East Ridge Athletic Association

East Ridge High School is proud to announce that Mike Pendino has been hired as Head Football Coach.   Mike brings more than 25 years of coaching experience and educational leadership to the Raptors.   He served as a collegiate level assistant coach for 15 years, including six years at the University of Minnesota.   He was also the Head Football Coach and a business education teacher at the Academy of Holy Angels in Richfield for 8 years.   During his tenure, Holy Angels won two conference titles and advanced to two state tournaments.  Mike was instrumental in the development of future collegiate and professional players that included Larry Fitzgerald, Jr. (Arizona Cardinals) and John Stocco (University of Wisconsin). 

 Most recently, Mike served as Assistant Coach/Offensive Coordinator at East Ridge in the inaugural 2009 season.  He is also Director of Security on campus.    Mike is described by colleagues and students as passionate, organized, and a great motivator.   A meet-and-greet event with Coach Pendino will be held on Thursday, April 29, at 6:30pm at East Ridge High School.    Refreshments will be served, and details about the summer calendar will be discussed.

Youth from the local area will fine tune their skills during an exciting football season with the East Ridge Athletic Association Football (ERAAF) program.

Flag fees are $85 and Tackle fees are $145.

The football program will run from early August thru late October.  Practice times and game schedules will be available closer to the start of the season.  Player evaluations will happen at the end of July.

To participate in the football program, you must live in the East Ridge High School boundary area or obtain an “exception” from the ERAAF Board prior to registering.  If you would like to obtain an exception to the boundary rule, please contact Steve Dwyer, Director of Football, at shdwyer1@hotmail.com for details.  The philosophy of the football program is to provide a sound foundation and refine skills for all levels.

Click here to register!

The goal and philosophy of East Ridge Athletic Association Football is to bring the communities of Cottage Grove, Newport, and Woodbury together as a single group of people, for the purpose of growing the East Ridge High School community and culture through sport.

The benefit of such a program, and philosophy, is the growth of future leaders who have learned to work together for the success of a team, even though, they come from different backgrounds and communities.  We want our athletes to be successful in sports and in life.

Expectations for our young people in the ERAAF program are as follows:

E – Excel – at everything you do in sport and school.  Go beyond the

                 ordinary!

A – Attitude – a positive attitude will help you through tough situations.

S – Strength – be strong and stand for the things you believe in.

T – Team – no one player is better than another when you achieve success.

R – Respect – your parents, your friends, your teachers, your coaches, and 

                     most importantly, YOURSELF!

I – Integrity – do what is right all the time.

D – Dignity – win with grace and lose with grace.  Your actions speak louder

                    than words!

G – Goals – set standards that will improve your team and yourself.

E – Energy – passion for competition and challenges in life will help you

                    succeed.