Forrest Perkins is one of the most important figures in UW-Whitewater athletic history. His profound impact on the university’s football program is engraved through his 185 wins in 29 seasons as the team’s head coach. But during his second season at the helm, one decision he made at a Sept. 23, 1957, small-group gathering altered the trajectory of the program forever.

Exactly 67 years after that first meeting, current head coach Jace Rindahl met with Warhawk football fans at Badger Bob’s in Delavan to celebrate and support Perkins’ creation, which is now known as the UW-Whitewater Football Quarterback Club. 

“It’s a vessel for the UW-Whitewater football team to get out, attract fans, and acquire donations and sponsorships so that they can take a lot of the pressure off of the athletic department,” Warhawk football radio host Josh Golberg said.

Many people, especially UWW students, do not understand the significance of the QB Club as it relates to the school’s football team. The volunteer-based booster club uses memberships, sponsorships and donations to fundraise over 65% of the team’s annual budget.

“People think, ‘you got everything, you got a deep well of unlimited resources,’ which is not true at all,” Rindahl said. “People are unaware of how much effort it takes to fundraise and to be able to pay the bills so we can provide a great football program for the university and the students in particular.”

Yet, as Rindahl and his co-hosts, coaches, and players take their seats to begin every Monday night QB Club meeting, the focus is not on the unaware individuals. Instead, it is on every member, sponsor and fan that have contributed to the cause.

“I think the DIII football world is about building relationships,” said Golberg, who normally hosts the Monday night show alongside Bill O’Leary. “The parents are certainly die-hard fans, and it’s cool to go through and then make those new connections with either businesses or people in the area that want to donate.”

During that first meeting 67 years ago, eight individuals met at the home of former QB Club President Alan Rogers with the intent of forming an organization to help support UWW’s football team. According to the club’s website, Warhawk football fans in the community showed an immediate response of interest, and the club’s first official meeting was held Oct. 3, 1957, at the Whitewater Lake Inn.

Similarly to how the Monday night show is held today, early meetings consisted of socializing with Perkins and other Warhawk football staff and players. Rindahl may be the football team’s fifth head coach since the booster club’s first meeting, but he oversees the club with the same mentality and purpose that Perkins founded.

Rindahl continues to prove that Perkins’ legacy continues to live on in not just the football program and their success, but also the program’s fundraising that contributes towards a lot of its success.

“[Forrest] leaves beyond the fact that he originated it– his idea of the community and university coming together for the purpose of supporting the program,” Forrest Perkins’ son Jay Perkins said. “When they talk about the theme of the athletic program being ‘powered by tradition,’ the fact that he was able to put his stamp on it early on and get it going, and then the people that have succeeded him bought into the vision and have been able to keep it strong.”

The aid from members and sponsors help fund a majority of the team’s vital items and trips. As Rindahl describes the organization, the football program operates like many high school programs, where they only receive a specific amount of money from the university’s governing body. Items include equipment, technology, player nutrition, and non-conference away trips.

“A portion of fees goes to different things on campus, and [the football team] gets money, but it’s not enough to run the program,” QB Club Treasurer Joyce Follis said. “If it wasn’t for the Quarterback Club, they wouldn’t have some of the stuff they have today.”

Members and sponsors have their own respective three-level membership systems. Regular members can donate either $100, $250, or $500 towards the cause, and sponsors can donate $250, $500, or $1000.

The legacy of Forrest Perkins is not the only one embraced through the club. A member who donates over $1000 in a season is rewarded with the Tommy Lange Legacy Membership, honoring the longtime volunteer and contagious personality who passed away in 2022.

“Lange was like an uncle,” Rindahl said. “I cannot do the justice of explaining him and who he is, but if you were around with Lange, you would know exactly what I’m talking about.”

Donors also receive benefits varying on how much they donate. These benefits include an exclusive subscription to the weekly Head Coach’s Newsletter, an invitation to Warhawk football’s annual golf outing, top of press box access to every game, and more.

On top of the incredible amount of financial support that the QB Club offers, it provides a gateway for the community to directly interact with the Warhawk football team. The Monday Night QB Club Show, hosted by Golberg and O’Leary, allows for Rindahl, assistant coaches, and players of the week to socialize with fans.

“[The show] is always fun after a win,” Golberg said. “Talk about the program within the community, and talk about coach Rindahl, and how much these assistants are killing it, and the hours that they put in and bringing the recruits in that they are to help keep this train moving. I love being a part of that.”

The offensive and defensive players of the week on both the varsity and scout teams also get the opportunity to speak in front of everyone and share their stories at Monday meetings. This understanding and connection between the players, as described by members of the organization, is unlike any other across all NCAA divisions.

“I think [the show] is awesome for the players,” Rindahl said. “They get to be interviewed and be on the microphone, and their family members can hear their interview through online streaming services, so that’s great for them to interact with supporters.”

People involved with the QB Club emphasize that the organization is not only about funding the football program; it’s also about building a strong community and giving fans a chance to interact with spotlighted players and coaches.

“It’s one of the things that make Whitewater a special place,” Jay Perkins said. “There’s such a good relationship between the people of the community and the people of the university. It’s really a powerful thing.”

The QB Club means more to the Warhawk football program and the Whitewater community than some people understand. It allows for the program to receive enough financial support to be successful, and as a result, it allows for the community to celebrate that success.

“The people in charge are always putting the program’s needs as top priority,” Golberg said. “If that wasn’t happening, and they weren’t motivated properly, it would be very hard to maintain that level of elite status that Whitewater football has gotten to.”

Anyone who is interested in joining the QB Club can visit their website, where you can donate and establish your membership.