Preparing Young
Athletes for Success
Where Champions in the Classroom Become Champions on the Field.
North Side Elite is a competitive travel football team serving young athletes in the North Shore and surrounding suburbs. As a dedicated feeder program, we focus on the physical, mental, and social development of our players to ensure they are prepared for high school competition. Proudly part of the Chicagoland Pop Warner League, we emphasize character, commitment, responsibility, and excellence both on and off the field. With experienced coaches and dedicated volunteers, we create opportunities that pave the way for success in football and beyond.
Safety first
Having Fun
Knowledge of the game
Building meaningful relationships
A Sense of community
better, Faster, Stronger
Our program provides a safe and positive environment that encourages hard work, competition, teamwork, sportsmanship, leadership and personal growth. North Side Elite follows the Pop Warner guidelines for age-based play (no weight restrictions on players). The age groups are determined by a birthday cutoff on July 31
What To Expect...
Practices
NSE football practices will be Monday through Thursdays from 6:00pm – 8:00pm beginning on July 15, 2025. On August 18, practices will be moved to Tuesdays through Thursdays to help athletes balance school and football. The first week of practice is especially important, as Pop Warner requires every athlete to complete 10 hours of conditioning and fundamental drills before practicing full contact with helmets and pads. Full practice schedule will be released in the coming weeks.
All this information will be given at the parent meeting.
Gameday
Our regular season schedule will consist of 8 games, one each weekend beginning the last weekend of August. Our home games will be played at Wheeling High School, on their state of the art turf field. NSE games will be scheduled on Saturdays or Sundays. The youngest team will generally play first and the oldest team last.
Pop Warner strives for entire organizations to compete against the same rival organizations during the same weekend when playing away, promoting team unity and a stronger sense of community.