The Port Jervis Youth Football League was orginated as the Port Jervis Pop Warner Football League in February 1959, through the combined efforts of Port Jervis High School football coach Joe Viglione and a nucleus of former high school football players which included Ed Rutan, Michael Sauschuck, and Paul Fitzgibbons, along with youth activities leader, Don DeVore, and sporting goods proprietor, Charles Woerner.

On August 26, 1959 The Port Jervis Pop Warner Football League was incorporated.  The certificate of incorporation  named the organization as THE PORT JERVIS POP WARNER FOOTBALL LEAGUE, INC..  Its purpose was to “organize, promote, and supervise a Football League for Boys of the ages of eight (8) years through thirteen (13) years, inclusive, and to develop good citizens by providing properly supervised football game competition for boys of the ages 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13 years.”

In addition its purpose was to “own and acquire land and equipment, and to erect and maintain buildings and units and equipment of whatsoever nature or description for corporate purposes and for the use and efforts of the members of the corporation in pursuance of this corporate purpose and for providing places of meeting for the members of the corporation.”

The charter stated that the territory in which it would operate was principally the City of Port Jervis, New York and Towns of Deerpark and Greenville, in the County of Orange and State of New York.

Offices for the organization were to be located in the City of Port Jervis and that the number of directors “shall not be less than six (6) nor more than twelve (12).  The names of the directors until the first annual meeting were: Edward Rutan, Donald DeVore, Michael Sauschuck, Charles Woerner, Joseph Viglione, and William Gregg.

These six (6) gentlemen signed the Certificate of Incorporation on August 26, 1959 with same being filed in the State of New York, Department of State on September 21, 1959.

The initial financial contribution came from the Port Jervis Elks Lodge in the amount of $250.00, and by September, the League had raised $1,000.00 through local merchants.

A schedule was drawn up with a starting date of October 4th and school officials were contacted for the use of Glennette Field.  The League, in search of competent coaches, came up first with Al Chase, a legend in Port Jervis High School football.  While other coaches selected were Ed Rutan, Ray Nicolette, and Ernie Jackson.

Registration was held with about 100 boys signing up.  Physicals were given by doctors G. Monteleone, H. Murray, and K. Wheeling who donated their services.  Ed Keshian and Harry Lynch were given the task of assigning the boys to four teams.

On October 4, 1959, the first Pop Warner Football League games were played with over 1,000 people in attendance.  The Cardinals won that game over the Steelers 27-0 and the Giants beat the Bears 14-6 in the second game.

During the 1970’s Cheerleading was added to the football league to give girls the opportunity to participate in the fall activity.

Today the PJYFL stands as a proud member of the Orange County Youth Football League (OCYFL) and we are prepared to celebrate 60 wonderful years in 2019.