Junior varsity football league returns this spring
The Niagara Regional Minor Football Association’s junior varsity football league is back after a one-year absence.
Extremely popular when first introduced in the summer of 2022, the league will resume play this spring and registration starts Jan. 29.
The rebirth of the league had its roots last summer when NRMFA vice-president Vince Angelini was helping the A.N. Myer football program with jamborees (scrimmages) being held locally.
“My son is at Myer and I was able to tag along with the jamboree. Dave (Myer head coach Buchanan) asked me to come and help out and just talking to the kids, they liked what was going on with the jamborees but they really missed that competition in the loop,” Angelini said. “They really wanted that and I heard it from some of the kids and some of the parents too. We thought we could bring that level of competition back and the kids would really enjoy it and benefit from it.”
Moving the league to spring from summer was done for one specific reason.
“If we go in the spring, it gives the kids a bit of a break once we are done to get their summer in and relax a bit before they start the fall season.”
The league will run from April until June and teams will play about six games, including playoffs. Where and when the games will be played has yet to be determined but they will likely be on Thursday nights at two different fields.
“Before the games start, they will be practising three nights a week and then once we get into the games, it will be a practice during the week and a game on Thursday.”
In 2022, the league had five teams competing and the goal for 2024 is to grow that to six.
“We want to have six teams and we feel the response will be there, for sure,” Angelini said.
He monitors the emails on the NRMFA’s website and there is daily traffic asking about the league.
“People are excited and the ones that don’t know about it are excited when I tell them there is that opportunity for kids to continue playing and they don’t have to travel and go far away.”
When the games were held at Myer in 2022, the parking lots were full, there were plenty of fans around and there was a buzz around the league.
“We want to keep that going so when the kids go they get excited and the parents also like that atmosphere. I know it is not as big as a Friday Night Lights but it has a similar feel to it.”
The purpose of the league is to expose more players to tackle football away from high school.
“There are a lot of kids out there for whatever reason that don’t play in the summer whether it’s cost or having to put in the time to play travel football,” Angelini said. “This will come at a much lower cost and it won’t take up too much of their time so they will have the ability to work. And for a lot of these kids, they will get to play with their teammates from high school and they’ll have the same high school coaching for some of the teams. They will be able to grow with the team and develop that way.”
The league is for players in Grades 9 through 11 which allows younger players to see playing time they might not normally get at high schools that don’t have junior teams.
“I have gotten a few emails ‘My son has never played before and will he be taught how to tackle and do all those things’ and they absolutely will.”
The registration fee has not yet been finalized but is it expected to be in the $250 range.
