By KEVIN ENDEJAN

Sports editor

He stands only 4 feet 6 inches tall and weighs just 76 pounds, but 10-year-old Jordan Oliver already has big aspirations.

“I want to be the quarterback of the high school team and I probably want to go undefeated,” he said.

If the soon-to-be Hillcrest Elementary fifth grader keeps up his current work ethic, that goal could become reality over time.

Since he was six, Jordan and father/coach Gerry Oliver have hit the football field and concentrated specifically on quarterback skills.

“We work at it all the time,” Gerry said.

For Jordan, being a quarterback was something he knew he wanted to do right away.

“The first time I started to work out and threw a ball I realized I was kind of good and I just kept working at it and I got better and better,” he said.

At age 10, Jordan knows seven different passing routes, all with variations. In addition to throwing seem, fade, slant, curl, corner and a variety of other routes, he also knows how to call three different audibles, or play changes, at the line of scrimmage.

For those who know football, that might sound like a lot for someone so young to take in, but not if you ask Jordan.

“I just like working out so I can get better,” he said. “I like throwing routes a lot.”

Jordan and Gerry take to the practice field twice a week for a couple of hours at a time during the summer and work on a variety of throwing and running drills with cones.

“We really focus on footwork and balance with him because that’s really important,” Gerry said.

All the hard work really started to pay dividends last year.

As a 9-year-old, Jordan threw for over 500 yards and had nine touchdowns while playing for the Oak Harbor Youth Football League Bombers — quite a feat considering running the football is generally the focus for kids that age.

“The Oak Harbor Youth Football League is more known for smash mouth (running), I tried to change it,” Gerry said.

The decision to switch the game up a bit paid off as the Bombers made it all the way to the conference championship, narrowly losing the title game.

Since last season Jordan has increased his arm strength and Gerry said he’s excited to see what can happen this year as he continues with the OHYFL Panthers in the Pee Wee league.

“It’s going to be interesting to see what he does,” Gerry said.

Despite the fact that Jordan can hit a receiver accurately at 25 yards and launch a ball as far as 35 yards, Gerry said that’s not necessarily where his strength as a quarterback lies.

“His strong point is his game management,” he said. “Just for his age he’s so smart back there — he’s just like another coach on the field.”

The Panthers, along with the six other OHYFL teams began their quest toward league titles this week as the first practices were held.

All OHYFL teams have a jamboree Aug. 20 and regular season games begin Aug. 27.

For more information on the OHYFL and to obtain schedules log on to www.eteamz.active.com/oakharborfootball.