seasons it was an obvious step to set up Junior sides as young supporters began to take the game seriously and expressed their wishes to play competitive games rather than to be content in watching the action. Teams began to recognise that Junior sides would be the way to ensure teams continued to thrive, as they would provide the youngsters with much needed experience, enabling them to graduate to the senior side and thus provide continuity of players for future years. Of course, organised competitive football would also provide the youngsters with the required level of safety and hopefully prevent serious injuries which could occur if games were not properly supervised

And so it was at the Cougars that in 1985, following advertisements in the senior game day programmes, a group of young enthusiasts got together to form the Cougar juniors, in the hope of catering for those too young to compete in the senior game. With senior football still trying to find its feet and become established it was therefore natural that the initial year was spent learning the games basics, under the watchful eye of many senior players. The initial training sessions attracted a large turnout of hopefuls but as we have heard with the seniors, the training routines and weather soon saw the numbers trimmed to the hard core of truly dedicated footballers.

Dedication was to be the foundation on which the team was built and 1986 saw the Cougars playing in the Junior American Football League (JAFL) where, under the coaching of Dave Haddon, they made an immediate impact on the game. The idea of the juniors was to allow the youngsters to emulate their heroes and so it should have been no surprise when they really did the club proud by becoming Northern Champions, with a team featuring players who were to become well known in years to come, names such as Steve Newton, Richard Hanby and John Williams to mention a few.

The Junior game in general was on the increase, and in keeping with the senior game there were many ideas concerning just which way the game was to progress. Clubs were being asked to make decisions with no real long term plans, and so in 1987 the Juniors declined to play in the Two Touch League as they concentrated on their preparations to play full kitted competitive football. A year out of the game could have proved disastrous, but with the coming of the British Youth American Football Association (BYAFA) in 1988 the Cougars showed they had not been wasting their time. Continuing to build on the success of 1987, and under the guidance of new Head Coach Pavlo Andrusiak they proved to be one of the great forces within the Junior ranks, on their way to finishing the season ranked third nationally.

As with all teams there comes a time where circumstances change, leaving members fighting battles off the field as well as on it. These are the days when playing standards do not live up to expectations, and so it was in 1989 with the team having an in and out year which saw the squad almost fold due to lack of funds and players. Thankfully the problems were short lived as 1990 heralded a resurgence, and a new management/coaching team plus many new players saw the start of a new era of youth football in Leeds.

Since 1990 the Cougars Junior side have played 41 games to post a 26 - 12 - 3 record, as once again they are recognised as a force within the game. A particularly impressive 14 - 4 - 2 Home record has left opponents under no illusions as to just how hard a game they, face, despite the usual warm and hospitable Yorkshire welcome. The club have reached the play-off stages of competition every year with the exception of 1993, when by a strange quirk of fate they posted their best season record (6 - 2 - 0) but still missed out. Solid football has laid the basis from which to move forward with 1991 producing a well deserved divisional championship in a season which saw several players honoured. Playing for the Great Britain Crusaders, Simon Dwyer Hayden Rawson and Daz Milner become part of history as the squad became the first to beat American opposition when they were victorious 39 - 9 over Lakenheath High School and 40 - 14 over team USA

Success has not been limited to just these shores as Simon Dwyer has since gone on to play and study in the 'States and in 1992 several of the Cougar Juniors went Stateside with the Crusaders. With Stuart Cliff, Darren Kerwick, Paddy Michaud, Hayden Rawson, Simon Oliver and Ian Rutherford making the trip in 1992 and Stuart Cliff, Duncan Milner and Stuart Ennis included for 1993 the Junior side has been well represented at International level.

The adjustment between the senior and junior football is often underestimated, but the Juniors produced by the Cougars seem to have little difficulty in making this step. The fact that so many seem to make the grade must bear testimony to the commitment dedication and skill of both players and management alike as Steve Newton, Peter Brook Simon Dwyer, Paul Goodward, Rob O'Reilly, Mark Sephton, Richard Hanby, Graham Hanby, Richard Heighton, and Craig Barningham have all made the grade.

The prospects for the future also look rosy with Paul Hoiden and Anthony Dean currently training alongside the seniors as they hope for their breakthrough into the senior ranks, and the next couple of years will see even more coming through.

Players close to the end of their Junior years include Duncan Milner, Stuart Cliffe, John Newman, and Paddy Michaud with each one of them sure to press for senior squad recognition, as will Darren Kerwick and Daz Milner (current), coaching and playing Defence at the University of Teesside once they finish their College days.

In 1994 the Juniors will once again play competitive football with Home games taking place at Fearnville Sports Centre. The season will follow the senior season, running from August to October and any senior fans who have not yet witnessed the excitement and commitment of the youth squad need only turn up to be assured of a warm and friendly welcome.

Leeds Cool Cats.

As with all football clubs there comes a point when supporters, who are hopefully growing in numbers, begin to demand more information regarding the players and club in general. The Cougars were no different as the initial games in 1984 generated the interest from which to launch a Supporters Club, through adverts in the 1985 season programmes, which promised information of the club, players and souvenirs. So initially running the club themselves the Cougars began to recruit the basis of the membership which was to build into the Club which thrives today under the name of 'Leeds Cool Cats'.

Information in the early days tended to be on a 'need to know' basis with small sections of notes in each game day magazine as the Club offered discounts on merchandise and travel as major benefits. Continuing to run the supporters club into 1986 saw numbers if members settle around the 40/50 mark before a concentrated recruitment drive increased that number to well over a hundred for the start of the 1987 campaign, leading to the Club becoming a separate operation from the football team.

Naturally a successful football club will attract more fans, and so following the excitement of the Premier Division season the membership grew steadily throughout the initial National Division season of 1988 to reach a peak towards the end of the 1989 season which saw the Cougars fall only one game away from Bowl glory. Unfortunately, numbers since have fallen as team performances have often failed to live up to expectations and today the supporters club consists of the real hard core and long term supporters.

