If I have heard it once, I have heard it 1000 times.

This is never been about me and what I do. It's not my team, it's the community's team.

When you play football at West Branch, you have some pretty fair expectations placed on you.

-- Work hard when on the field.
-- Be prepared.
-- Hi, weight room. My name is ____. We are going to best friends.
-- Expect to win, and do so with honor.
-- When you score, hand the ball to the official.
-- When you knock somebody down, pick them back up.
-- When you are not in uniform, you are still in uniform. Act accordingly around the community.
-- Support other school programs.
-- EXCEL IN THE CLASSROOM.

Throughout the above list, which is in no way completely definitive, you notice that there are as many - if not more - off the field expectations than on the field. Coach Butch Pedersen has always recognized the importance of WE and not I. Being the head coach of the Bear football program for 32 years, you can see how passionate he is about the school and town of West Branch.

"West Branch has always been a football community." says the head coach. "But I always stress (to his players) that the classroom and the community are more important than a football playbook."

One of the ways the football program has given back is by offering gifts of support to other teams and activity programs within the school district. In the last two years, the football program has humbly offered donations to the following:

-- Baseball
-- Volleyball
-- Marching band
-- Show Choir
-- Track and Field

"I think it is a show of support to these teams and programs." Pedersen says. "Those kids work hard at their competitions and in their games. They deserve support and we will continue to do so because it's important to give to the kids in our community."

I have heard over and over again around the community that "football has everything given to it." Let's be very clear here: football EARNS everything given to it. Here are some the things the football team has done for itself:

-- Purchased new uniforms
-- Purchased carpet and paint to update the press box at Oliphant Street Field in 2014
-- Purchased helmet stickers
-- Purchased all field/game day equipment/yard markers
-- Built storage shed near track/practice field for storage (Track and Field humbly offered to use it for storage as well)

Most high school programs have jerseys purchased for them. Most have necessary equipment purchased for them. Most press box revisions/updates are taken care of by the school district. This statement is not an indictment of fault within the athletic department or West Branch Schools. On the contrary, it is just providing a glimpse at how fundraising efforts and a strong community bond can help alleviate spending pressure on a school.

"Our kids work hard to earn the things we have." Pedersen states. "We do a fundraiser each year so we can buy necessary practice equipment. To continue to play at a high level, you need to keep your tackling dummies, blocking sleds, and other items up to date."

Not every football program is able to afford such items. It helps the Bears to continue to be one of the best Class 1A programs in the state.

"If you can help alleviate spending pressure on the school that's pretty big." says Pedersen, an Iowa Football Hall of Fame member. "We have a wonderfully gracious community that loves to give to all programs. Being a beneficiary of those offerings is very humbling."

The clear message of giving back has never been lost on Coach Pedersen or any of the 1000+ kids he's coached through the years. I remember a message on the first day of practice my freshman year: "If you're only learning football from us this year then we are not doing our job right."

And, there it is again. We. Community. All of Us. Pedersen gets it.

"We are never going to be about what I or any of our coaches or players do." He exclaims. "It has never been about that since I started coaching this team (in 1983). It always has and always will be the community's team."

So I guess it is 1001 times now.