League News and Updates

A youth football organization offering various levels of competition.

In 1963, Bill Pope, founding father of the league and president from 1963-1975, was able to get Bill George, Joe Fortunato, and Larry Morris (the Chicago Bears first string linebacker corps off of what was to be the 1963 Championship team) to travel from franchise to franchise to pitch the new league. While all Bears players committed to make cash contributions, Bill George was the only one to send money so Bill Pope named our League after him. The cash contribution to start the BGYFL was $100.00. The Chicago Suburban League was formed in 1960 and the BGYFL was created to be a “cut” league or “B” league for the stronger CSL. Over the next thirty years many towns morphed between the two leagues and or had teams in both leagues. Towns such as Northbrook, Glencoe, Glenside, Hoffman Estates, Hanover Park, Oak Park, Addison, Schaumburg, Glen Ellyn, Bensenville and Lombard were mainstays in the CSL. Meanwhile other communities began to emerge in the up and coming BGYFL such as West Chicago, Bloomingdale, Streamwood, Bartlett, Carol Stream and Wheaton. By the late 1980’s the Chicago Suburban League officially disbanded and the BGYFL became the dominant private league in the Chicago suburbs for over 60 years.

BGYFL maintains to be 100% volunteer organization providing one of the best, most competitive youth football and cheer experiences in the Chicagoland Western suburbs