Tackle football for girls now in place

Published in the Daily Gleaner on August 13, 2008
Appeared on page B1

The Capital Area Minor Football Association is branching out along gender lines.

For the first time, the Association plans to offer a new female tackle program aimed at players between the ages of 14-17.

Providing the coaching will be members of the Capital Area Lady Gladiators who play in the Maritime Senior women's league.

First practice for the girls teams is scheduled for Sept. 2 with the season ending on Oct. 25. Cost to register is $100 and that includes all equipment except for footwear. The plan calls for teams to practice twice weekly with one game per week.

As has been the case, the association continues to offer a series of programs including bantam (ages 14-15), middle school (12-13), mosquito (9-11 allowing for girls 9-12) and squirt (ages 6-9 including girls 6-10) flag football divisions.

Registration and equipment fitting is scheduled Sunday from 6-10 p.m. at both Willie O'Ree Place and the Hazen Park Centre located adjacent to the Oromocto Mall.

Registration costs for bantam, middle school and mosquito is $175. Cost to play in squirt is $125. All tackle players will be required to make a $50 deposit on equipment by chequed dated Oct. 31.

Three teams includng Fredericton Junior Black Kats, Oromocto Junior Blues and Northside Junior Lions will make up the bantam division this fall. If the numbers warrant, a fourth team will be added.

Teams play an eight-game regular schedule plus playoffs on Wednesdays and Sundays. There's also tentative plans of playing games against teams from Maine in a series of exhibitions. Training camp for this level begins Aug. 18. The provincial bantam championship slated Nov. 9 will be held at UNB's Chapman Field. The N.B. winner will also host the N.S. champion for the Maritime title Nov. 16.

Six teams make up the middle school division including George St. Crusaders, Albert St. Eagles, Nashwaaksis Nordics, Devon Wildcats, Oromocto Panthers and Oromocto Tigers. Students attending any middle school in the area are eligibile to play at this level. There's hopes of forming a seventh team called Les Gladiateurs with an eighth team from the Woodstock-Houlton, Me. area also in the potential mix.

Middle school teams will play eight regular season games on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays with first practice slated for Aug. 18. The provincial pee wee championship will be played at Chapman Field Nov. 9 with the N.B. champion hosting the N.S. champion for the Maritime pee wee title Nov. 16.

The mosquito program begins its 10th season with teams including Nashwaaksis Axemen, Devon Knights, Northside Mounties, West End Rough Riders, New Maryland Rams, East End Crush, Oromocto Red Dogs and Oromocto Grizzlies.

The season is slated to begin Aug. 18-20 with a two day training camp beginning at 6 p.m. each night at Lincoln Heights Field. Each team will play nine regular season games on Mondays and Saturdays. The season wraps up Oct. 25.

Eight teams make up the squirt playing division, which features touch football. This is the 13th year this program has been offered. At this level, boys and girls each wear a belt with flags attached by velcro. Ball carriers are tackled by having one of these flags pulled off. Each team has a maximum of 12 players with six on the field at one time.

The squirt season begins Aug. 19-21 with a two day training camp slated for Lincoln Heights Field beginning at 6 p.m. each day.

Each team plays nine regular season games plus playoffs with games on Thursdays and Saturdays. The season wraps up on Oct. 25.