WHEREAS, The Piotrowski Park Jets, a youth football team based out of Little Village, has concluded its sixth season of providing an active, positive environment for children of the 22nd Ward to thrive; and
WHEREAS, The Chicago City Council has been informed of this anniversary by the Honorable Michael D. Rodriguez, Alderman ofthe 22nd Ward; and
WHEREAS, Founded in 2001 by Carlos E. Brown, Sr. at Harrison Park, the youth football program has always been a family affair, with Carlos' children playing on teams when they were young, and eventually organizing and coaching their own teams as they grew older; in 2009, Carlos decided to step down and turn the program over to someone else; and
WHEREAS, In 2012, Carlos' son Fortunato returned from the Army and found the program his father built was lacking the same enthusiasm it had before he left - youth enrollment was down from 50 kids at the time he left, to 15 kids at the time he returned; and
WHEREAS, Fortunato and his father set about rebuilding the program, eventually growing it enough to develop inner-league teams in Harrison Park, La Villita Park, Dvorak Park, and, of course, Piotrowski Park; and
WHEREAS, While not all of the teams have lasted, the Piotrowski Park Jets are still going strong after six seasons, and each year between 55 and 70 children participate, ages six to 14, girls and boys; and
WHEREAS, The program fills several vital needs in the community, including providing fitness instructions and education to children, providing positive role models in coaching staff and team moms, and giving the kids a positive and a supportive environment that instills discipline and sportsmanship; and
WHEREAS, Close to 90% of the kids in the program go on to play high school football, and a handful have even gone on to play football at the College level; and
WHEREAS, The City wishes celebrate the success of the Piotrowski Park Jets, the players, coaches, and all who help make the organization a source of pride for the people of Little Village; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, gathered here this twenty sixth day of January, 2022, do hereby congratulate the Piotrowski Park Jets on their sixth season and thank the program for its many years of service to the community; and
MICHAEL D. RODRIGUEZ Alderman, 22nd Ward
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be prepared and presented to the Piotrowski Park Jets organization.