1999 - 2008
10 Seasons of www.BearcatFootball.com !!
Getting Started...
BearcatFootball.com was created in the fall of 1999 to be a fan-site for the Huntingdon Bearcat high school football team. The site was also intended to be a showcase of website development for Raystown Computer Solutions (RCS) a store owned by myself (
Mike Sellers Sr.) and Cliff Isenberg. The website was promoted largely through word-of-mouth the first season. We had several local businesses willing to purchase advertising to support the website costs. BearcatFootball.com's content was approved via the coaching staff, primarily head coach Jim Zauzig. The site was always affiliated with the coaching staff and not HAHS or it's administrations.
Thru the Years...
Cliff and I laid the ground work for the website in the fall of 1999. Cliff had a large banner made that we displayed on the former visitor's press box. I began photographing the Bearcat games and providing recaps on the website. A year or two later, I moved to the sidelines to get better photos, videos, and audio content. I've been on the sidelines and in the locker rooms ever since.
The ever popular "Fan Forum" has been a part of BearcatFootball.com from the start. It has evolved through the seasons into the community sounding board that it is today.
It seems that anytime a hot topic hits the streets of Huntingdon, it quickly makes it's way into the Fan Forum for discussion and lively debate. The topics vary from: the play of the team, past history, reminiscing, town news, HAHS issues, and the highly anticipated pep talks from the HokieBearcat (Cliff Anders.) Fans have told me through the years that they either love it or hate it, but many make a daily or weekly stop to read the posts.
In the early years the band and the cheerleaders had their own sections on the site. It became evident as time went on that their fans were a tough crowd to please. Others pointed out that the focus should remain on Bearcat Football, so the coverage of the band and cheerleaders was reduced to game day photos...
Special Thanks...
Special thanks goes out to many for making this website a success the past ten years... Coach Zauzig for allowing us the opportunity and for all of your support; the assistant coaches for all the "inside tips" and "the Prowl" through the years; Cliff Isenberg for getting it all started; Chad States for his press and stats contributions; Chad States and Jeff Norris for helping me with yardage and stats on the sidelines; the Fan Forum supporters, esp. BearcatDad, CatFan, CatDad, HokieBearcat, Pop1yes, DaveBurman, Belinda, 1990cat, aFan, VoiceOfReason, Hunt.Grad2002, theTuna, Meg, and all the other anonymous posters through the years; and to all you Bearcat football fans. I have met so many players, parents, and fans through the years thanks to BearcatFootball.com... THANK YOU ALL!!
the Webmaster...
Sometimes there is confusion (especially with newcomers) as to who "the webmaster" is... The webmaster is me - Michael Sellers Sr. (far right in the photo.) I am the son of David "Pete" Sellers (left in the photo,) former Bearcat head coach and assistant coach, and I am the father of junior receiver and d-back Michael Sellers Jr. (middle in the photo.)
I was introduced to Bearcat football in the early 70's when Dad was an assistant coach for Andy Radi. Several of us "coaches sons" were brought to pre-seasons practices to hang-out, annoy the players, and sometimes assist the managers with their duties. My brother Craig and I were pretty good at all three. Some of my early memories include...
Witnessing "the Immaculate Reception" in Three Rivers Stadium with the Bearcat seniors and coaches in 1972.
Meeting former coach George Weaver for the first time and asking my Dad if he was Charlie Weaver from the Hollywood Squares game show.
Watching the "rinks" take beatings in the 70s on the bus to the middle school for lunch.
Collecting NFL Gatorade caps from the glass bottles and eating salt and sugar tablets like candy.
Coach Radi working game officials with the zeal of Woody Hayes.
Coach Cecil Jackson's motivating leather belt.
Being a ball boy for the great team from 1977.
Being a sophomore punter for the great team in 1980 and scrambling for a first down on a bad punt snap against Tyrone when Dad was yelling "kick it!"
Rich Smucker's 99 yard touchdown being called back because Tom Couch had two mouthpieces and he was "deceiving the referee." LOL
Kicking field goals my junior year to help win games.
Driving to Riggles Gap early on Saturday mornings to have the game films developed.
Painting the inside of the locker room before the 1982 season.
Playing Bearcat Football!
In the fall of 1983, I left Huntingdon to play football for the Warriors of Lycoming College. I returned off and on to see the Bearcats play in the mid 1980s. I moved back to Huntingdon in 1990 to settle down and get married to my wonderful wife Gina (a teacher in Mount Union High School.) In the early 1990's Gina and I became regular season ticket holders to the Bearcat football games. We especially enjoyed following the 'Cats in 1998 on their road to the final four! I truly feel that team of Bearcats resurrected Bearcat Football and energized the program to a higher level.
With the arrival of the new computerized scoreboard to War Vets Field, I was asked by coach Zauzig to maintain the software that runs the advertisements on the display board. Before each home game I trek to the press box and update the ads for that game.
Taking into account the early years at the field house, I believe I have 32 years wrapped up in Bearcat Football so far (not bad for someone who is only 43.) So that's me in a nutshell... the Webmaster...