For brothers Andrew and Nathan Swan, Friday night under the lights was far more than another football game—it was the realization of a dream. Selected as the Junior Wildcats for Wilsonville’s playoff matchup against Southridge, the two elementary-aged athletes experienced an evening they will carry with them for years.

The Junior Wildcats program offers young athletes a rare opportunity to step into the cleats of their heroes. It provides a behind-the-scenes look at what it means to wear the Wilsonville jersey, feel the energy of game day, and take pride in representing their community. As a fourth grader, Andrew Swan recalls, the invitation came as a complete surprise.

“Ms. Cutting bought us tickets and called to tell us the news,” he remembers. “We didn’t know what the Junior Wildcat program was, but she explained that we’d get to spend the day with the Varsity football team. We were so excited that we ran to Target to buy all the Wildcat gear we could find.”

Head Coach Adam Guenther leads the program with intention and enthusiasm. “They can come in and spend a ‘day in the life’ of a Wildcat,” he explains. For the Swans—and many others—this includes attending the 3:15 walkthrough, joining the 3:45 team dinner, participating in Chapel, standing on the sidelines during warmups, and remaining with the team for the full game experience.

Coach Guenther emphasizes inclusion every step of the way. Junior Wildcats call signs during warmups, sit with players during meals, and talk freely with athletes throughout the night. Yet the most unforgettable moment, he notes, is often the energy of the Randall tunnel.

“They love the tunnel because it’s the loudest, and everyone runs out together alongside the sound of roaring fans, the shouts of cheerleaders, and a whole section of your peers.”

But the program impacts more than the younger athletes—it also shapes the current team. Varsity players are encouraged to recognize the weight of their influence.

“Always take time for the little kids,” Guenther tells them. “If a kid is sitting there with a pair of gloves or a football, you can take 10 seconds and change his future.”

Varsity player Luke Crowley feels that truth deeply. “It’s nostalgic to have younger athletes on the sidelines because I used to be one of those kids,” he says. “It’s cool to be on the flip side and be a role model. I remember looking up to my brother, Nick, who started on Varsity his freshman year.”

The Swans felt that mentorship immediately. Andrew admired the Wildcats’ “effort, hard work, strength, intelligence, focus, and consistency,” adding that players like Roman, Ben, and Riddick “helped us with a lot of things.”

Guenther appreciates how the efforts of his Varsity boys are received from young athletes like the Swan boys, and emphasises the importance of brotherly leadership demonstrated throughout Wilsonville’s football program. “I love the Mighty Mights,” Guenther begins, “But they (young athletes) don’t care who I am; they care about the guys they see out there playing the game. They see the Riddick Molatores, Roman Kealohas, Keona Tams, and Luke Carlis–those are the guys they’re looking up to.”

Nathan, a second grader, chimed in with the simplicity and sincerity only a young athlete can offer:

“They had really good catches. When you get hurt, you just have to get right back up. That’s what the guys would do.”

Throughout the evening, the boys didn’t just watch the game—they became part of it. Every huddle, high-five, and sideline conversation reflected the unity and mentorship that define Wilsonville athletics.

Coach Guenther believes strongly in the partnership between the high school and youth programs. When he arrived in 2010, he found little consistency across youth playbooks. Today, he sees cohesion as essential.

“Our youth kids are a big part of what we do. They’re vital to our existence,” he emphasizes. Learning the Wilsonville system early prepares young athletes for future success. “I want to be able to pull a 6th grader out of their huddle and put them with the Varsity team, knowing they understand exactly what we’re talking about.”

But Wildcat football is about more than athletic training—it’s about character. Respect is a foundational principle of the program, taught from elementary flag football through Varsity.

“Ask one of our youth players what it means to be a Wildcat,” Guenther says. “To us, respect is the baseline of success.” Varsity athletes echo the same standard: “first class, and do your job.”

That expectation guides how players conduct themselves on and off the field. “Don’t ever do anything to embarrass the ‘W,’” Guenther tells his team. “Don’t embarrass yourself, your team, your family, or your school.” Referring to Wilsonville as the ‘W,’ Guenther alludes to a motto that both he and the team practice. 

Varsity athletes take that responsibility seriously. Players like Crowley and Brayden Arsenault engage with younger athletes intentionally—asking about their seasons, sharing encouragement, and ensuring they feel included.

Arsenault, in particular, makes it a point to instill the fact that “football is not where your identity lies,” reminding boys that there’s more to football than white and blue jerseys; there’s a badge of pride and integrity you wear as a Wildcat, and uniquely, Wilsonville fosters the shaping of one’s character to the same extent as athleticism.

Awestruck by the entire experience, Andrew reflects on his evening with a smile, “I really liked being in the locker room. We got to go to Chapel, and Coach Guenther gave a little chat. It was beyond our expectations.”

Experiences like these leave lasting impressions, planting the seeds of future leadership. For many young Wildcats, one night on the sidelines becomes the moment they begin imagining themselves in a Varsity jersey.

The program’s impact has even sparked ideas for expansion. Arsenault recalls shadowing Wilsonville’s baseball program as a youth athlete—an experience that shaped his own path. He believes similar opportunities could extend to other sports, supported by district-wide fundraisers that benefit cheer, baseball, basketball, wrestling, and more. These auction-based experiences not only raise funds but also help youth athletes discover the programs and communities where they feel most at home.

For the Swan brothers, their night on the sidelines was more than a thrill—it was an invitation to dream bigger. Watching the Wildcats compete through the playoffs, they felt part of something larger than the scoreboard: a shared purpose, a sense of belonging, and the spirit that makes Wilsonville athletics exceptional.

Over the course of 16 years, Coach Guenther has been a part of shaping Wilsonville to a high degree, and in response, he states,

“I’m very proud of where I’m from, and what we do.”

But the heartbeat of the Wildcat community is strongest when generations come together—when mentorship becomes inspiration, and when one unforgettable night reminds everyone why they fell in love with the game.

Coach Guenther captured that spirit in a favorite memory. “After we won the first state championship, I went to give an interview to a reporter, but a herd of little guys came up and tackled me,” he recalls with a laugh. “It was the best thing ever.”