The Eskimos Youth Flag Football League presented by Servus Credit Union (EYFFL) is expanding for the second year in a row.
A pee wee category for 11- and 12-year-old players was added last season while a bantam category for 13- and 14-year-olds is about to be introduced this year to allow children who have been participating in the program to remain involved.
“If we didn’t expand that age group (for pee wee last year), they would have graduated out,” said Darryl Szafranski, the University of Alberta football program manager and assistant coach who recruits and trains between 16 and 20 Golden Bears football players to coach the flag football teams, which start with six-, seven- and eight-year-olds in novice and nine- and 10-year-olds in atom.
“We recognize that there’s a demand and a need to service those individuals looking to play flag football.”
Football Alberta used to administer the EYFFL presented by Servus Credit Union but handed off the responsibility this season to the Capital District Minor Football Association (CDMFA).
Darryl Draudson, who is the executive director of both the CDMFA and the Greater Edmonton Flag Football Association (GEFFA), has personally seen the advantage of expanding the Eskimos Youth Flag Football League for an older age group.
“My son, Everett, played in the league last year and I got to watch,” Draudson said. “It was his first time (playing football), and he really enjoyed it, and he wants to carry on. Somewhere down the road, he’ll probably transfer across into (contact) football, maybe in the next year or so, but right now, he still has the hockey dream.”
Everett was in the pee wee group, which attracted about 100 players last year, but moves up to bantam this season.
“(The coaches) do a great job of relating to the kids and understanding and keeping the kids engaged and having fun,” Draudson said.
Registration for the EYFFL presented by Servus Credit Union, which runs from mid-August until the end of October, is on already on pace to match or exceed last year’s numbers. There were 250 players from ages six to 12 registered last year after 240 players aged six to 10 registered in 2017.
Registration for the bantam age group was initially a little slow, but Draudson attributes that mostly to those players also being involved in the Edmonton junior high schools flag football league in May/June.
Registration forms are available on the Football Alberta (https://footballalberta.ab.ca/main/youth-flag-football/) and GEFFA (http://www.edmontonflag.com/article/50611).
“The other thing we have added this year is a KidSport option for a subsidy for lower-income families so their child can play if they can’t afford the $200 (registration fee),” Draudson pointed out. “That’s included in the registration as one of the payment options.”
KidSport has signed a contract to support up to 50 players this season.
The EYFFL presented by Servus Credit Union is an entry-level program for all genders. No experience is necessary, and the only equipment required is a good pair of running shoes. Flags and jerseys and head coaches are provided.
“It’s a great way to introduce kids to the sport, and some graduate to playing contact and some people continue to playing flag, which is fine, too,” said Szafranski. “What we’re starting to see now is that some of the kids who have gone through the program are starting to play football at the high school level, whether it be tackle football or a female flag league, which has just started up, so we’re seeing a lot of growth in flag football programs in general.”
Between eight and 10 players are on each EYFFL team, which play five-on-five games for one hour every Sunday during the season. Novice games are usually indoors at the Commonwealth Community Recreation Centre Field House in the morning, although there has been some discussion about moving the games to The Brick Field at Commonwealth Stadium when the weather is good.
“When it’s nice in Edmonton, it’s kind of a shame to be indoors,” Draudson said.
The older age groups play outdoors on The Brick Field.
Players are evaluated on the first day of the program and placed on teams according to their ability. Teams will be grouped in different divisions based on ability levels and gender.
The Golden Bears players who are coaching the flag football teams get an opportunity “to have a hands-on experience coaching and developing young athletes,” according to Szafranski, which can come in handy if they become teachers or get involved in coaching once they are finished playing.
“Sometimes, they get a little competitive (with each other), especially at the older age groups,” Szafranski said. “They have a lot of fun with it, of course.”
Parents are welcome to help out as an assistant coach or manager. All coaches and assistant coaches will be given a “how to” seminar on flag football.
“Each team will have two coaches,” Draudson said. “Most youth sports wind up with parents having to volunteer to coach. Actually having football players, a lot of them who are in education, is a great value for everybody who takes part in the league.”
In addition, Eskimos players will be out to three sessions during the course of the season to help support the program.