Youth football team honors teammate

The Elburn Lions youth football team was a blaze of pink for a recent game at West Aurora High School.

An early touchdown by Tanner Robertsen, No. 24, gave them a big boost as they kicked the mud off their cleats for a 21-0 victory against the Batavia Bulldogs.

But their uniforms inspired more than the score.

With October as breast cancer awareness month, the fifth- and sixth-grade players added some pink to the traditional green and white.

"The other teams have given us a hard time for wearing pink socks -- we show it on the field," said Jack Coyle, No. 25.

The boys were the first team in the Aurora SuperStars league to wear special pink socks during a game.

Tanner started the trend three weeks ago when he decided to run plays in pink socks in honor of his mother and grandmother, who both battled breast cancer.

The entire team joined their teammate, wearing pink socks for the remainder of the season.

"I think it's pretty cool that the whole team is supporting my mom, grandmother and everybody else (who has had breast cancer)," Tanner said.

Donna Robertsen is a breast cancer survivor, and her mother is nearing the completion of her course of treatment.

Elburn Lions coach Jay Strang says it demonstrates character that the youths will support their teammates and a good cause.

"It takes a little bravery for middle school kids to wear pink socks, and they wear them with pride because they know what it represents," Strang said.

Organizers said they may suggest next year having the entire Aurora SuperStars league wear pink during October.

Tanner's dad, Mike Robertsen, said his son has seen NFL players wear pink, and Kaneland High School sports teams have been wearing pink socks to raise funds for the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

"We want to see the boys develop skills out of the program that will carry them through life," Mike Robertsen said.

"This is a perfect example that we are getting much more out of this than a football game."