Youth

The 1964 Football Dodgers were undefeated and became state champions because the players developed their inherent talents through hard work, team loyalty, and personal growth. Their parents, teachers, and coaches encouraged them to build character, an old-fashioned term that signifies reliability, courage, strength, persistence, and intelligent, sportsmanlike competition.  In essence, they became better men by being a part of the Madison football program during those years. 

Here’s how their lives unfolded after leaving Madison High:

The Madison High School football team of 1964—anchored by the Class of 1965, supported by underclassmen, and guided by an extraordinary coaching staff—achieved something no Dodger team had ever done: They finished a season undefeated and untied.

It wasn’t an easy road. The path was marked by critical injuries, dramatic turning points, and pressure-packed moments that could fill a TV miniseries. Yet this team endured, pushed forward, and triumphed—bound by a commitment to each other, their coaches, their families, and their town.

This is their story—told through contemporaneous newspaper accounts, surviving game films, and the firsthand recollections of the players who lived it. It is dedicated to their teammates, including those who are no longer with us. It is a story of teamwork, perseverance, and shared will.