With numbers increasing there became a need for more information to be passed to fans during the now regular monthly meetings and so, in March 1988 the first edition of the now long running Newsletter saw the light of day. Produced by various individuals the Newsletter has gone from strength to strength and contains a great variety of information as it attempts to keep all abreast of happenings in and around the club.

The years have seen many individuals freely giving time and effort in a variety of ways with the aim of helping the club to support the Cougars. These individuals are too numerous to mention and to single out a few would be unfair Suffice to say that all efforts have been appreciated and each one has made their own unique mark on the history of the Cool Cats.

We are renowned for being one of the best supported clubs in the country. The Cool Cats travelling army often outnumber the Home supporters. They are well respected and received throughout the length and breadth of the country as being knowledgeable and fair, always ready to accept and acknowledge good play from both their heroes and their opponents, even though one or two officials do not have the knack of giving decisions which the fans feel to be correct? Obviously, like all fans, they prefer to see their team winning, but even when times are not quite so good they continue to encourage their team throughout the hard times. Good friends have been made on away travels, and the fact that so many teams like to engage in fixtures against the Cougars is testimony to events both on and off the field.

The Cool Cats pride themselves as being part of a club which constantly works with the aim of helping the football team to be successful as they raise much needed funds through raffles, functions, jumble salesetc., currently working towards the raising of an initial £1000 to enable the Cougars to bring over an American Quarterback to lead their 1994 campaign, the club members have played their part in helping both senior and junior squads in the past as once again we see all portions of the club working together towards the common goal.

Regular meetings have always been part of the supporters club philosophy as this enables people with a common interest to meet socially throughout the year to talk about both the domestic and American games. Regular guest speakers plus the attendance of coaches and players allow fans to raise any questions or observations and answer queries. Membership of the club is open to any genuine supporter and the regular monthly Newsletter will keep members informed of all the news within the club even if they cannot attend the meetings. The youngsters are not forgotten either as the under 16's are enrolled in their own Kitten/Young Cat Club.

Currently the supporters club holds its meetings on the first Wednesday of the month in the clubhouse at Farsley Celtic FC and anyone thinking of joining can pop along to any meeting where they are assured of a warm and friendly welcome. So come on! Don't just sit in the stands and moan, come along and have your say on anything you feel could be improved, after all, you only get out of the game what you put in!, and the fans have as big a part to play in the success of the team as do the players.

Leeds Blue Cats.

Give me a C, give me an 0, give me a U, - you've got it! The Leeds Blue Cats are the Cheerleader squad on the sidelines at all Cougar games as they attempt to encourage the players and supporters with their well rehearsed routines. They are a welcoming sight and are every bit as dedicated as the men they cheer on. As long as I can remember they have always been there, not always the same faces, and on one occasion they went under a different name (does anyone remember 'The Chuckettes'?) but nevertheless the blue and gold colours have a reassuring air about them.

With the advent of the game in this country, female fans, wives and girlfriends of the players began to follow the domestic game, having seen the American version on television. The razzmatazz of the American game was an obvious big attraction and wishing to become more involved many teams suddenly found themselves with Cheerleader squads as the girls attempted to become part of the action. The girls carry out their duties for the pure enjoyment of the game and there's a big difference between cheering for a team on this side of the Atlantic to cheering in the 'States. The whole business is better established over there and to some extent is built on glamour.

Cheerleaders can use their time on the sidelines as a stepping stone towards advancement in their careers, and it must be remembered that Cheerleading for the NFL teams is a full time paid profession. On the other hand, the British Cheerleaders art is still in its infancy and it's not particularly glamorous as yet, although the lost few years have seen the emergence of competitions and championships in an attempt to gain public awareness. Conditions are not particularly good, with little in the way of sponsorship which, as the girls mostly have to finance themselves, bears great testimony to their dedication and commitment.

Sitting in the stands it is all too easy to dismiss the Cheerleaders as just another part of the games entertainment but next time you see the Blue Cats in action spare a thought as to just what it takes to be a member of the squad. Basically it takes a lot of commitment, a lot of time and a lot of hard work.

Regular practices have to be attended, routines and chants have to be learned thoroughly and they have to be fit with a lot of stamina - Remember, the Cheerleaders are in action for the full sixty minutes plus pre-game and half-time routines! All this would be hard enough, but then they have to have the confidence to carry out the routines before a large boisterous crowd, wearing what can only be described as a rather skimpy outfit.

Things do not always go according to plan either, as more than once the music for a routine has been mis-cued and a recent survey on the weather indicates that the best days fall mid-week with the odds for the worst weather being heavily stacked in favour of Sunday. The Blue Cats can surely confirm this as the number of times they perform routines in the pouring rain are too many to recount but true to the dedication shown throughout the club they just get on with the job in hand.

The girls need to have a basic knowledge concerning the game as only those who understand what is happening on the field can realise when that little extra bit of encouragement is required or when they need to keep quiet, as in the case of injuries.

Many teams have seen their Cheerleading squads lose interest with the result that they have ceased to operate, an action they must now surely regret. Travelling squads of Cheerleaders are now being hired for games, but with no specific allegiance to the team how can the fans identify with them? The Cougars on the other hand believe in complete integration of all elements and the Blue Cats have become part of the family, well liked and respected. They have appeared at various functions and events as they continue to publicise themselves and the team, and they have even been asked to Cheer at the Home Games of Leeds United FC.

In conclusion, the Blue Cats are every bit as important as all the other segments of the club although they don't always receive the recognition they should. Hopefully we have outlined the hard work and dedication required, so the next time they go through their routines let's give them the hand they deserve.