Kevin Pardy

Springfield Buzzards

Defensive End / Team Owner

2001 - 2021

Born in Minnesota and raised in Madison, South Dakota, Kevin Pardy has been in football pads since 1978.  An All-State selection as a tight end in 1988, Pardy walked on at the University of South Dakota and earned a scholarship and his number...81.  That would become his "identity" on the football field his entire semi-pro career.

Making his way to Oregon, the former tight end who always envisioned himself as a middle linebacker in high school, found semi-pro football and a chance to finally be a defender.  Pardy wasted no time in becoming a problem for quarterbacks and coaches as a defensive end.  "I love chasing quarterbacks". - Kevin Pardy, (2009).

Starting out in the National Nine Man League (NNFL) out of Eugene, Oregon, Kevin played for the Springfield Wildcats from 2001 to 2005.  Unsatisfied with the direction of the Wildcats organization, Pardy and teammate Wyatt Ledbetter created their own entry into the NNFL and the Springfield Buzzards were granted a spot in 2006.  When asked about the name "Buzzards", Kevin was quoted: "I hate extreme sport names like the Edge or Storm, and we didn't want some thug-like name.  You see plenty of buzzards as you're driving down I-5, it just seemed appropriate that we're from Springtucky".  With a quote like that, it's no shock, Pardy was named most humorous and class clown his senior year of high school back in Madison, South Dakota.

By 2007, Pardy had created a championship team, much to the chagrin of future friend and coach of the Buzzards, Chris Rutter who was a member of the Eugene Knights.  As a coach, Rutter had "the issue of trying to figure out how to have my team try to block him".  Kevin required double teams from his defensive end position in every league he played in.  Twice named NNFL Defensive Player of the Year, Kevin was a perennial all-league performer during his nine-man run and on into his 11-man career.

Double-dipping, Kevin had made the unique move to not only operate and play as co-owner of the Buzzards, but also playing in the Oregon Football League (OFL) on an 11-man squad with the Oregon Outlaws, winning back-to-back OFL Championships in 2006 and 2007.  Kevin remained with the Outlaws through 2008 as the now-37-year old defender earned GNFA All-Region honors three consecutive seasons as well as OFL All-League first team defensive accolades.  In 2010 Kevin tied for 5th in the OFL with seven sacks.

His Buzzards franchise continued to grow and became an integral part of the newly aligned Pacific Football League covering Oregon and Washington.  Pardy and the Buzzards were a constant thorn in the sides of the Portland Monarchs and Portland Raiders ending the Monarchs undefeated 12-0 season of 2011 with a stunning 24-14 playoff upset.  If the Monarchs, and later the Raiders didn't win the league...it was probably the Pardy-led Buzzards that knocked them out of the playoffs.

From 2011 to 2016 the Buzzards never missed the playoffs and sported one of the toughest defenses in the Northwest.  Pardy was named the Pacific Football League Defensive Player of the Year in 2011 after the age of 40.  The Buzzards again knocked the Monarchs out of the playoffs in 2013 before falling to eventual GNFA Champion Bellingham in the PFL championship.  Kevin and the Buzzards made another appearance in the PFL Championship in 2016 falling in overtime to the Raiders 24-21, the second overtime game with the Portland squad that season.

Following the collapse of the PFL and a make-shift independent season in 2017, Springfield joined the Pacific Northwest Football League in Oregon and immediately won back-to-back PNFL championships in 2018 and 2019 with an overall record of 15-1.

Kevin Pardy played his final game in 2019, primarily due to the Covid shutdowns that hit Oregon in 2020, hanging up his cleats at the age of 49, a multi-year All-League selection and League Champion, most taking place after his 35th birthday.  Kevin was diagnosed with ALS or Lou Gehrig's Disease and is currently battling the illness for his wife and son Boston.

Kevin Pardy is emblematic of that South Dakota upbringing that rewards hard work and doing things the right way and following your passion.  For nearly 20-years, he has led by example on and off the field and has created a lasting legacy with the Buzzards program that his teammates will continue to uphold in the post-Covid future.

      Chris Rutter on Kevin Pardy:

"Kevin Pardy also wanted to see the Buzzards become a non-profit organization so he can give back to the community by helping kids to pursue extracurricular activities.  Kevin believes it's a crime for a kid not to play due to a lack of money. Whether it's Pop Warner, volleyball or band, he believes that every kid should have a chance to pursue their dreams. His idea was to set up scholarships and contracts, 'they'll have to earn.'  To this day, we still honor that dream he started by having numerous charitable functions like the toys for tot’s game, backpack drives, canned food drives, and other such events aimed at the goals Kevin set out early in the Buzzards formation. I served proudly with Kevin through his time as a player, spectator and a owner, but more importantly I call him a friend."

Coach Rutter announced on November 11, 2021 that the #81 would be retired by the Buzzards organization in recognition of his over 20-years in Northwest Semi-Pro football.  Pardy would also be the first member inducted into the Buzzards Ring of Honor.

Honors

2x National Nine Man League Player of the Year

2008 GNFA 2nd Team All Region

2008 OFL 1st Team All League

2009 GNFA Honorable Mention All Region

2009 OFL 1st Team All League

2010 GNFA 1st Team All Region

2010 OFL 1st Team All League

2011 GNFA 1st Team All Region

2011 PFL All-League

2011 PFL Defensive Player of the Year

2012 GNFA 2nd Team All Region

2021 Buzzards Organization Retired Jersey #81

The Original "Dirty Bird"